Working in Scotland

[Chri5]

Am I right in thinking that a English Part P qualification won't cut the haggis in Edinburgh?

Brother is adding 5 rooms to his bungalow and wants me to do the electrical rewire, and I understand that in Scotland a warrant is required.

I'm doing a 17th ed course + exam in March and I'd assume that entitles (subject to a pass) me to sign a 17th Ed EIC to cover the warrant regs.

Will that satisfy the Edinburgh Council / LBC guys

 

[shortcircuit48]

Its a bit yes and no.

What should happen is that where works are part of a building warrant then they are required to be signed off by an Certifier of Construction working for an Approved Company, which can be a sole trader. The company and the CoC need to be registered with either SELECT or NICEIC under the the scheme. Apart from your electrical competences you would need to attend and pass a one day course on the building regs parts, and then be registered. As well as the EIC you also sign off "all" electrical works on another certificate. This certificate is unique to the warrant and to the CoC. ("All" means all electrical works including alarms, CCTV etc, possibly carried out by others)

Some LAs are not fully implemeting the above as they are allowed to satisfy themselves you are competent. Competence is assumed to be members of the SELECT or NICEIC schemes, however they are turning a blind eye to this and accepting EIC if they consider you are competent. I would really not like to be in their shoes in a court of law trying to justify that your competence had been accepted with no measurement other than an opinion.

My experience in Edinburgh is that they are clued up and it may not be possible.
Look on the SELECT site for guidance. Whatever you do, do not assume that it will be OK. Get your brother to find out from BC exactly what they require.

 

[baldelectrician]

I have also heard Edinburgh are up to speed (this may be obvious as SELECT are also based in Edinburgh)

I couldn't find Edinburgh council's information on Electrics and building warrants, but I am sure that most councils are on the same hymn sheet.

Remember it's not like Part P - no 5 day wonder courses here, just a Regs course, Insurances, inspection & testing, calibrated test equipment, full day asssment (at £350+vat), cscs health and safety card, and lots of recent certs.
see

http://www.sec.uk.net/individuals.php

also local council spec on electrical certification
http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/devser/documents/bsguidancecei.pdf

 

[Chri5]

As always thanks for the information, late for work so I'll check the links later.

Chris

 

[always-diying]

I'm not an expert, but is any certification required for buildings up to 2 storeys (excluding flats)?

http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/buildingstandards/guidance_electrical.htm

Based on this looks like you can do pretty much anything as long as not relating to structural changes

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Remember it's not like Part P - no 5 day wonder courses here, just a Regs course, Insurances, inspection & testing, calibrated test equipment, full day asssment (at £350+vat), cscs health and safety card, and lots of recent certs.

Isn't it just as easy to get into NICEIC up there as it is down here?

 

[baldelectrician]

bas
If you are competent it is just as easy to enrol fully with the NICIEC (or SELECT)

There is no halfway house (no DI) so it isn't just as easy as the 'non full scope route' is not there.

always-diying
That is the beauty of the Scottish system, you don't need permission for quite a lot of stuff (like a socket in a kitchen) you will need permission for things like conversions etc.
There is, however another iron in the fire in Scotland.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/01/30105839/Q/Video/437

the home report is like the HIP in England and Wales (a HIP repacement as it were ), but it has teeth.

It is mandatory, and will be quite detailed, so if you have - for example - a new kitchen with gas hob you will be expected to provide corgi certs for the work.

If you have had other work done (say a 'floored loft' that's really a room) it may open up can of worms.