Regulations and Showers

Hello,

I am looking for advice on how to install a power shower. I am fairly confident in my ability to actually do it but i am concerned about regulations regarding electrics and plumbing. I have no formal training (just years of working with my Dad!)

I would like to know what i need to do to avoid having to pay a small fortune to someone else to do what i could.

Can i do it and then get someone to check it? Or could i do a quick course to get a piece of paper that will let me do it?

Thanks

B

The relevant regulations are the Building Regulations part P (electrics) and the Water Regulations. The tricky one is part P, since it prohibits electrical work in bathrooms other than by those with the appropriate qualification. However if the electrics/pump are not in the bathroom you could go ahead yourself, although you ought to get further advice on that, perhaps from the electrics forum.

In any case you need to study the plumbing aspects, since pumped showers are a bit of a minefield. If you want more advice here you need to describe your hot water system, size and height of cold feed tank above shower rose position, location of cylinder, etc.

water regs state any pump delivering more than 12litres a min,the local water board should be notified.im sure every plumber does though

If you install the pump and electrics outside the bathroom, the work is not necessarily notifiable to Building Control.

However, a Part P registered/qualified person must carry out the work to the normal standard eg: testing etc, it is only the notification that is not required.

To get a limited scope Part P qualification, if you already have some electrical savvy expect it to take a week, cost circa £700. You will then need a Part P test kit to carry out your work (£800) and membership of a certification body (could be £300 initially).

For a tradesman on 5% nett profit this means;
£700 training
£800 equipment
£300 membership
£1200 lost earnings while training

£3000 investment.

To fund this investment he/she would need to turn over an additional £55,000 of work just to break even.

My company is Part P registered and though all boiler installations in kitchens and bathrooms are Part P notifiable, my estimate from asking householders is that 95% of the industry neither mention that it is a requirement or carry it out.

You must decide whether you pay someone to do it properly and reward them for their time and skill, or do it yourself. If you consider yourself competent, and can stretch to an RCD FCU for the pump power, DIY! Just don't tell anyone official that it was you, and check the equipotential bonding in the bathroom.......

Thakyou both.

Looks like i might be as well to get someone in.

Brendan

You don't need to be Part P registered to do the work though you do have to notify Building Control before work commences. You don't have to prove competence either though obviously you do need to be sure yourself what you are doing.
See http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115314019563.html
Building Control will of course charge a fee but will arrange for your installation to be tested and issue relevant certificates if everything is ok.