May I just add to this, I am a DIYer... but I am nearer to professional than basic DIYer. I own copies of the On Site Guide, 17th Edition regulations book (latest one) ... Also unlike some people, I HIRE the test equipment and DO TEST my circuits properly and own copies of the relevent regulation books.
I guess I'm in a broadly similar situation. In fact, I own all the necessary test gear, so I don't need to hire, and have a very extensive collection of books etc. and, even if I say so myself, a high level of understanding of the underlying principles (and decades of experience of doing 'things electrical'). However, you would presumably would agree that we (and a few others here) are in an incredibly small minority amongst the DIYing population as a whole, so we're almost irrelevant to discussions about DIYers in general.
Yet I have previously posted on here and asked a small question that im unsure about.. I have been shot down as being incompetant and dont know what im doing.. and on those same occasions when ive gone ahead and done the work anyway and had it inspected been told by local building authority and electricians that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my work and that the standard is to standard and in some respects above standard. ... Which proves that sometimes, people on here judge a persons competency incorrectly on the assumption of a few mis chosen words or queries made.. but making a query because im unsure doesnt mean I will then go on to do it wrong.. it just means I will spend longer trying to find the answer before doing it correctly.
I experienced similar when I first joined the forum. You have to understand that the problem of this medium is that your words on the screen are the only way in which people can make any judgements about you, so if they don't know you, it's pretty inevitable that those 'few mischosen words' will create 'a certain impression'. However, even if people don't get terminology quite right, one can usually get a reasonable idea of someone's probable level of knowledge and competence by the nature, rather than the wording, of the questions they ask. Of course, there’s nothing one can do to save oneself from a situation in which one has written such as to make one sound like a totally incompetent idiot – so it always pays to think at least twice before pressing that ‘submit’ button!
Kind Regards, John
Sorry about the late reply lol,
yep I am in a similar situation.. although I dont have decades of experience, but I do have a habbit of if I need to do a job, I read the requirements.. learn how its done.. do it, learn from doing it (but not doing it to a sub standard) then next time do it better because I might of learned a better way of doing it from the experience gained doing it the first time... but I do have a high level of knowledge from doing this... I usually take note of how tradesmen do things, then look up the related regulations and then when i come to do it take my time and do it better lol.
I fitted some double glazing earlier on in the year (notified that as well) my standard, I went beyond the normal window fitter methods of installation.. building controller came down to inspect and sign it off and there was 8 windows, a patio door and a front door.. he checked about 2 of the windows and the patio door and was satisfied that they was all done correctly then remarked on the high standard then left without chekcing the rest.. signed it off and while later certificate in the post
But because we are in a small minority I do hate it when I am tainted with the same brush as any other DIYer as being imediately judged as incompetant.
Had same thing in a way just this evening.
I wish to undertake a house rewire.. as usual will be a full building control notification and I will be hiring the equipment to test the circuits before going live with each one... and calculating the correct minimum cable sizes required etc.
I asked on a forum initially about what building control will likely do in this situation as I havent notified a full rewire before.. normally here they charge £200, inspect at first fix, then test when finished... and so they inspect the chases before I plaster in as first fix inspection.
but in this situation, cables are run inside round conduit inside the walls and already in safe zones with no chasing required for most of it. so before I call them on monday and have a chat with them just wondered what peoples experience was in this situation.
then I mentioned a few things which is why it probably needs a rewire.. like the fact a previous DIYer had re-wired the house.. and instead of buying extra cable or for some unbeknown DIY reason, they have rewired the house in such a way that there is a combination of Star and Ring on the sockets..I lifted some floorboards a while ago, and found 7 hidden junction boxes under there.. the round brown type... which I know is not right because not only is it a breach of regulation now to have inaccessible junction boxes unless marked with MF although lots of electricians still dont like them lol. but every one of those junction boxes under there is a potential failure point and fire hazard if the terminals become loose or the cables arent terminated properly.. each one was stuffed full of cables.
No bonding on the Gas or Water.
also mentioned that the 9.5Kw shower was under rated on a 6mm cable.. and that the kitchen when using some appliances it trips out the electrics (checked and not an appliance fault) there are also cables draped unprotected or supported between kitchen units behind the gas cooker... these things arent right... I know this.
Then I got the standard response from 1 poster... "are you a sparky?" completely unrelated to my question, had I really showed incompetance? by listing things which to me seem wrong and a breach of regulation.
no idea if its related to the state of the electrics in the house.. ironically i guessed the electrics were probably in a better state BEFORE the DIYer had a go at them before.
But in the house there has been a few light bulbs "explode" lol I have never witnessed or heard of this happening before and it's happened a few times within the space of a few months.