Corgi mate installs boiler, what about building inspector

[blasted]

I have just built a new extension and knocked the room through to create a large kitchen. I had to move the boiler two feet to one side and into the new part of the building. At the same time we installed a new condensing boiler.

Now the problem is, my friend who is a plumber installed it for me. I was with him and have no doubt about the installation, one of the best i have seen. I myself am an engineer with a back ground in gas and hydraulics. He installs gas boilers and fires for a company and actually did my dads by coincidence. The plumber has his corgi certificates as like i say he installs for a legitamate company.

But what happens when the building inspector comes to sign the building off, does it matter that he did it for a favour? As far as the electrics go, I had a part P certifcated electrician as the building inspector will require a certificate.

Thanks for any help you can offer,

 

[kevplumb]

don't worry

sodding BCO's don't

 

[Mikeyboy]

On a new boiler installation , the installer must notify local building control inspector of installation , also inform corgi , who will in due course , issue yourself with a certificate of compliance , in accord with new house sellers pack coming into force April 2007 .

 

[silverback]

The installer notifies Corgi who in turn notify Building control.

If your friend works for a company you may find that his Corgi only covers him while he works for that company. it will not cover him for work outside the company, you may be better off telling the Building Inspector that you fitted the boiler yourself, there is nothing illegal about DIY installations, that is if he even asks.

 

[blasted]

So if i tell the building inspector that i installed it myself (being non corgi) can he then sign the building off? without the need for the corgi bit?

 

[Agile]

Thats an interesting and rather vague point.

In theory if building work is being done which includes a boiler then the BCO should be able to inspect it and "sign it off".

In reality they do not have the qualifications to do so. They will expect to see the Benchmark completed by a CORGI as that then covers their lack of knowledge.

Many just sign it off regardless!

Its probably within their power to ask for a Gas safety Certificate which you would have to pay for.

Very rarely I have heard of a CORGI being brought in to inspect an installation on behalf of a BCO. Perhaps this only happens if they are concerned at their lack of experience or suspect a problem.

The real answer is there is no "correct" procedure and anything might happen.

Tony

 

[blasted]

From what i have found out,

it may only be a problem if i sell the house and they ask for the certification. or the building inspector could ask for it then and there.

But is it allowed to get get another plumber to sign off the said boiler? assuming he or she is corgi qualified.

My argument is that i could fit a boiler to the manufactureres specifications, have the electrics done by the part p electrician and have the plumber move the gas pipe two feet to the left and connect up.

Where does that leave me in the realm of things?

 

[Agile]

A CORGI is not allowed to "sign off" someone elses work, officially!

A CORGI is allowed to "commission" the boiler.

A CORGI can isue a Gas Safety Certificate.

Only the original CORGI Installer can "Notify" the installation to BC and its this aspect which might cause a difficulty if selling.

The whole idea of all this is to ensure that gas appliances are correctly installed by identifyable CORGI installers who can be blamed if anything is wrong.

Your mate from the pub just called "Dave" can fit the boiler illegally for you but you may have problems afterwards and he will have moved to another pub by then.

Tony

 

[blasted]

I understand where you are coming from and i am not arguing the legalities of it. My post may come across as a bit of "dave down the pub" but as i explained that is not where i am talking about.

The questions i have are regarding what is required and who can sign for what. I am not a corgi but the person who did the work is, he works for a reputable company doing gas installations domestically.

I just dont understand the fact that somebody who fits boilers everyday and is corgi regestered is suddenly not allowed to fit a boiler the same way for a friend on a day when he is not at work.

All i am trying to do is find out what options there are as corgi does not seem to be as screwed down as electrical work.

**********
EDIT


I have just been onto the health and safety people and i think i have now got a grip of the situation, slow i know.

It seems mr x cannot fit a boiler for me, but if i go to a company and ask for a boiler to be fitted they can send mr x to fit it for them.

Why do the rules not say that the individual who does the work should be the one to say if it is done correctly and safely, i know they can if they are self employed but why not the employees of a company?

 

[pierrot]

8) I work for a company through wich I am corgi registered, however in order to do any extra work I MUST be registered in my own right, which I am this costs me some where in the region of 180 pounds a year.
The regulations are quite specific and state that the only people who can do any work in relation to a gas fitting must be a member of a class of persons recognised by the HSE, this also means that you can not do gas work in your own house, its a misconception for anyone to suggest you can.

 

[lorraine]

Hi Everyone

I have been following this topic with some interest, I've been told on my plumbing course that you can do whatever you like in your own house, you only have to be registered to install into other people's houses.

The only proviso, is you have to be a competent person. And I'd argue being a gas and hydraulics engineer would make them competent enough to solder some copper pipe in and then spray the connection with leak detector!

So I don't see why blasted couldn't install the boiler himself and then get BC to come out and sign for it. Similar to part P electrics perhaps?

Thanks

Lorraine

 

[chrishutt]

I've been told on my plumbing course that you can do whatever you like in your own house, you only have to be registered to install into other people's houses.

Not so. The law says that you can do gas work if you are competent. It does not limit where or when you can do it. You can do it in other people's houses as well as your own.

However, you cannot do gas work by way of trade (for payment of any kind) unless you or the company you work for are Corgi registered and you have the appropriate ACS competencies.

Being competent isn't defined but would be taken as being competent in relation to the particular work being undertaken. In practice a prosecution would not take place unless there was clear evidence that you were not competent, such as a serious fault on an installation.

 

[Stoday]

unless you or the company you work for are Corgi registered and you have the appropriate ACS competencies.

You almost got that right, ChrisH.

The person doing the work has to be corgi, not just his employer.
That's quite different from the electrical case, where Part P requires the employing company & its supervisor to be registered, but not the electrician doing the work.

 

[chrishutt]

The person doing the work has to be corgi, not just his employer

Well, you've definitely got that wrong. Take BG for example. BG are Corgi registered (we assume anyway - anyone ever checked?) but their gas fitters aren't, unless they've chosen to register individually to cover themselves for private jobs. The BG gas fitters/engineers only need to have the ACS for the areas of gas work they do.

 

[Agile]

Chrishutt wrote:

"""unless you or the company you work for are Corgi registered and you have the appropriate ACS competencies. """



You have missed out the very important words : -


""" unless you are CORGI registered or you are a CORGI registered operative of the company you work for """

BG operatives are registered as operatives with CORGI but ONLY while doing BG work. They are not registered for work "on the side" which is what this "Dave from the pub" seems to have been doing.

Tony