Keefa said:
Thanks for that Ban-all. I think it's on a 30A breaker - just had the electrician change the CU. I'm not sure about telling the council - I guess this is only necessary if I want to change the location rather than just replace the switch/socket etc?
Depends on when you do it.
On April 6th, Schedule 2B changes to read:
[code:1]DESCRIPTIONS OF WORK WHERE NO BUILDING NOTICE OR DEPOSIT OF FULL PLANS REQUIRED
1. Work consisting of -
(a) replacing any fixed electrical equipment which does not include the provision of
(i) any new fixed cabling; or
(ii) a consumer unit;
(b) replacing a damaged cable for a single circuit only;
(c) re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing installation components, where the circuit protective measures are unaffected;
(d) providing mechanical protection to an existing fixed installation, where the circuit protective measures and current carrying capacity of conductors are unaffected by the increased thermal insulation.
(e) installing or upgrading main or supplementary equipotential bonding;
(f) in heating or cooling systems -
(i) replacing control devices that utilise existing fixed control wiring or pneumatic pipes;
(ii) replacing a distribution system output device;
(iii) providing a valve or a pump;
iv) providing a damper or a fan;
(g) in hot water service systems, providing a valve or a pump;
(h) replacing an external door (where the door together with its frame has not more than 50% of its internal face area glazed);
(i) in existing buildings other than dwellings, providing fixed internal lighting where no more than 100m² of the floor area of the building is to be served by the lighting
2. Work which -
(a) is not in a kitchen, or a special location,
(b) does not involve work on a special installation, and
(c) consists of -
(i) adding light fittings and switches to an existing circuit or
(ii) adding socket outlets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial circuit
3. Work on -
(a) telephone wiring or extra-low voltage wiring for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control and similar purposes, where the wiring is not in a special location;
(b) equipment associated with the wiring referred to in sub-paragraph (a).
(c) pre-fabricated equipment sets and associated flexible leads with integral plug and socket connections.
4. For the purposes of this Schedule -
"kitchen" means a room or part of a room which contains a sink and food preparation facilities;
"special installation" means an electric floor or ceiling heating system, an outdoor lighting or electric power installation, an electricity generator, or an extra-low voltage lighting system which is not a pre-assembled lighting set bearing the CE marking referred to in regulation 9 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994[14]; and
"special location" means a location within the limits of the relevant zones specified for a bath, a shower, a swimming or paddling pool or a hot air sauna in the Wiring Regulations, sixteenth edition, published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2001 and incorporating amendments 1 and 2."[/code:1]
Note the "
replacing any fixed electrical equipment which does not include the provision of any new fixed cabling"
I'm also planning to move/add a couple of regular sockets - does this require council notification?
Adding sockets in a kitchen always did require notification. See
here for the law as it currently stands.
If so, what is it likely to cost for inspection/approval?
Varies from council to council, particularly when you factor in the way that many of them, apparently without any legal justification and in contravention of the instructions from the ODPM, insist that you arrange a 3rd party inspection
as well as paying them their fee.
See
The most recent version of my summary for more on this, but note that this will be out of date in 9 days time...
