At the time of submitting my building notice (not just including the electrical work) I was intending to follow the path described in Doc P of notification followed by the LABC inspecting and testing. At the time I naively assumed that would be fine, and it was only later I discovered my LABC were one of those refusing to test notified work, and were demanding I get a registered spark to do a PIR in order to get my completion cert. I wasn't going to accept this bullying on pure principle, and in fact my very first posts on here were gathering advice on this matter. They never budged so that is why I decided to pursue the alternative path described in Doc P of a non registered but competent person notifying and submitting a BS7671 EIC. I have use of a calibrated Megger MFT and always intended to test myself anyway, even if my completion cert ultimately came from LABC contracted testing or a third party PIR. Would have been interesting to compare results.
So it was just a matter of getting the LABC to accept me as 'competent'. I'll be the first to admit my degree is probably the least relevant on the list of things that have contributed to my actual ability to do the work, which includes various professional experience, book work, this forum's search function
, and the general practical competence and ability to self-teach that has also enabled me to do the plumbing, tiling, structural changes, window installation, dry-lining, etc. However, as I suspected, as far as the LABC are concerned, bits of paper tick boxes, and playing the degree card was what got them to agree to accept my EIC. Well if they're happy, I'm happy. And if an EIC and completion cert exists for the work, my house insurers and potential future buyer's solicitors are also happy.
1john - no disrespect at all to pro sparks, but I couldn't possibly have any greater peace of mind than I have currently - knowing where and how every cable in my property is installed, knowing every circuit is properly designed, and knowing I don't have a page of made up test results. Having saved a few grand is nice too. I'm 100% happy to sign the declarations on the EIC that the installation complies. I dont think I'll ever have to prove it does - rather someone may want to try to prove it doesn't. They will struggle though, as it does.
Oh well - I didn't exactly expect a pat on the back
. I fully accept that when the pros on here make generalised statements along the lines of 'most DIY electrical work is sub-standard', they are completely true. The minority of DIYers who do work to a professional standard, BAS and a few others on here that I know of, for example, I suppose will never avoid being tarred with the same brush.