New extension - doing your own electrics.

[Taylortwocities]

I have attached a drawing

I am a frayed knot.

 

[flux capacitor]

I am a frayed knot.

the attachment is on the first post. it's a PDF. is it not showing?

 

[JohnW2]

the attachment is on the first post. it's a PDF. is it not showing?

For what it's worth, I can certainly see (and open) it!

Kind Regards, John

 

[flux capacitor]

For what it's worth, I can certainly see (and open) it!

Kind Regards, John

thanks for the reply John.

is there enough info there to show what im trying to do? can a non-qualified tackle this? and then get BO to check?

 

[JohnW2]

thanks for the reply John. is there enough info there to show what im trying to do? can a non-qualified tackle this? and then get BO to check?

As has been said there is no limit to what electrical work a 'non-qualified', provided they are competent to do it, and only you know whether or not you are (and that includes an adequate knowledge and understanding of all the relevant regulations and design principles etc.). You would have to talking to the Building Control people about how much inspection/testing they would want to do (and when), but it is unlikley to be 'just at the end'. For example, you mentioned that you wanted to chase cables in the kitchen so that it could be plastered, but it's fairly likely that they would want to see the installed cables before they were hidden by plaster.

Kind Regards, John

 

[flux capacitor]

For example, you mentioned that you wanted to chase cables in the kitchen so that it could be plastered, but it's fairly likely that they would want to see the installed cables before they were hidden by plaster.

Kind Regards, John

thanks for the reply John.

i assumed they would come at the various stages not just on one day? or would there be a charge for each day they came to inspect? sadly i was not there when the inspector arrived and never got to ask him.

im trying to see if i will save money by doing it myself and paying for the BO to inspect, or better off just paying the electrician £2600 (part/labour).

we were referred to some website - regularisation building control.

 

[flux capacitor]

For example, you mentioned that you wanted to chase cables in the kitchen so that it could be plastered, but it's fairly likely that they would want to see the installed cables before they were hidden by plaster.

Kind Regards, John

Hi John,

what's wrong with hiding a continuous run of cable under plaster? both ends of the run will be exposed, surely he just has to inspect the joint made at the socket etc?

I have read in various places (granted some conflicting information) that cables can either be chased or capped prior to plastering. Apparently modern day plaster does not damage cables and so any cables chased do not have to be protected by oval conduit etc. and you can plaster directly over - this means there is nothing to inspect under the plaster?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Part of the regulations deals with where cables can go. There are specific zones in which the cables must be routed.

Imagine: the inspector arrives, all the walls an ceilings have been plastered over. All the inspector can see is the end of cables in the socket box. He will have no idea if the cable is routed in the correct zone, or if the DIYer has taken a diagonal route because its shorter.

It’s going to slow all the other trades down if you have to whistle up LABC every time a room has been electrically first fixed. The plasterers arrive on Monday, but they can’t do anything because LABC can’t come to site until Friday. It’s a nightmare, don’t do it.

 

[flux capacitor]

Part of the regulations deals with where cables can go. There are specific zones in which the cables must be routed.

Imagine: the inspector arrives, all the walls an ceilings have been plastered over. All the inspector can see is the end of cables in the socket box. He will have no idea if the cable is routed in the correct zone, or if the DIYer has taken a diagonal route because its shorter.

It’s going to slow all the other trades down if you have to whistle up LABC every time a room has been electrically first fixed. The plasterers arrive on Monday, but they can’t do anything because LABC can’t come to site until Friday. It’s a nightmare, don’t do it.

Thanks for the reply Taylor

Ah I see what you mean.

I was actually going to do things in advance. The block work is halfway up in the kitchen, but enough to do all the sockets etc. I would then cement them in the channels. I would only work on the builders days off. The inspector would follow the cement line to verify the path. Plus will have pictures.

While they are working on the roof that will give me enough time to do the rest. The builders are not going to start plastering till the roof is on. I can do my job without the roof (but the truth is I'm a fair weather DIYer so I doubt im going to go through with it).

There's only 2 rooms.

 

[flameport]

The building officer said that we (as an unqualified person) are not allowed to add a NEW CU.

Completely untrue.
They may not want people to do that, but that's entirely different from it not being allowed.

 

[flameport]

regularisation building control.

Regularisation is a process where if persons have done work and not bothered to notify it as they should, it can then be notified after the event by paying a massively inflated fee, and usually having some inspector type visit to look at the various works, and may involve some dismantling and damage to view concealed items (such as if a structural support was covered by plaster, that may have to be removed to allow inspection of it).

Not something anyone would ever use by choice, as the proper method is to notify works before they start by submitting plans and the normal fee.

 

[flux capacitor]

Completely untrue.
They may not want people to do that, but that's entirely different from it not being allowed.

thanks for the reply flameport.

well that's good to know.

 

[flux capacitor]

does anyone think my idea of

4 radials (4x 20A RCBO/2.5mm2)
2 lighting circuits 2x 6A MCB
40A MCBO for induction cooker.
metal CU,
10mm2 armoured cable to supply CU

is fine?

 

[EFLImpudence]

4 radials (4x 20A RCBO/2.5mm2)

It's up to you.

2 lighting circuits 2x 6A MCB

Yes.

40A MCBO for induction cooker.

If you want.
No such thing as an MCBO. It doesn't inspire confidence.
You need an electrician to tell you what to do. Not us.

metal CU,

No choice nowadays.

10mm2 armoured cable to supply CU

Depends on maximum demand and supply fuse.

MCBs are to protect the cable. You are doing it the wrong way round.

Demand >> suitable cable >> suitable OPD.

 

[flux capacitor]

If you want.
No such thing as an MCBO. It doesn't inspire confidence.
You need an electrician to tell you what to do. Not us.

Thanks for the reply EFL

Maybe it was a typo - or maybe my brain was drifting, something about cookers causing rcd's to trip unnecessarily and so to use MCB not protected by RCD. (earth leak voltage).

So now Im wondering to MCB or RCBO. I dont have to worry about earth leak voltage as im using all separate RCBO so no cumulative problems. I guess RCBO as cable will be less the 50mm from the surface.