Process for building control to sign of electrical work when doing notifiable electrical work yourself?

[eveares]

So let's say I bought a old house that needed a full re-wire for example and I wanted to do the re-wire all myself (obviously complying to BS7671), what is the process regarding involving the local councils building control when doing notifiable electrical work under Part P.

I assume you need to notify them before you start anything, and they will want to expect it at several stages along the way, but I’m not 100% sure how it works in practice?


How does the process work when using the councils building control as opposed to a person registered with a Part P scheme such as a normal qualified electrician. This relates to Liverpool if at all relevant.

Regards: Elliott.

 

[Murdochcat]

Generally if a diyer wants to notify directly with the local council you would need to be able to prove your qualifications and competence.

Plus of course pay money

Guildford will never allow anybody to do this and the only way they approve such works is for them to send in an approved spark at your cost

 

[securespark]

Best way is to ask your own BC what their procedure is.

 

[eveares]

Generally if a diyer wants to notify directly with the local council you would need to be able to prove your qualifications and competence.

Guildford will never allow anybody to do this and the only way they approve such works is for them to send in an approved spark at your cost

Thanks for replying, I am of course aware there are three main ways to get Part P notifiable work signed of by the local building control.

1) Use a electrician who is registered with a Part P scheme like NAPIT.
2) Use a 3rd Party certification scheme, that was introduced under the last amendment of Part P in April 2013.
3) Do it your self, with the local building control involved along the way too inspect and make sure it complies with BS7671, with them testing it as and when required (if not done your self), and signing it off in the process.

Of course if one has the qualifications already, then why would you even go down route #3 and not just instead register with a Part P scheme and go down route #1?

I should also add that I have a good understanding of BS7671 (and posses up to date copies of the regs and on site guide, aka BS7671 18th Amd 3) along with possessing a multi function tester (Megger MFT 1730) required to carry out all the tests when issuing a Electrical Installation Certificate along with other electrical gear like a GS38 compliant voltage tester and proving unit.

Regards: Elliott.

 

[eveares]

Best way is to ask your own BC what their procedure is.

Ok.

 

[Murdochcat]

Best way is to ask your own BC what their procedure is.

And of course they all differ which is just nonsense

 

[securespark]

Well yes!

So did the advice from two blokes from my BC about insulating under my bedroom floor.

One said it had to be rigid, the other said (after I had done the rigid) that rockwool would have been fine.

 

[ericmark]

Liverpool were very helpful, personally did it just across the water in Flintshire, and the work had been started by a builder who had run off, so I was taking over the work.

The test gear was on display for them to see, together with the calibration certificates, I it seems could pay for some one on there list to inspect and test, but this would cost, and likely cost as much as the work being done, so I wanted to test and inspect my own work.

We that is my son and I both had at the time up to date 17th edition, and C&G 2391, but the LABC inspector insisted I sign the installation certificate as I also had a degree.

We were told off for starting before applying, we explained we had thought the builder had applied and we were only taking over, he inspected what had been done so far, it was a wet room made from a pantry and toilet, and planning permission required for change of use, as well as the electrics, and then at the end I submitted the installation certificate and the completion certificate arrived in the post.

The only thing they insisted on was an extractor fan, we were not going to fit one since opening windows, but he said people could walk past the open window, so in practice one would not open them.

My son had done other work, Cheshire were easier, and Liverpool were very helpful.

 

[jono_h]

I’ve had to pay BC (Ceredigion) a further fee. They’ve appointed their approved contractor who visited to visually check cable runs and installation, and then will do a second visit to test the circuits when connected.

 

[eveares]

I’ve had to pay BC (Ceredigion) a further fee. They’ve appointed their approved contractor who visited to visually check cable runs and installation, and then will do a second visit to test the circuits when connected.

Do you have the calibrated equipment (i..e a MFT) to test the circuits yourself?

 

[ericmark]

I’ve had to pay BC (Ceredigion) a further fee. They’ve appointed their approved contractor who visited to visually check cable runs and installation, and then will do a second visit to test the circuits when connected.

This is what Flintshire wanted to do, remember

2) Use a 3rd Party certification scheme, that was introduced under the last amendment of Part P in April 2013

Is not valid in Wales, but the LABC can appoint a 3rd party to do the testing for them, which you pay for. In the main an EICR form is used, as only the installer can raise an EIC.

In Wales we pay £100 plus vat for first £2000 worth of work, England varies county to county, on a £2000 job that is not so bad, but to fit a new socket in a kitchen it is somewhat OTT. Remember in Wales kitchens and garden are still special locations, in England only the bathroom is.

Pre-assembled gets around the problem, and Blagdon did a range of pre-assembled for the garden. So to use an extension lead in kitchen is OK, but if you have made the extension you can't use clips to tidy the cable as then is fixed, but if bought ready made then pre-assembled so you can, can't see anyone following those rules?

In Powis I can go on the website and see all that has been registered for my house, but Flintshire is lacking that, and work I know was registered does not show up. Which to my mind is good, as they can't prove anything was not registered.

But on selling mothers house I could not to start with find the documents, seems can get insurance to cover them being missing, but I applied to Flintshire council for replacements, told would take 4 months, and would cost how ever long it took council worker to find them. Lucky I found them.

Around 2005 my son was a sole trader and he did work in Liverpool, and it seems their LABC inspector at the time was qualified to inspect electrics, so no third party inspection required, and the inspector could not have been more helpful.

 

[jono_h]

Do you have the calibrated equipment (i..e a MFT) to test the circuits yourself?

Nope.

 

[ericmark]

Do you have the calibrated equipment (i..e a MFT) to test the circuits yourself?

Nope.

I am not surprised at the extra charges then. I do question people who attempt electrical works without the tools of the trade. I have found complete loss of earth in the past, and no sign of where it had ever been.

 

[morqthana]

I have found complete loss of earth in the past, and no sign of where it had ever been.

Obviously it had gone to ground.

 

[eveares]

I am not surprised at the extra charges then. I do question people who attempt electrical works without the tools of the trade. I have found complete loss of earth in the past, and no sign of where it had ever been.

You also need to not only know how to safely carry out the tests, but also how to do them correctly, how to correctly interpret the results and know what traps/red herrings to watch out for.

i.e. Ze + R1 + R2 rarely = exactly Zs due to parallel "earth" paths due to bonded pipe work, etc...

RCD/RCBO tests should be done on the breaker it's self with the downstream load/s disconnected to ensure you are not testing with existing earth leakage, and test at 1/2 rating first to ensure it is not tripping prematurely.

Equally a high IR reading which looks good, could be bad/low because you have forgot to switch on dual pole isolator what is currently isolating part of the circuit when doing the test; and of course permanent loads like USB sockets and smart light switches giving you low readings between line and neutral when IR testing.

The test what needs the most attention is that when testing ring final circuits and making sure you are aware you can have "rings" within "rings", by what I mean is sections of the ring final circuit bridged together.