Does LABC Certificate of Completion cover the electrics too?

[greenboy5]

Further to my post here //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=237056&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 , my builder has informed me that I don't need a certificate from the electrician who wired my extension, as I have already received the Certificate of Completion from LABC which covers all aspects of the extension.

Is this correct? Or should I still insist upon receiving a certificate?

Many thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ask your builder to confirm in writing that the electrician notified the council that the work he did all complied with the Building Regulations, and that he was registered to self-certify.

Or that the council were told that the work would not be done by someone registered to self certify and that whatever conditions they required, like inspection or testing by someone else, or acceptance of an EIC if they considered the electrician qualified etc, were met.

The problem is I don't think that any of the Competent Person schemes allow the electrician to not issue an EIC, and frankly I can't imagine any properly qualified and competent one not issuing one anyway.

You ordered and paid for the work, if it was done in compliance with the Wiring Regulations you should have the EIC.

 

[greenboy5]

Okay - I'll make sure to ask the builder for it.

However, in the unfortunate event I don't get it, could I feel confident the work is done satisfactorily, on the basis that I have the Cert of Compl?

 

[LiamPope]

The completion cert should cover everything - everything they were notified of, that is. A full extension will pretty much always involve electrical work, so I would expect BC to be asking questions already if they have been notified of an extension being carried out and have no notification of electrical work. The LABC will have a file on your property, so if you have doubts, you should phone them and ask them to confirm that your completion cert covers everything you know to have been done. If you phone them and they say "What? This extension involved electrical work? We know nothing of such work!" then you have a problem. I find that highly unlikely given the above, and the relationship between BC and your builder that you described (if it's accurate).

 

[electronicsuk]

Okay - I'll make sure to ask the builder for it.

However, in the unfortunate event I don't get it, could I feel confident the work is done satisfactorily, on the basis that I have the Cert of Compl?

No, as there is no guarantee the electrical work has been inspected in any way whatsoever, and we all know what builders' electrical skills tend to be like...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

With no EIC, and (so far - it can take several weeks, I believe) no completion certificate from LABC for the electrics, not really.

Ask Building Control what their completion certificate covers, (if it doesn't say). Whether they were notified of electrical work being done by a non-registered electrician, and therefore whether they would have taken any interest in it is rather important....

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I have already received the Certificate of Completion from LABC which covers all aspects of the extension.

Well, it's been signed and passed off then!

 

[greenboy5]

The completion cert should cover everything - everything they were notified of, that is. A full extension will pretty much always involve electrical work, so I would expect BC to be asking questions already if they have been notified of an extension being carried out and have no notification of electrical work. The LABC will have a file on your property, so if you have doubts, you should phone them and ask them to confirm that your completion cert covers everything you know to have been done. If you phone them and they say "What? This extension involved electrical work? We know nothing of such work!" then you have a problem. I find that highly unlikely given the above, and the relationship between BC and your builder that you described (if it's accurate).

Thanks a lot for a detailed, helpful and reassuring response. I will contact BC as suggested.

 

[greenboy5]

I have already received the Certificate of Completion from LABC which covers all aspects of the extension.

Well, it's been signed and passed off then!

Er..sorry, that was just me being careless. I meant that the CoC is for the extension as a whole. I have no idea what specifics it covers.

Thanks anyway!

 

[MalcofArabia]

My local BC had about 3 or 4 inspectors for building work. When I dealt with them there was just the one guy who did the electrical side.

As the building inspectors go and do site vists during the build's various stages I found the electrical guy never. He basically had no idea about the electrics and to be honest never wanted to. If they did arrange site visits it was normally an outside contractor who did it for them.

You may find therefore that in some cases the building and electrical BC never the twain did meet. This might be the same in your case. The builder may have just contacted the building BC inspectors and the electrical one never knew anything about your work. It is best to check

 

[ban-all-sheds]

my builder has informed me that I don't need a certificate from the electrician who wired my extension, as I have already received the Certificate of Completion from LABC which covers all aspects of the extension.

Inform your builder of his obligations under the Construction Design and Management Regulations to use suitably qualified subcontractors, and if he used a qualified electrician why you can't get an EIC.

 

[greenboy5]

My local BC had about 3 or 4 inspectors for building work. When I dealt with them there was just the one guy who did the electrical side.

As the building inspectors go and do site vists during the build's various stages I found the electrical guy never. He basically had no idea about the electrics and to be honest never wanted to. If they did arrange site visits it was normally an outside contractor who did it for them.

You may find therefore that in some cases the building and electrical BC never the twain did meet. This might be the same in your case. The builder may have just contacted the building BC inspectors and the electrical one never knew anything about your work. It is best to check

I don't really understand - if the CoC does cover all electrical work carried out, then they would have to have checked the work ? Or am I missing something?

 

[LiamPope]

BC wouldnt make any electrical inspections if they were being notified via a competent persons scheme, eg niceic, napit, etc.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There's a lot of ifs buts and maybes floating around, along with a sprinkling of naïvety about the diligence and scope of LABC activity.

1) If your builder used a qualified electrician then there is absolutely no reason why you should not get an EIC.

2) If your builder did not use a qualified electrician, WTF not?

3) Just ask him outright - did he use an electrician who self-certified Building Regulations compliance, and if not did he tell LABC that he wasn't going to so that they could make the necessary arrangements to inspect and test the work.

4) There is no harm in asking LABC what was on the Building Regulations application form - after all, it cost money to apply for approval which you will have paid, so you're entitled to see it.