Part P and DIY Work

[duxster]

Hi all

I have been looking at the Part P requirements. I have done several jobs on our current home and if I have got it correct in theory any work I do after 1st Jan 2005 needs to be inspected and certificated by an elecrician approved by one of the listed bodies. I have read that for minor work this inspection charge is in the region of £100 per item.

What I am unsure about it what about the work carried out prior to the 1st Jan 2005? Obviously this will not be an issue until I come to sell the house and the surveyor asks to see certificates for the work carried out. I am presuming that aslong as I say the work was done prior to the 1th Jan 2005 it should be exempt? Is this correct?

If this is the case then how will they know when any work has been carried out, will home owners not just say it was done during 2004 and therefore exempt?

If this is not the case and you need to retrospectivley get some sort of approval for work done prior to the change in regulations what does the home owner need to do when they come to sell the house?

I can see that rules like this are going to make it so difficult to sell your house in the future!!

Cheers

Dux

 

[IanDB]

I am presuming that aslong as I say the work was done prior to the 1th Jan 2005 it should be exempt? Is this correct?

Yes.

If this is the case then how will they know when any work has been carried out, will home owners not just say it was done during 2004 and therefore exempt?

The wiring colours are changing in 2005 so if there is evidence of new wiring then there needs to be an inspection certificate as required.

 

[andy]

who else thinks part P and the wiring colour changes have something in common? the colour changes are to 'date' electrical work so they can say 'you done this after 2005, your going to jail for not notifing us about the re-wire'

 

[duxster]

Looks like it may be worth stocking up on some rolls of old colour cables then!!!

Dux

 

[shaggy]

The new coloured cables were available in 2004 though.

 

[andy]

since old colours can be used until april 2006, do they still make it?

 

[dingbat]

I have used only the new colours since April. They have been freely available from wholesalers. If you've used red and black from the sheds you have no problem whatsoever. If you've used brown and blue, just say you did it before 1st Jan. And anyway, red and black will still be available in 2005 as it's not until 2006 that it gets phased out completely.

As for minor works, unless it's in a kitchen, bathroom or outside it's non-notifiable.

But here's the big issue with DIY electrics: There is much more to an installation, even a simple domestic one, than just joining up wires. Every day I see some horror or other perpetrated in all innocence by a DIYer, plumber, chippie, etc... "How hard can it be, eh? Look, we join red to red and black to black and it works... bingo!" You guys do stuff that no electrician would be allowed to get away with and you get away with it because you know no better and besides, who will ever know?

Well, sooner or later a problem does occur, a spark is called in and I regularly have to advise that the problem may be just the tip of the iceberg. And it's not just the elctrical installation; the government intend to crack down on all aspects of dodgy DIY/cowboy work in houses and the proposed home seller's pack is a step in that direction, whereby proof will be required that any alterations conform to the relevant standards. For example; dangerous, unauthorised loft conversions, supporting walls and chimneys removed without adequate support provided, drains concreted over, flues leaking combustion gases, etc, etc... Now, nanny state it may be, but how would you feel having just moved into a beautifully decorated home only to find that all the services are dodgy or downright dangerous? Buyer beware? There has to be some recourse, surely?

Now I have no issue with people doing DIY-anything-they-like, far from it. But please take the time to learn how to do it properly. This forum is a start, but the ultimate responsibility lies with the person who actually does the work and if in doubt for goodness sake call somebody who actually knows what they are doing!

 

[TraineeSpark]

I still think its ironic that the harmonized colours came in on April Fools Day. And how come we still have not seen that army of 10,000 "Dukes."

Andrew, I don't think they still make the old colours, but couldn't swear to that. Where I work we are getting old and new depending on who supplies.
The 2006 ruling is more to allow depletion of old stock.

 

[andy]

where i work we use mainly new colours (always used new for T+E), but we have loads of old conduit cables so we aint started usin the new stuff in singles yet

 

[andy]

I still think its ironic that the harmonized colours came in on April Fools Day.

you mean its a joke and 8 month later people still aint relised?! i wish...

 

[duxster]

dingbat

I agree completly about dangrous work.. But not only DIYers do bad work, some so called tradesmen are far from quality!!

I myself work for a FE College that has a construction division so I get all the courses I need for free.

Just read on another thread that all outside work falls within the new regs, what about if it was installed before the 1st Jan 2005?

Cheers

Dux

 

[dingbat]

dingbat

I agree completly about dangrous work.. But not only DIYers do bad work, some so called tradesmen are far from quality!!

Oh, I agree entirely with that statement!

Just read on another thread that all outside work falls within the new regs, what about if it was installed before the 1st Jan 2005?

Then it's not affected. Part P will not be applied retrospectively, although if it's not up to BS7671 it may get picked up on a future inspection... and might possibly affect a sale. (Having said that, imagine the result if ALL properties had to conform to all CURRENT building regs!!!)

 

[duxster]

Dingbat

Good point, no one would be able to sell their house if that was the case.

Dux

 

[jenki]

I can see that rules like this are going to make it so difficult to sell your house in the future!!

Sorry to but in - but id bet a modest fortune - that in the future when you come to sell your house, you will have to buy an indemnity policy - for the buyer - just incase theres something wrong!!

A pal of mine sold his house a few months back. 8 years prior he had an extension built - with Building Regs approval. When he came to sell they asked for the certificate - but BC did not supply one 8 years back - wasn't policy to do so! - So he had to take out a policy £50, just in case a problem arose in the future

 

[duxster]

Jenki

I have heard of these insurance policies and to me they make a joke out of Building Regs. (not that I'm complaining) So you can build something not get regs and then sell your house, take out a £50 insurance and hey presto you are home and dry.

Dux