Building Regulations for Consumer Unit Change

[FantasticJames]

Hello,

Researching the costs of a consumer unit change. I could easily upgrade the wiring in our house & consumer unit. I am not certified by a regulation that would consider me as a competent person I suppose (despite having an Electronic Engineering Degree).

If I were to do the work myself and have it tested I'd need to do the following:

1. Notify building control of works
2. re-wire and change consumer unit over
3. Pay for a registered person to test and certify
4. Conclude building control application

Or I could just pay for an electrician to do it.

But having just seen that the building control application costs £450, is there any incentive to do this myself and just let a registered person do it?

 

[ETAF]

i think the problem is getting someone to test & certify , as i found they also need to certify the installation - you maybe lucky, but i certainly could not get anyone locally prepered to do this, i asked a few guys - and so I had to pay for an electrician , to do all the work.
I too have a Electronic Engineering Degree , and Electrical HNC. along with various other certificates, and have rewired many houses in the past 80's and 90's.

Its pretty bad , as i have had to re-due some of the poor electrical work done in our kitchen and bathroom, He even forgot to actually connect up the Earth !!!!! - and i discussed that with him as its mostly plastic now , and bonding etc ..... I had to get him back, as he put the wrong fuse in for shower , didn't commission the shower correctly and actually most likely broke it
BUT thought it bast to use the fitters electrician as we had paid for some of that via Wickes and the bathroom fitters

Now we cannot get our main electrician back who changed the CU to finish some of the house , as hes too busy on much bigger jobs

 

[FantasticJames]

OK, so building control will not accept an EICR? This is a condition report and not an installation certificate. These reports are quite cheap and might be a cheaper way round than paying an electrician to do a full re-wire.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If I were to do the work myself and have it tested I'd need to do the following:

1. Notify building control of works

Yes - before you start.
(See below regarding the testing.)

2. re-wire and change consumer unit over

If Building Control deem you competent.

3. Pay for a registered person to test and certify

If Building Control deemed you competent then you may do it.
If you are not able then you are not competent.

A registered person may only do that if he has supervised your work throughout.
If that is the case then there was no point you notifying the work.

4. Conclude building control application

I suppose.

Or I could just pay for an electrician to do it.

Yes.

But having just seen that the building control application costs £450, is there any incentive to do this myself and just let a registered person do it?

Do you think that might be their intention?

 

[FantasticJames]

Having read "Part P" it says that I can install it and have a registered 3rd party provide a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate which is an EICR designed for Part P or BS7671.

I am "shocked" that putting a new ring circuit (notifiable) could cost £450 for a building app. then a further £200 for a report. Happy to pay for an electrician to certify but £450 BC charge is ridiculous.

 

[JohnW2]

Having read "Part P" it says that I can install it and have a registered 3rd party provide a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate which is an EICR designed for Part P or BS7671.

That is, indeed, what "Approved Document P" (government guidance in relation to the law - aka "part P of the Building Regs) says (for England, but not Wales). However, as has been said, your problem is likely to be in finding an electrician prepared to act as such a "third party certifier".

In fact, even if you could find such a person, since they are expected to be 'supervising' throughout the design and construction, as well as doing the testing etc., they might end up charging you a substantial proportion of what they would for doing the whole job.

I am "shocked" that putting a new ring circuit (notifiable) could cost £450 for a building app. then a further £200 for a report. Happy to pay for an electrician to certify but £450 BC charge is ridiculous.

I agree.

However, I wonder if you have actually spoken to your local BCO about this? The only requirement of the person who undertakes the testing is that they are deemed to be 'competent' so to do., and it's not impossible they could be persuaded by your degree (and maybe other things you might be able to say about 'experience') that you are.

Kind Regards, John

 

[FantasticJames]

I have contacted the BCO to see if they see my 3 years at University (IET accredited) competent enough(!) Will report back. I also know a "very nice" electrician who is coming to take a look at the weekend, maybe I could persuade him to do a report for me.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[ericmark]

It does depend where you live, the fees in Wales are £100 plus vat for first £2000 worth of work, but if they feel you don't have the skill, they can select some one to do an EICR, and you also need to pay for that, but with an electricial degree it seem likely they would considered you qualified enough.

You would likely need to show you have the test equipment required, I don't know how fussy they would be on calabration?

But forgetting cost of consumer unit as who ever does the job you need that the question is to get the meters, and pay LABC can you do it for under the cost to pay an scheme members electricians time?

The bigger the job the more likely DIY can save money until around the £2000 mark, so yes whole house rewire likely worth DIY but if to use LABC is going to cost £200 by time you get meters calabrated, is it worth it.