kitchen ring main

[markynosparky]

Hi,
I have looked at a few threads on the forum but am not sure if the questions I have, have been fully covered so apologies in advance for any duplication?
I want to add a separate ring main to my kitchen, as there is only one ring main for the entire house (which is holding up well). I am planning to run 2.5mm cables from a 32A MCB in a CU with a RCCB. My first question is:
As I run vertically down the wall from the ceiling with the cable in a channel chased out back to the brickwork, do I have to run the cables in a conduit/conduits, according to Reg 17, or can I just clip the cables to the wall and plaster over?

Also, from the metal back box, I assume you should have an earth wire in a sleeve going from the terminal in the back box to the earth point on the socket?

Thirdly, I have coving which drops about 85mm from the ceiling. Am I within the 'safe zone' if I was to channel out beneath this to run cables back and forth along a wall to another socket location?

Can anybody also give a rough price estimate of the cost to certify another persons work?

Many thanks
Mark

 

[comms]

As I run vertically down the wall from the ceiling with the cable in a channel chased out back to the brickwork, do I have to run the cables in a conduit/conduits, according to Reg 17, or can I just clip the cables to the wall and plaster over?

Just clip & plaster over ...you have an rcd on the circuit.

Also, from the metal back box, I assume you should have an earth wire in a sleeve going from the terminal in the back box to the earth point on the socket?

Not required so long as one of the lugs on the back box is static, but I always fit the fly lead as habbit.

Thirdly, I have coving which drops about 85mm from the ceiling. Am I within the 'safe zone' if I was to channel out beneath this to run cables back and forth along a wall to another socket location?

You have a 150mm safe zone down from where the ceiling & wall meet.

Can anybody also give a rough price estimate of the cost to certify another persons work?

Depends on what needs putting right doesnt it.

 

[rebuke]

For Part P certification (which is I assume what you mean), a member of a self certification scheme officially cannot sign off on someone elses work, only their own. Some electricians will be happy for the customer to do the grunt work (chasing out the wall, lifting floorboards etc etc), but you'd want to find someone who will agree to that before starting, as they will want to ensure you do it to their design, since they're signing off on it.

The correct way to do it, is to notify your local LABC before starting the work, paying them a notification fee (usually around £100, but not always), and they will then come and inspect and test once you're done. Some LABCs will try and tell you you need to pay separately to get the testing done, but that's wrong, and they have been told this by the government. See the wiki on Part P for more info...

 

[markynosparky]

Dear Comms,
Thanks for the speedy reply. On the last point, I was rather hoping that nothing would need putting right.....

 

[markynosparky]

Thanks also for the Part P advice. I will check the wiki.

 

[ericmark]

Start in reverse order only people who can issue a cert for other peoples work is council and in Wales fixed fee of £100 plus vat so £115 which is why most people do not DIY kitchens.
Many feel the screws are good enough and don't earth back boxes but ask council some people have fixed ideas on that and better to be safe.
Oh just seen some one has beat me to it.
Remember contact council first.

 

[ericmark]

can I just clip the cables to the wall and plaster over?

Yes but hard to plaster over and I would consider ali-tube cable.

 

[comms]

Dear Comms,
Thanks for the speedy reply. On the last point, I was rather hoping that nothing would need putting right.....

Ever so sorry my mistake I read certify as rectify, teach me to speed read wont it.

 

[markynosparky]

Is alitube same/similar to egatube? I would guess that oval tubing would be easier to work with, and for two 2.5mm cables to go up and down through it, what would be the best size to work with - 16mm, 22mm or other??