I know there are regular debates on here, but I just wondered if anybody had views on this:
I just went to quote for some rewiring. The existing installation has seven circuits, springing from 5 single Wylex fuseboxes, plus a twin. ALL circuits are radial and there is no equipotential bonding although each fusebox has its own connection to the supply sheathing (TN-S) Looks lovely.
The owner only really wanted 8 extra double sockets, a cooker circuit and a CU, but as the three-bed house has only 5 doubles to start with, I told him he was way behind the times and pointed him at table 8B in the On Site Guide. His single lighting circuit is also pretty old. Anyway, given the age and inadequacy of the whole thing I said I would be unhappy to simply supply a new CU, connect the old circuits to it and shove in a few more sockets and that it would make sense (as the boards would be up and all that) to go for a comprehensive rewire, do all the bonding, etc...
That's when he told me he wanted to rent to students and the local authority insisted on a controlled NICEIC ticket. (B*gg*r!) But here's the thing. I took the time to explain what I thought was best and why, whereas the NICEIC sparky he'd seen earlier in the day had simply shrugged and given him a price for eight new double sockets, a cooker circuit and a CU. Now I would like to believe that he will undertake a comprehensive test of the whole installation and negotiate to do any extra work necessary (such as the equipotential bonding) but what if he just sticks to the work agreed? This isn't sour grapes because I won't get the job - I'm pretty busy right now anyway - but I'm not sure the customer is getting what the NICEIC seeks to provide, especially as he told me he felt far more confident in my advice than that given by the registered fella.
So, any comments?
I just went to quote for some rewiring. The existing installation has seven circuits, springing from 5 single Wylex fuseboxes, plus a twin. ALL circuits are radial and there is no equipotential bonding although each fusebox has its own connection to the supply sheathing (TN-S) Looks lovely.
The owner only really wanted 8 extra double sockets, a cooker circuit and a CU, but as the three-bed house has only 5 doubles to start with, I told him he was way behind the times and pointed him at table 8B in the On Site Guide. His single lighting circuit is also pretty old. Anyway, given the age and inadequacy of the whole thing I said I would be unhappy to simply supply a new CU, connect the old circuits to it and shove in a few more sockets and that it would make sense (as the boards would be up and all that) to go for a comprehensive rewire, do all the bonding, etc...
That's when he told me he wanted to rent to students and the local authority insisted on a controlled NICEIC ticket. (B*gg*r!) But here's the thing. I took the time to explain what I thought was best and why, whereas the NICEIC sparky he'd seen earlier in the day had simply shrugged and given him a price for eight new double sockets, a cooker circuit and a CU. Now I would like to believe that he will undertake a comprehensive test of the whole installation and negotiate to do any extra work necessary (such as the equipotential bonding) but what if he just sticks to the work agreed? This isn't sour grapes because I won't get the job - I'm pretty busy right now anyway - but I'm not sure the customer is getting what the NICEIC seeks to provide, especially as he told me he felt far more confident in my advice than that given by the registered fella.
So, any comments?