Bathroom Cabinet Lighting Install

[Matt_85]

Good afternoon all

We are having a house built, due for completion in December. Its not a DIY design one, but a new build from a typical national builder.

I have been asked to provide any electrical requests prior to work starting on the interior.

The main bathroom comes with a suite pre-specced and makes no provision for a cabinet above the sink or its associated lighting.

Crucially important to the issue is that the builder will not fit any equipment away from the standard spec or anything I free issue to them, meaning I must fit the cabinet and light after completion which is post NHBC inspection.

We have opted for full height tiling and ive mentioned to them that I will need electrics provided in there and naturally do not want to strip off a wall of new tiles. The suggestion they have made is a fused spur as part of my electrical options.

In terms of installation, does anyone know how exactly that will work ? as I have to specify the height of the spur and its location. Without being a sparky, all I can really specify is the position of the cabinet and light but I cannot figure out how it will pass the inspection. I didn't think you were allowed the fused spur to be in the bathroom itself (similar to fan switches being outside) but alternatively, a cable hanging out the wall also wont pass an inspection I would have thought.

The cabinet have only minimal clearance behind it for a cable but would not house a wall plate without cutting & if the wallplate was on the outside of the cabinet, I would not be able to take the output from the plate to the light without either it being visible outside the wall or removing tiles to feed it back inside to behind the cabinet.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[flameport]

FCUs are allowed in bathrooms, but are the wrong choice for a cabinet with lighting.

The proper choice would be a 25mm deep single box recessed in the wall behind the cabinet (600mm above the basin would be typical), with a 3core& earth cable from there to the lighting circuit (either the ceiling light or the switch, depending on how the circuit is wired).
3 cores being permanent line, switched line and neutral, which gives the option of having the cabinet light switched with the main lights, or using a switch on the cabinet itself. Or even a combination of the two, such as a shaver socket on permanently and the lights being switched.

For any inspection before the cabinet is installed, all that is needed is the cable end to have some terminal blocks fitted and a blank plate fixed over the box.

Installing the cabinet is then just a case of fixing it to the wall and connecting the cabinet flex into the recessed wall box.

 

[Matt_85]

Ahh, I didn't expect blanking plates to be allowed in bathrooms (I didn't think they would seal sufficiently, atleast the ones ive seen anyway).

im presuming the 600mm is to push the connection outside of zone 2 ?

 

[ericmark]

I agree with flameport, however it is more down to what builder will do, I had an argument with brother-in-law over removing items from late father-in-laws house because buyer did not want them, as until contract signed, they could back out, and then we may have to replace them.

I would guess builders have the same problem, they don't want to do work, which if you back out they may not get paid for, and may have to return it to standard, so it is more down to what builders are willing to do.

Also 30 years ago when we bought our new build house, the charge for extras was silly, £25 I seem to remember for an extra socket, does not seem much now, but in 1979 that was a silly price, they clearly did not want to do any extra work, so priced it so no one would ask them to do it.

 

[flameport]

im presuming the 600mm is to push the connection outside of zone 2 ?

No, it's so that it will be behind the vast majority of cabinets.

Zones only apply around the bath or shower.
There are no zones around basins.

 

[Matt_85]

Thanks flameport. I'll pass on the change from a FCU to a recessed box with a blank plate.

Your right about the risks eric, however we are exchanging contracts (As required to in order to uphold our reservation) prior to the sparks work being done. So backing out after that would leave me liable for such alterations either way.

For reference, the fused spur was being charged at £85.