A day and a half for an oven and two double sockets

[OldKettle]

Hi,
I've spoken to an electrician about some work that I need doing in the kitchen.

In the area requiring work, there are currently two double sockets and an oven socket.

The cables themselves are all up to regs, according to the electrician, but the oven needs moving, and one of the sockets needs moving, in addition the cable from the first socket to the second socket is not chased in (just clipped under the worktop).

The CU is in the garage directly behind the kitchen wall and all of the cables run up to bedroom above the kitchen and then down into the kitchen. He reckons that the oven circuit is RCD protected (although, to my untrained eye, the labeling suggests that it isn't). The new oven seems to be 20A.

So, what is required is chasing for the two double sockets and the oven socket, and the oven outlet plate, cabling and installation of those sockets, plus connecting up the oven, and disconnection of cables as needed.

The electrician said that the existing cables are OK but suggested new ones as part of the work.

He reckons that first fix is a day's work and second fix another half day (I suggested that I could chase, but he said that it was only an hour's work for him).

On the face of it, that seems an excessive amount of time for the work, but perhaps there's lots of less obvious stuff that needs doing.

Just wondered if anybody here had any thoughts.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The 'cooker' circuit - as labelled - is not on the RCD.

I don't know the situation but could the cooker circuit be extended in the kitchen?

 

[OldKettle]

The 'cooker' circuit - as labelled - is not on the RCD.

I don't know the situation but could the cooker circuit be extended in the kitchen?

Thanks. Not sure about question on extending. The picture below shows the complete area for the news works. Red circle is where the new double oven needs to go. The double socket on the right can stay in that location, the one on the left will probably be moved to the blue square, the oven socket will probably be where the red square is.

Also, the bedroom above is empty with access to lift floorboards, CU is behind the left hand wall, near the corner in the centre of the picture.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If the CU is behind (more or less) where the oven is going then perhaps a new cable would be easier.
I would leave the existing cooker cable in place but disconnected - you never know, it might come in handy in the future.

The socket repositioning - or additions - seems really easy.

It doesn't appear to be much work.

A day and a half might seem a bit slow but depends on the price, I suppose.

 

[OldKettle]

Thanks. He gave an estimate of £250 plus materials (West Midlands).

He did say "it's good that it's on the RCD because I wouldn't be able to work on it if it wasn't" - so I'll have to discuss that with him.

The existing cooker is going to be removed, and a gas hob installed. That will eventually need a cable for the igniter, but that was not included in the work.

EDIT: Just remembered that, just before he left, he also suggested creating a new circuit for the kitchen (not sure if that was for sockets and oven). Is there space to do that on the CU, where the blanks are at the left hand side? I suppose that would then be on the RCD.

 

[AndyPRK]

May as well get him to fit more sockets now.

Come in handy

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thanks. He gave an estimate of £250 plus materials (West Midlands).

That's ok, isn't it.

He did say "it's good that it's on the RCD because I wouldn't be able to work on it if it wasn't" - so I'll have to discuss that with him.

I don't really understand that.
It's true that virtually all circuits have to have an RCD now, but not having one at the moment does not disallow working on it and putting it on an RCD.

The existing cooker is going to be removed, and a gas hob installed. That will eventually need a cable for the igniter, but that was not included in the work.

The oven might have a plug on it so not require a separate circuit. Igniter can be plugged in anyway.
You might just need more sockets.

EDIT: Just remembered that, just before he left, he also suggested creating a new circuit for the kitchen (not sure if that was for sockets and oven). Is there space to do that on the CU, where the blanks are at the left hand side? I suppose that would then be on the RCD.

Yes - two blank spaces.

Is anything on circuit no. 1 on RCD side?

 

[OldKettle]

That's ok, isn't it.

Seems OK for a day and a half's work. I just wasn't sure it if should really take that long.

The oven might have a plug on it so not require a separate circuit. Igniter can be plugged in anyway.
You might just need more sockets.

The current oven is directly wired, so there is no plug, but thanks for the advice about the plug in igniter.

Yes - two blank spaces.

Is anything on circuit no. 1 on RCD side?

I think that all of the labels have been put one circuit over, by mistake. Looks like somebody then tried to change the numbering on the labels, rather than correct it properly.

 

[Notch7]

Maybe the Weat Midlands has lower rates than the South East.

Around here £250 would be about a day rate for an electrician

 

[EFLImpudence]

Seems OK for a day and a half's work. I just wasn't sure it if should really take that long.

No but if you're happy with the price, it doesn't matter if he's a bit slow - if you don't mind the time, that is.
It could give stuff time to set before finally attaching everything.

Two blokes for three quarters of a day be better?

I think that all of the labels have been put one circuit over, by mistake. Looks like somebody then tried to change the numbering on the labels, rather than correct it properly.

Ah, yes. I missed that.

 

[ivixor]

Pah, do it yourself. Quite straight forward and completely legal.

 

[RF Lighting]

I’d rather have someone who takes their time and does the job properly, rather than one who rushes and cuts corners...

 

[OldKettle]

Thanks for all the advice.

The problem I have now, is that the electrician involved is no longer responding, and I cannot find anybody else.

While the sockets are not urgent, I have no working oven at the moment. The hobs on the existing cooker are working, but not the oven. It's a bit hard to microwave a turkey.

I'm tempted to do the following:

- Surface mount a new cooker socket and connection unit
- Connect the existing "CU to socket" cable (which the electrician said is fine) to the new cooker socket (should be long enough to easily reach)
- Surface mount new cable between socket and connection unit
- Run new cable from connection unit to oven and connect

I won't be re-using the existing cable which runs from the socket to the cooker, as it is damaged where it exits the wall.

The above will all be surface mounted, in anticipation that I can get somebody in after Xmas to add a new circuit and replace all the cabling.

From what I can tell the wiring is pretty straightforward, but any thoughts from you folks would be much appreciated.

EDIT: As the cable are surface mounted, I'm not sure whether the connection unit is superfluous for now.