Can I do this work in the kitchen myself?

N

NotSoFast

I am planning to refit my kitchen shortly. As part of the work I will be:

1) adding some downlighters and under unit lighting (on separate switches)
2) installing some new sockets
3) moving some sockets that are fused off a grid switch
4) relocating the cooker connection

I understand that a kitchen is no longer a special location and that "Under the new 2013 Edition of Part P, electrical work undertaken in kitchens (such as adding a new socket) will no longer be notifiable unless a new circuit is required.".

Does this mean I can do the work myself (assuming I'm competent and can comply with the appropriate regulations)?

ps. blame the electrician who just came to quote, he was the one who mentioned that a kitchen was no longer a special location when expressing surprise that I knew about Part P :)
 
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In England the same electrical rules apply to a kitchen as the rules for the normal (non-special location) areas in a house.
To be pedantic, a kitchen was just referred to as a kitchen wrt the building regs schedule 2B - not a special location.
 
Does this mean I can do the work myself (assuming I'm competent and can comply with the appropriate regulations)
It always was possible for you to do the work yourself if you were competent to do it and complied with the law (as regards doing it safely - which effectively means complying with the regs). All that has changed (in England, not Wales) is that, prior to April 2013 you would have had to notify your work to LABC (and pay their fees), but now you don't have to.

Kind Regards, John
 
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Kitchens were never a "special location" as such.

The "old" notification rules* were written on the principle of "all electrical work is notifiable except for stuff on this list of exceptions". Work in kitchens was excluded from one of those exceptions.

The "new" notification rules were written on the principle of explicitly listing what is notifiable and do not consider kitchens as a special case

* Still in force in Wales.
 
It is unlikely that anyone not connected with the trade will have the test equipment required to complete the minor works certificate even if they have the skills to use that equipment.

Clearly some one like me who still has a test set can test and comply and also with care other DIY people can do some of the basic tests like testing the ring is in fact still a ring and use plug in testers with a loop test to see if the socket passes but unlike the proper tester they can't take reading first to see if the existing installation has enough lee way to add extra cable.

Competent person. A person who possesses sufficient technical knowledge, relevant practical skills and experience for the nature of the electrical work undertaken and is able at all times to prevent danger and, where appropriate, injury to him/herself and others.

Is the highest of the categories being better than skilled and as a competent person you clearly would not need to ask any questions there are four levels of skill.
Ordinary person
Instructed person
Skilled person
Competent person
In the trade we would expect a competent person to hold a C&G 2391.

The regulations are worded so some one who was trained elsewhere and does not have UK qualifications are still catered for. Also allied trades like auto electrician, and instrument technician. You clearly may have the skills but be careful with words like competent.

We have talked on here about the wording of Part P and it is far from clear as to what is permitted mainly because of language where the writers of Part P seem to give words a different definition to writers of BSi/IET regulations. In real terms there are no problems until something goes wrong. Only when something goes wrong does anyone look at the workmanship and decide who was to blame. What we want is to have some bit of paper to say that's what I did and I tested it all and these results showed all was OK when I had finished. We hope courts will accept this and put the blame on some one else.

For the house holder he is more worried about any family member being injured and to ensure they are safe regulations now require RCD's on all new sockets and buried wires unless special cable. The RCD needs testing not only tripping current but also time and any unit fitted in a consumer unit can be under some physical strain with the cables pulling on it and until tested one does not know if this has effected how it will work. And I can't see how anyone can measure 40ms with a stop watch!

Likely best method for any DIY is after to get a "Electrical Installation Condition Report" (EICR) so these meters are used. However this does not test everything and also clearly costs and for small jobs likely getting the work done will cost the same as DIY and getting a report.

Part P may now say you don't need to submit the Minor Works Certificate to the LABC but it still requires one to be completed and all tests that are required to complete these forms.
 
Thanks for the considered responses (even the pedantic one :mrgreen:) .

Should I decide to do the work myself I will definitely get it tested afterwards.

Oh, and I got the idea a kitchen was a "special location" from this 2005 NICEIC Part P factsheet (PDF download) but then anywhere you can make a bacon sandwich is special to me :D
 
Oh, and I got the idea a kitchen was a "special location" from this 2005 NICEIC Part P factsheet (PDF download) but then anywhere you can make a bacon sandwich is special to me :D
It's just a matter of semantics. The pre-April 2013 rules talked of of "kitchens and special locations" as a pair, since 'special locations' are defined in the regs as only being places with baths, showers, swimming pools etc. The new (England) rules talk only about the 'special locations', not also kitchens.

Kind Regards, John
 

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