Is this allowed?

[MopeyGecko]

The existing electrical wiring in my house is dated and doesn't have very many sockets but is still in full working order so what I would like to do is rather than completely re-wire immediately, tackle things in stages.

At the moment following the meter there is 2 old fusewire consumer units (one for upstairs and one for downstairs) What I would like to do is have an electrician install an isolator and a new consumer unit in tandem with the existing consumer units and slowly upgrade the wiring over the course of a couple of years as the different parts of the house are decorated. The kitchen is currently in the design stage so this would be first, with the wiring installed at the same time as the new consumer unit. Will I be allowed to do this legally in accordance with "the regs"?

Also, throughout the house the floor skirting is quite high and in one of the rooms the pattress boxes have been flush mounted behind the skirting. Is this OK according to the regs or do they have to be installed in the wall? the reason I ask is it leaves it very easy to install additional pattresses in the future avoiding further chasing out of the walls.

 

[viewer]

Nothing wrong with putting in Henleys between Isolator and new CU with old CUs to be (using writing analogy) to the left of the new CU. Then you can slowly replace circuit by circuit and when finished simply remove the old equipment. You'd need to be sure that new circuits were completely new and no odd links to neutrals etc which may be working now, but would introduce a hazard during the project.
For sockets on skirtings, unless this is a protected building, these are neither acceptable or sensible. If you are going to the trouble and cost of re-wiring, why not make the whole thing as though built in 2008?
Have fun
V

 

[MopeyGecko]

Nothing wrong with putting in Henleys between Isolator and new CU with old CUs to be (using writing analogy) to the left of the new CU. Then you can slowly replace circuit by circuit and when finished simply remove the old equipment. You'd need to be sure that new circuits were completely new and no odd links to neutrals etc which may be working now, but would introduce a hazard during the project.

Great thanks for confirming that

For sockets on skirtings, unless this is a protected building, these are neither acceptable or sensible. If you are going to the trouble and cost of re-wiring, why not make the whole thing as though built in 2008?
Have fun
V

The building is protected but only by a grade II listing so internal alterations are permitted. The reason I ask is because the only room in the house that had been decorated before I moved in has this arrangement and also seems to be a later added ring main. The height of the sockets within the skirting are no lower than they would be in a 2008 house. It would be a shame to lose the full height skirting simply to move the sockets 25cm higher into the wall.

 

[ColJack]

socket heights should be 450mm.. ( 45cm ) in new builds.. and total refurbs... but since this is just a rewire, exisiting heights are ok..

exactly how high are your skirtings is you need to remoce them to get the sockets in?

oh and also.... PART P.... PART P.... PART P... Blah Blah Blah....

installation of new circuits etc is notifiable under part P... etc etc... see the WIKI..