Accurate list of work required?

[BillDall]

Hi all,

Been hanging round for a few years now and have been in debt to this site in helping me renovate my house, but need some advice regarding a list of work given to my parents for some electirical work.

I'll list my query in the hope that someone can help.

My parents have recently moved and need to have some electrical work done involving installing new sockets and moving from gas to an electrical cooker, and as such needing a new consumer unit. Athough I did my own house re-wire, that was before the part 'P' regs and as such I advised my parents to get in an electrician who is part P certified. They did this and got quoted a rather large amount and advised that the following woould need to be done to comply to part P regs.

1/ All sockets and switches need to be moved to be within the 450 -> 1200 area.

2/ Bathroom and kitchen lights need to be on on a seperate circuit than that on the general upstairs/downstaits lights and on there own independant MCB at the CU.

3/ The combi bolier also need to be taken off a fused spur and connected to it's own MCB at the CU.

4/ A loft light needs to be installed.

5/ Smoke detectors on own MCB at CU must be installed.

It's not a new build (1930's house) so I thought that maybe this is a bit OTT but I'm not sure.
I quite like some of it - I've always wanted themt to have smoke detectors but I'm a bit unsure if all of it really need to be done to comply to the 17th Ed part P?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[JohnD]

sounds to me like he is quoting to bring it to modern standards as if it was a new house.

This is not necessarily a bad thing but is going to put the price up

It is not true that it has to be doem to meet Part P.

Possibly he is used to working on new build not repairing old ones (the new build market has collapsed this year)

However:
If the old installation is very old, and needs comprehensive overhaul, it may be that he is recommending starting again from scratch, in which case it might as well be done to modern standards. In particular, once you get old and creaky (like me) or pregnant or overweight, you will appreciate the modern socket height is a lot more convenient to use.

How old is the house? What are the cables made of? (PVC, rubber, lead? stranded or solid core? Yellow copper or white tinned? Does the lighting circuit have an earth wire in the cable?

How about some photos of the old CU and cables around it, and some sample sockets and switches? we like pictures.


//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

 

[Cremeegg]

Sounds like someone who is in need of work and/or deliberately misleading people as to what Part P is about.

1) Good idea esp if your folks are getting on but only a requirement in new builds.
2) Can easily be run on usual lighting circuits - ground and first floor - no need to separate
3) Good idea and practice but not a requirement
4) Good idea but not a requirement
5) Again good idea but not a requirement for existing installation

Sounds like he is trying to impose some of the latest requirements on an exiusting installation. Many (most) installations wont comply with the latest regs but it doesnt mean they are unsafe - far from it. Regs are not retrospective - wish they were just think of all that work for us.

 

[JohnD]

hee hee!

 

[comms]

1/ All sockets and switches need to be moved to be within the 450 -> 1200 area.

Not unless it's a new build.

2/ Bathroom and kitchen lights need to be on on a seperate circuit than that on the general upstairs/downstaits lights and on there own independant MCB at the CU.

Coblars

3/ The combi bolier also need to be taken off a fused spur and connected to it's own MCB at the CU.

Not essential but is good practise.

4/ A loft light needs to be installed.

Only if you ask for it.

5/ Smoke detectors on own MCB at CU must be installed.

Not required unless you are buliding extension/refurbing (dependant on LBC), but it is worth doing with regards to safety.

 

[BillDall]

What a quick response and all good stuff - Thanks guys.

Thought that it seemed a bit excessive but could see some sense in it!

I've had a look round and although the wire used is not the old rubber stuff the plug sockets are wired on a radial 4mm wire, for upstairs + down. I guess he needs to do a new re-wire of this into a ring up and down.
Both parents are not getting any younger but my mums pretty feisty and really doesn't like the idea of having sockets that high up.

Maybe I'll advise getting another quote in.

Thanks all, much appreciated.

 

[comms]

Nothing wrong with 4mm radials, if they test ok leave them as is.