Sorry - it's a big post, but I put in as much detail as I thought necessary.
My house has an integral garage at the back (the front third sticks out beyond the back wall of the house), with a side door from the kitchen and I am looking to convert it to a dining room/utility area (freezer and washing machine only - no sinks etc), with a patio door over the opening where the garage door currently is.
In my garage, the electrics comprise of the following:-
Double plug socket at the back of the garage, part of the main downstairs sockets ring, a 1 way light switch at the front of the garage for the light, and the consumer unit for the house, which is halfway along the cavity wall which has the kitchen at the other side.
I have requested a price from a spark to:-
1. Make the light system a 2 way, with another light switch at the other end of the garage, next to the proposed opening to the kitchen.
2. Add some extra plug sockets along the long wall that faces the neighbours side.
3. Move the consumer unit approximately 3m from halfway along the wall that meets with the kitchen, to the back wall of the garage (and into the proposed "utility" area.
Obviously the consumer unit is a proper sparkys job, but he's proposing a joint box that's half the size of the consumer unit itself that requires access for any problems in the future. With that in mind, i'm tempted to leave the consumer box where it is (right up against a brick column that is in line with the end of the main part of the house (where it meets with the garage end that extends beyond the main back wall of the house) and cupboard it in.
If I were to leave the consumer unit alone, adding in a few plug sockets to the existing ring and making the light a 2 way 2 switch system are relatively easy, so i'm loathed to pay a sparky to do them.
I read through the Part P (2010) guide and it states a number of jobs that are non-notifiable. I am under the impression that jobs 1 and 2 above involve no new circuit and are therefore non-notifiable jobs. Table 1 on page 8 of the PDF states that:-
1. Adding lighting points (light fittings and switches) to an existing circuit*
2. Adding socket outlets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial circuit*
* Only if the existing circuit protective device is suitable and provides protection for the modified circuit, and other relevant safety provisions are satisfactory.
Does this mean then that the building regs inspector won't be bothered that I have done points 1 and 2, so I can avoid one of those huge inspection fees?
What other safety provisions are required if I do this, to avoid said inspection fees?
My house has an integral garage at the back (the front third sticks out beyond the back wall of the house), with a side door from the kitchen and I am looking to convert it to a dining room/utility area (freezer and washing machine only - no sinks etc), with a patio door over the opening where the garage door currently is.
In my garage, the electrics comprise of the following:-
Double plug socket at the back of the garage, part of the main downstairs sockets ring, a 1 way light switch at the front of the garage for the light, and the consumer unit for the house, which is halfway along the cavity wall which has the kitchen at the other side.
I have requested a price from a spark to:-
1. Make the light system a 2 way, with another light switch at the other end of the garage, next to the proposed opening to the kitchen.
2. Add some extra plug sockets along the long wall that faces the neighbours side.
3. Move the consumer unit approximately 3m from halfway along the wall that meets with the kitchen, to the back wall of the garage (and into the proposed "utility" area.
Obviously the consumer unit is a proper sparkys job, but he's proposing a joint box that's half the size of the consumer unit itself that requires access for any problems in the future. With that in mind, i'm tempted to leave the consumer box where it is (right up against a brick column that is in line with the end of the main part of the house (where it meets with the garage end that extends beyond the main back wall of the house) and cupboard it in.
If I were to leave the consumer unit alone, adding in a few plug sockets to the existing ring and making the light a 2 way 2 switch system are relatively easy, so i'm loathed to pay a sparky to do them.
I read through the Part P (2010) guide and it states a number of jobs that are non-notifiable. I am under the impression that jobs 1 and 2 above involve no new circuit and are therefore non-notifiable jobs. Table 1 on page 8 of the PDF states that:-
1. Adding lighting points (light fittings and switches) to an existing circuit*
2. Adding socket outlets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial circuit*
* Only if the existing circuit protective device is suitable and provides protection for the modified circuit, and other relevant safety provisions are satisfactory.
Does this mean then that the building regs inspector won't be bothered that I have done points 1 and 2, so I can avoid one of those huge inspection fees?
What other safety provisions are required if I do this, to avoid said inspection fees?