DIY Wiring

[B14ROF]

Hi

I am making mods to my property, which are pretty extensive and need to comply to Part P. Where possible I am doing all the work myself. This makes it very slow and it will be completed in parts. We are still living in it.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can make sure that I do not have problems with sign off for hidden cabling / wiring. If I have to call in someone qualified to certify every time, to see a socket here, a socket there will be 10 plus visits over 2 years or so.

Are photographs accepted.

 

[sjwkmje]

Hi

I am making mods to my property, which are pretty extensive and need to comply to Part P. Where possible I am doing all the work myself. This makes it very slow and it will be completed in parts. We are still living in it.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can make sure that I do not have problems with sign off for hidden cabling / wiring. If I have to call in someone qualified to certify every time, to see a socket here, a socket there will be 10 plus visits over 2 years or so.

Are photographs accepted.

Hi,

Are you doing a full rewire? what type of work are you doing? The best way would be to notify it to your BCO, pay there fee and they will come out at first fix, second fix and also do your certificate to BS7671. The BCO here would come out as much as possible over the length of the project and its usually approx £150 to notify it.

You would be hard to find a spark who will allow you to do the work and sign it off. He needs to be involved at each stage of the way. On the certs you are asked to sign to say you designed, implemented, tested and inspected the installation so without knowing each cable run, each termination, I would not sign off any work unless I was involved each step of the way. If people want to save money I do the design, mark out where cables need to be run in safe zones etc, get you to chase the walls, then all I have to do is do the first fix and second fix. I would be happy then to sign it off and you have saved some cost in my labour. In my oppion a photograph would show cable runs but not how tight the terminals are inside an accessory.

Adam

 

[Paul_C]

The best way would be to notify it to your BCO, pay there fee and they will come out at first fix, second fix and also do your certificate to BS7671.

I've never heard of an LABC issuing a BS7671 certificate. They just issue paperwork at the end of the job to say they're satisfied that the work complies with the building regulations.

 

[sjwkmje]

The best way would be to notify it to your BCO, pay there fee and they will come out at first fix, second fix and also do your certificate to BS7671.

I've never heard of an LABC issuing a BS7671 certificate. They just issue paperwork at the end of the job to say they're satisfied that the work complies with the building regulations.

Last job I got involved with (but kept my distance) like this was a CU change and new circuits, I was just offering my advice, but the BCO had sub contracted out a spark (one of the big electrical installers) to come and check the install and they got a standard BS7671 cert with the schedule of test results. Is this not how its done in other areas? All be it this was a few years ago. Once the cert was done the BCO signed it off.

Adam

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Adam, A mate of mine is a builder and he does rewires using the local BCO route. If he uses his tester to do the tests and produces his own EIC they just accept it and charge him £75 ish for an building control bloke to walk round and basically do nothing. If they do the testing it will be like you said a local firm will come in and they will issue a cert at £285 plus VAT.

His tester went out of calibration so on thelast job he was forced to go the expensive route.

Bet he has had it recalibrated now though

Martin

 

[bernardgreen]

Talk to the building control officer ( BCO )and find out exactly what they will require from you. Provided you do have the relevant knowledge and information about how to design and install electrical services in your own home and can convince the BCO that you have that information and are not going to take short cuts and will not be selling the house in the near future you may find they will accept your signature on a certificate of compliance.

 

[B14ROF]

Hi Guys

Not sure if you can all see this. I'm new to this forum.

Thanks for the advice.

Its an extension rather than a re-work but, its pretty big (3 rooms and a corridor) and frankly as I removed the wiring from parts that I was demolishing, the neatness of the existing work did not impress, so I will replace more than just that needed to hook up the extension Its bungalow so most of the wiring is in the loft apart from drops to power points.

I guess I knew that it would be difficult for folk to sign off against work done by others with no prior contact.

I am a Chartered Engineer (mechanical not electrical) so I am happy I can do the work ok. I like the BCO route to see if I can show then sufficient expertise to allow me certify myself. (a bit doubtful that they will accept this but its worth a good try)

Failing that I will try and find a local Electrician that perhaps is happy to help me through with minimal involement.

I have a copy of "The Electricans Guide to the 16th Edition and can understand it pretty well. I tried to get a copy of the version of the 17th Edition before Christmas but had no luck (left it too late). Does the 17th edition build on the 16th or it is a complete re-write.

Regards

 

[Taylortwocities]

There are substantial changes to for circuits. Bathroom zones are different.
All circuits (except special) to have supplementary protection = RCDs or RCBOs.
There's a list here http://www.voltimum.co.uk/news/8849/cm/summary-of-changes-in-the-17th-edition.html

Please note that the regs are not just to do with the mechanics of running the cables. The circuits need to be designed and installed according to their requirements and the environment.
You need to assess the supply type and make special provision for some of them.

You'll not get that from an old (or new) copy of the regs or through Internet Fora (or is it Forums?)

 

[Paul_C]

Its an extension rather than a re-work but, its pretty big (3 rooms and a corridor)

In which case I would assume that you have building control involved for the rest of the works. If that's so, then the electrical work under Part P will be included with the fee you've already paid for the whole project.

Some LABC's are still trying to insist that people pay to have electrical work inspected independently, despite the fact that they have no legal authority to do so and have been told to cease. If you have paid an overall building fee for the whole project, then it is the LABC's responsibility to inspect the electrical work along with everything else, so you should insist that they do so. If they want an independent electrician to inspect, it's up to them to pay him out of the fee you submitted. Don't let them get away with trying to tell you otherwise.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

I totally agree with Paul C