cabling through kitchen unit

[Ken70]

Just had a job done in the kitchen. The electrician has cabled through a kitchen cabinet, rather than slide the unit out and clip or fix the wire to the wall.
Is this normal? Not had the bill yet. Behind the units are a couple of horizontal copper pipes for the central heating. .The job was an extending spur to halfway down the kitchen.
When I open the cutlery drawer, can feel an unprotected cable.
Maybe there is a good reason but it doesn't look right to me.
The fuse box is RCD? Advice welcome.

 

[bernardgreen]

When I open the cutlery drawer, can feel an unprotected cable.
Maybe there is a good reason but it doesn't look right to me.

Imagine what will happen if when getting a knife from the cutlery drawer the blade slices through the insulation of the cable.

There is NO good reason for that bodged and potentially dangerous work.

 

[ericmark]

In the past I have seen many times where kitchen fitters have run cables through the units.

"adequate precautions" and "mechanical damage" are the phrases used this will include from the heat of pipework or action of draws going in and out.

Regulation 433.2.2 and 434.2.1 have been debated many times some feel these limit a unfused spur to 3 meters but others do not agree.

If the socket is part of the kitchen units then personally I would consider connecting wire to the units I have this with my waste disposal unit but if the socket was connected to the wall I would want to wire independent of the kitchen units.

However some times there is really no option and one has to put the cable behind units at least until kitchen refurbishment. I had to do this with daughters house.

I would not worry too much about running next to domestic hot water as the time it is hot is limited but would worry about central heating and I would question if the electrician realised it was central heating.

There are cables able to run hotter than the standard thermoplastic and he could have selected cables able to take the heat.

Although my gut feeling is that it's wrong I could not really condemn without viewing. Do however ensure you get the paperwork he will show what he has done and if he thinks he has done something wrong he would not want to issue the paperwork. Lack of paper work normally points to shoddy work.

 

[Ken70]

Thanks for your replies. Have a 4 page report..he also did a full 10year inspection.Lots of numbers,
I'll give him the opportunity to correct it and mention am not happy with the cabling.There are 4 'observations' code 4 but look to be minor things like 'no red sleeving' etc
Or I might just ask for £50 reduction in bill.

 

[sparkwright]

Normally cables are run in the void behind kitchen units, and also in the void under them.

Usually there is no need to slide the unit out, because of these voids, and that the electrician may not get the unit back exactly right and be in trouble with all concerned.

The cable must not cause an obstruction for the drawer, though you haven't listed this as a problem.

As said, the cable shouldn't be in a position where there's a good chance a knife or something could damage it - but without seeing it it's hard to say if it's acceptable or not.

Send pictures. We like pictures.

 

[EFLImpudence]

There are 4 'observations' code 4 but look to be minor things like 'no red sleeving' etc
Or I might just ask for £50 reduction in bill.

There is no longer a code 4.
When there was it was called a Periodic Inspection Report.
Now it should be an Electrical Installation Condition Report.

It would seem the Inspection has not been done correctly either.

 

[JohnW2]

I would not worry too much about running next to domestic hot water as the time it is hot is limited but would worry about central heating and I would question if the electrician realised it was central heating.

Does not the OP imply that the electrician may have run the cable through the unit specifically to avoid proximity to CH pipes which were behind the unit?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Usually there is no need to slide the unit out ....

Based on most of the 'modern' kitchens I've seen, I'm a little amused by all this talk of 'sliding out' kitchen units. I obviously don't know what the OP's situation is, but to 'get out' one of my kitchen base units would be a pretty major exercise - which could hardly be described innocently as 'sliding out'

Kind Regards, John

 

[Ken70]

One of the pipes is the rising main, the other one slightly larger which looks to be part of the CH.
And the report is named Domestic Electrical Installation Periodic Inspection Report DPN4 then a number.
Have not yet paid but have the report.
Agree they don't slide out, though given time I could have cleared the decks for a proper fix.
Am charging up camera batteries.

 

[EFLImpudence]

And the report is named Domestic Electrical Installation Periodic Inspection Report DPN4 then a number.

Very out of date.

Have not yet paid but have the report.

That's handy.

 

[Ken70]

Pictures, hopefully to come. Though it gets worse.
It wasn't so much a new spur more a re-direction. It's new cabling from the new source socket but when it comes out of the wall to the socket it's intended for it is old cable.

 

[Ken70]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a48/ken69/bth_IMG00015_zpsabf0d43d.jpg

sorry for the delay...working how to post pictures from this new laptop.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a48/ken69/MINE/Pictures/2013-07-14/bth_IMG00017_zpsacd9a3ca.jpg

 

[Ken70]

Done a deal. Free re-route and no VAT on this bill.
He charges £25 p.hr plus VAT.
Still friends.
Thanks for your help.