Chase on opposite side of the wall?

[MopeyGecko]

I would like to have a wall light installed in my hallway. The obvious cable route would be vertically from the light fitting, take a few floorboards up in the room above and then a new junction box from the exisiting wiring circuit. Unfortunately the room above is a bathroom and has laminate floor installed on top of the original floorboards which I don't want the electrician to have to take up.

Could we go through the wall directly behind the new light fitting and chase up the other side of the wall instead? the upstairs room on the other side of the wall is a lot more accesible which will make getting to the lighting circuit a lot easier.

Is this allowed within current building regulations?

 

[ericmark]

Sorry not as simple as yes and no. The point is would anyone in the room behind the wall realise there are cables in the wall and could in the future some one in error knock a nail through the cable.

The normal way is to put something on the other side of the wall to show there are cables for example a clock power point. Even if not used it shows where the cables are.

What I can't understand is why you ask on here rather than electrician doing the job. Has he already said no?

He is doing the work and he is in best position to decide if steel conduit, ali-tube cable or just RCD protection is best option.

You are paying a skilled man to do the work so use his skills.

 

[MopeyGecko]

Thanks Eric,

What I can't understand is why you ask on here rather than electrician doing the job. Has he already said no?

No, not spoken to the electrician yet still at the planning stage. I have a few things for him to do so just like to know what is involved in advance in order to have a more informed discussion. I will also likely be preparing the walls myself prior to the wiring going in.

 

[swbjackson]

If you chase up on the side with the light you could then drill through diagonally to the accessible room to avoid disturbing the bathroom floor.

 

[Taylortwocities]

swbjackson has the right idea.

Remember safe zones are vertically or horizontally from an accessory.
You are allowed to run cables within 150mm of the ceiling so you could go down into the room behind, thru the wall at ceiling height and then down to the switch.

See NICEIC diagram:

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 24 Jan 2009
• 1

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Personally, I do not like the 150mm zone rule as kitchen fitters etc don tknow about it and screw stuff in there. Coving gets nailed up there too.
The solution above does meet regs though....

Edit: with zone diagram

 

[holmslaw]

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[Taylortwocities]

Holesaw ( )

I completely agree
BUT the OP asked what was allowed within regs and there it is....

PS, don't the termites eat all your skirting boards, where you live??

 

[holmslaw]

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[MopeyGecko]

Thanks folks that all helps hugely, glad my bathroom floor is likely to be safe from the upheavle.