diy re-wire

[johnad]

just some advice
i have re-wired before and have good knowledge of elecrical istalaition work
(my father use to work for the LEB.)
now with the new laws can i still do all the work myself

 

[softlad1971]

Yes, but you will have to get building control to come and inspect it.

 

[breezer]

and an electrician to test / certify it

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

But you did start Xmas day didnt you ??????

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, but you will have to get building control to come and inspect it.

and an electrician to test / certify it

Depends on what the guy's local BC dept want - you never know, maybe some of them do it properly!

 

[almostanexpert]

If you get an electrician (who's a member of one of the approved organisations) to test and certify it, do you still have to get building control to come and inspect it?

 

[mapj1]

Only Napit members are allowed to certify the work of others by the rules of their club, but are not obliged to do so. Niceic domestic installer scheme members can't certify the work of others (unless they lie and say they did it themselves).
Better to sound it out with the prospective inspecting sparks, before starting work, as they will know what they are prepared to do. Depends also rather on the attitude of the local building control office, which, up and down the land range from clueless through relaxed, to down right inflexible.

regards M.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you get an electrician (who's a member of one of the approved organisations) to test and certify it, do you still have to get building control to come and inspect it?

You have to understand the difference between certifying compliance with the Building Regulations and certifying compliance with BS 7671, for the two are completely different, and in fact the former does not, technically, require the latter.

If you DIY, or use an electrician who is not able to self-certify compliance with the Building Regulations, and the work is "notifiable", then you have to notify Building Control in advance. What happens then varies from authority to authority, and as mapj1 hints, it's a mess, basically because none of them are really competent to discharge what I believe are their responsibilities to check for compliance with the Building Regulations (but one would need to read the text of the entire Building Regs, not just Amendment 3, to be sure of what LABC's duties and responsibilities are, and what limits, if any, there are on how they may devolve them).

Some say that you must have a "qualified" electrician do the work, despite the fact that there is no official definition of "qualified". In terms of certifying compliance with BS 7671, absolutely anybody can do that if they feel that they are competent to do so, recognising of course that if the worst happened that assumption of competence could be tested in a court of law. It also means that this approach negates the entire principle that DIY work provided it is notified in advance is perfectly acceptable.

Some say that you must use an electrician registered with NICEIC, NAPIT etc to test the work and issue a design, installation and test certificate, despite the fact that nobody (irrespective of what their particular "club" says) can do that, because that certificate says:

I, being the person responsible for the design, construction, inspection and testing of the electrical installation ... hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671...

So if all they've done is inspect and test, I don't see how a NAPIT member can sign up for design and construction.

There are other certificates, and if your LABC only asks for the work to be inspected and tested, and a certificate issued, then all you'll need to do is to find an electrician to carry out a Periodic Inspection, and issue a Periodic Inspection Report - this is standard service that any electrician should be prepared to do, even a NICEIC one, as there are NICIEC branded PIR forms...

In summary - if the work is notifiable, notify your Building Control dept, and see what they want you to do.

Or, not that anybody should give, nor should this be construed as giving, advice to ignore Part P, there is always the option of ignoring Part P.

 

[mapj1]

Like ignoring part H, and part L and any other building reg, the LABC will only pursue if a complaint is made that draws it to their attention, and generally not after 1 year has elapsed. Nothing prevents a third party (disgruntled house buyer?) initiating a private court action at any time, though this is normally only done if there is some big problem.
Work done outside the rules can be regularised afterwards, but thi soften involves some 'opening up' to expose work for inspection. For electrical work this is expected to take the form of a PIR.
see here
http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/wfdc_docs/planning/dsa_policy_guidance_partp.pdf
for the notes all building control officers should be singing from re part P..
regards M.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

see here
http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/wfdc_docs/planning/dsa_policy_guidance_partp.pdf
for the notes all building control officers should be singing from re part P..
regards M.

Would that they were as realistic as that. Try this one:

http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/environment/building_control/part_p.php

 

[mapj1]

Well, if that were my local authority, I'd be very likely indeed to ignore it completely, however, they appear to be failing to provide a proper notification and inspection route, and therfore not complying with the letter of the law - and are failing to discharge their duty.
If they became stroppy about it, I'd be tempted to drop them in it, and ask on what legal basis they could refuse to inspect work by non-registered electricians.

regards M.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well, if that were my local authority,

Huh! Why do you think I know about their rules...

I'd be very likely indeed to ignore it completely,

however, they appear to be failing to provide a proper notification and inspection route, and therfore not complying with the letter of the law - and are failing to discharge their duty.

My current project is to take the original text of the Building Regs, apply the updates described by the subsequent amending SIs, and see if it does say anything about their duties and responsibilities, and when/how they can abdicate them.

And at some point I guess I need to see if I have to engage in another battle of wits with the unarmed Oldsparky over at IEE....

If they became stroppy about it, I'd be tempted to drop them in it, and ask on what legal basis they could refuse to inspect work by non-registered electricians.

I'll keep my head down unless I get caught....