Heights of switches and sockets

[doh.....]

I am thinking of having my house fully rewired. It was built in the 1950's and has the old fashioned fuse board. Do the switches and sockets have to be re-positioned to the new heights for building regulations which will allow it to be certified? OR can they stay at there current height and still be certified? The house doesn't have enough sockets at this moment in time so will be adding at least 10 new double sockets. Will this make any difference to the above questions?

One last thing, I promise.

The height measurements for switches and sockets are between 450mm and 1200mm from the floor. Does this mean 450mm from the base of the socket and 1200mm to the top of the light switch? The reason I ask is that a friend told me it was 400mm from the base of the socket which would make the socket roughly half way into the 450mm designated height.

Is it just good practice to have them at the new designated heights?

Please advise,
Many thanks

 

[nozspark]

In you circumstances, the new switch/socket heights do not apply; however if your sockets are currently in the skirting boards then you should really move them up the wall - they should be mounted at a height so that any flex will not get bent as it leaves the plug!

 

[passerv]

No requirement with rewires, new dwellings only but, not in a worse position than they currently are.

If you do install at the prescribed heights it's 450mm to lower edge of sockets and 1200 to upper edge of light switches

 

[passerv]

Beat me to it

 

[JohnD]

or bashed and broken by hoovers, big feet, or furniture.

Not to mention the ease with which you can unplug things when you're feeling tired with a bad back or creaky knees.