HOUSE REWIRING

[outkastchris]

yes another house rewire one and I have a few questions

GENERAL BACKGROUND INFO
1st time buyer,
Not alot of money left I believe most people say that once you get a house and a wife, don't quite know which is more expensive yet,
heating engineer, CH system wiring and basic electrical knowhow
dad as back up / cheap help, retired with load of trade knowledge but very dated

HOUSE
electrics need updating 1 double in each room old black rubber wiring I know its got to come out
heating needs updating ripping out downstair suspended wood floor putting in wet underfloor heating
upstairs internal walls need removing due to previous alterations issue will loading on existing structure plasterboard stud wall going in


I will be getting in the sparky to complete the install and get it certified! altough dad says he could do it but he cant register it and he keeps mentioning hes not up to todays standards so as for those key details I won't let him near the electrics and seeing some of the oldschool ways he works sometimes I do get worried sometimes but I've never seem other tradesmen In site conditions.

PLAN OF WORKS
rip out upstairs walls
rip out existing electrics
fit the new stud walls
fit plumbing / upstairs heating circuit
install conduit to upstairs / downstairs cut in back boxes
install conduit for data cables CAT5 / 6 (future proofing) TV cables telephone alarm wiring
I KNOW ELECTRIC AND DATA CABLES HAVE TO BE SEPERATE!
get plastering done all walls and celilings skimmed
rip out wooden floor get floor prepared
install last bit of conduit under floor for the downstairs circuit
get sparky in pull wire to locations, fit and move CU, test and cert
hope to move in before xmas only 5 months to go

CIRCUIT DESIGN
lights 1 upstairs 1 downstairs
sockets
1 X lounge dining and hall 2G x 13
1 X 2 bedrooms and landing 2G x 9
1 X 3rd bedroom come computer room / study 2G x 6
1 X kitchen sockets 2G x 8

1 X immersion
1 X boiler and underfloors heating controls
1 X loft 2G x 2

QUESTIONS
1 lighting circuits should 20mm round / 16mm oval conduit be ok?
2 Ring mains what size conduit should be suitable for the types of circuit I have listed
3 Distance between CU and water pipes? I'll probably have the pies boxed in
4 Distance between electric and data cables eg CAT5 / 6 in and out of conduit?
5 Do I have to fit my sockets to the new rules 450mm hoff floor don't really like the idea of having sockets half way up wall I understand the reasons behind the rules?
6 conduit colours Im thinking of using the black one for the 240V electrics and the white for the other utilitys can I wrap coloured tape or mark them regularly so i can identifiy them at a later date should I ever have to knock into walls Im guessing to cant mark them with colours that may cause confusion with electrics

WHEN IS THIS WIRELESS ELECTRIC COMMING ALONG!!!

CHEERS
CHRIS

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will be getting in the sparky to complete the install and get it certified!

Then find him and get him involved now.

He'll be the one putting his name to certificate saying he designed it and that it all complies with the Wiring and the Building Regulations, so he has to be the one to make all of the design decisions.

install last bit of conduit under floor for the downstairs circuit
get sparky in pull wire to locations, fit and move CU, test and cert

And what if, because of the way you installed the conduit, he finds at this stage that the cables won't pull through?

1 lighting circuits should 20mm round / 16mm oval conduit be ok?

Where will the loop run?

What size cable will the electrician use?

How will you fix the conduit into the boxes?

2 Ring mains what size conduit should be suitable for the types of circuit I have listed

Ask the guy who'll have to pull cables through it.

3 Distance between CU and water pipes?

Not much.

4 Distance between electric and data cables eg CAT5 / 6 in and out of conduit?

Not much.

5 Do I have to fit my sockets to the new rules 450mm hoff floor

No, but sometimes BCOs will say you do. People who put them at that height often report that once used to them they actually quite like them.

6 conduit colours Im thinking of using the black one for the 240V electrics and the white for the other utilitys can I wrap coloured tape or mark them regularly so i can identifiy them at a later date should I ever have to knock into walls Im guessing to cant mark them with colours that may cause confusion with electrics

If you require a conduit to be distinguished from other pipes then it should be orange.

But why won't you be able to tell what's in a conduit given the accessory it's connected to?

 

[ericmark]

Assuming you are working legal then the most important job is to detail exactly what you intend to do and submit to the LABC so they have the option of raising objections to what you intend to do before you start.

Conduit is not required you can bury cables direct in plaster the use of capping and oval conduit is really to protect cables from plasters trowel. Using ali-tube cables instead of twin and earth will help of course.

The building regulations L, J, M and P need to be observed of course but Part M does seem not to be followed too closely with re-wires it is only really kept to with new builds.

The BS7671:2008 has introduced many new requirements and also clarified some existing and I would consider the use of emergency lights and RCD on all circuits a good way of ensuring you don't fall foul of the regulations. The regulations are complex and there are many ways to comply and it may be worth buying some books.

The idea of DIY and then getting an electrician to sign it off may seem good in theory but in practice only a fool of an electrician would ever sign for some one else's work so not really an option. However the forms do allow for three signatures design, installation and testing and they may be willing to do testing. This though would need direct LABC involvement and would not be through the electricians scheme provider.

The LABC charges can be quite high, over £100 and could be a lot higher and if you need to hire test equipment that is not cheap at at least £60 for weeks minimum hire and if you are keeping legal you need to carefully work out costs as it can cost more than getting it done by an electrician.

Also you need to convince the LABC you have the skill. This could be a problem and if you have a family member who has qualifications they he needs to talk to LABC and convince them he has the skill required.

 

[outkastchris]

WHATS THE ISSUE WITH ME FITTING THE CONDUIT ITS NOT ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM CHASING OUT AND LIFTING FLOORBOARDS

I've delt with conduit runs for heating system wiring and had some problems forcing cables through before due to poor installs im not a cowboy I want things done my way to my high standards


Its the same with gas works providing your competant to work safely you dont have to be registered with corgi / gas safe but depending on the work it may have to be registered

IM NOT UNDERTAKING ANY OF THE ELECFTRICS MYSELF JUST THE PREP

 

[londonboy]

BAS is saying that if you run the conduits incorrectly/to the wrong points/too small etc then you are wasting your time/materials also the electricians time + you will have to fork out to correct it.

Get an electrician round first thing to advice you what to run and where!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

WHATS THE ISSUE WITH ME FITTING THE CONDUIT ITS NOT ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM CHASING OUT AND LIFTING FLOORBOARDS

No issue at all, and if you were planning for cables to run without conduit in walls and floors the advice would be just the same - involve your electrician at the start and make sure he is happy for you to do the chasing/install the conduit and that he approves the routes.

I've delt with conduit runs for heating system wiring and had some problems forcing cables through before due to poor installs im not a cowboy I want things done my way to my high standards

Nobody has suggested otherwise.

IM NOT UNDERTAKING ANY OF THE ELECFTRICS MYSELF JUST THE PREP

Nobody has said you can't - only that you should do it with the agreement of, and under the direction of, your electrician.

 

[outkastchris]

can anyone wait any longer for the footballm season to start?

 

[Monkeh]

can anyone wait any longer for the footballm season to start?

I can wait the rest of my life for a crappy game to bring the drunk idiots out on the street making noise.

 

[outkastchris]

an answer to a question ask no bs straight to the point thank you