As I was a qualified electrician but over almost 40 years ago now, I was thinking of replacing the consumer unit with a 17th edition Consumer unit myself, however not sure if this causes a problem when the electrician will do his checks on the kitchen installation?
New Kitchen and IEE Regs
- Thread starter richchad
- Start date
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Replacing the CU is notifiable, and it doesn't sound as if the electrician is the sort of guy prepared to supervise and direct other people so that they can not pay him so much....
Thanks for that, didn't know about notification, so would guess that maybe why it is a bit cheaper to just add another CU as I assume this isn't notifiable?
I take your point about not wanting to supervise me to pay him less, can't blame him really..
If I added the extra CU, am I right in thinking he would have to approve it if it was done correctly, although of course I would discuss this with him prior to this?
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part-p
No - that's notifiable too, as will be most of the installation work in the kitchen, but for a registered electrician notification costs virtually nothing. It's just cheaper to add a separate CU than to replace an existing one because of the testing involved, and the possibility of more problems to fix.
He will have to sign a declaration to say that he did all of the work. No reason why he can't do that even if you physically did some of it, in just the same way that he might use an apprentice to drill holes, knock walls about, pull cables etc, but you would have to get his agreement beforehand.
It might be worth having a CU large enough to take all of the house installed, even if initially it's only used for the kitchen ones - a bit more empty box won't cost much more but it could be used at a later date to update the rest of the installation.
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TBH it was the attitude of the electrician that put my back up a bit, it seemed he just expected me to accept it without question maybe just because I have ordered a 25k kitchen.
Can't say for certain, but did the spark have a look of dismay on his face when this conversation happened?
Maybe he was just a little beleaguered at yet again having to explain the current regulations to someone who doesn't understand and thinks he is being ripped off..
-bonding? what, how much?
-whats an rcd? i've never had one of those before and i've never had a problem, why do i need one now?
-Why do you want to charge me so much, i was an electrician nearly a whole lifetime ago, back then this job would only have taken 2 hours...
-calibrated test equipment? don't make me laugh - 30 years ago, we just wired it in until it stopped popping the fuse...
sometimes, getting the customer to understand is harder than doing the job..
£25k kitchen! why not get your wiring verified and update so it is deemed safe through the scope of the current regulations which may or may not prevent your old electrics burning down your house and the £25k worth of kitchen.
IMO there is a distinct possibility that £850 for a Henley, some tails and a small CU to supply existing circuits is a rip-off...
TBH it was the attitude of the electrician that put my back up a bit, it seemed he just expected me to accept it without question maybe just because I have ordered a 25k kitchen.
Can't say for certain, but did the spark have a look of dismay on his face when this conversation happened?
Maybe he was just a little beleaguered at yet again having to explain the current regulations to someone who doesn't understand and thinks he is being ripped off..
-bonding? what, how much?
-whats an rcd? i've never had one of those before and i've never had a problem, why do i need one now?
-Why do you want to charge me so much, i was an electrician nearly a whole lifetime ago, back then this job would only have taken 2 hours...
-calibrated test equipment? don't make me laugh - 30 years ago, we just wired it in until it stopped popping the fuse...
sometimes, getting the customer to understand is harder than doing the job..
Very amusing, and a bit of an exaggeration but not much help.
This is an installation only installed 15 years ago, very unlikely my house is going to burn down with the electrics as they are, but yes I do understand that they should be updated to the current regulations if work is being done and have never once said they shouldn't.
Thanks for your help, I think I just need to clarify what work they have quoted and try to re-negotiate a price or get another quote.
If the electrician's already got your back up then it might be worth finding one yourself who you trust or at least getting a couple of quotes to put your mind at rest.
Mikhailfaradayski has a good point about getting customers to understand why certain work is essential but I also think that £850 for the work stated does sound on the high side.
Maybe the electrician doesn't get all the money as the subcontractor...
Kind of puts you over-a-barrel when the sparky turns tound and says '£850' for a bit or re-jigging at the supply point (if indeed that and a bonding cable is all it is and whole new circuits aren't being run). A good kitchen or bathroom installation business will organise everything, subcontracting or employing others to do any necessary specialised works. You have one quote, one invoice, one guarantee and one place to go if something goes wrong.
Yes, I am inclined to agree, one quote for everything should be the way to go, however the quote I had and accepted did state any work required to bring up to standard would be subject to separate quote.
As the house is only 15 years old I ignorantly believed that it would be all okay.
I have now looked a bit harder at the earth bonding and have found it does actually exist, it was hidden behind the back of under sink cupboard, so have contacted electrician and have a revised quote of £418 just to now fit Henley block and small CU for 2 circuits.. not sure if this is reasonable or not?
wasn't taking the P, just a bit of a tongue-in-cheek way of saying that there may be elements of the work contained in the quote which you are not necessarily aware of.
I have lost the odd job myself simply because the customer felt i was puling his leg with the RCD requirement
Like bas says, can't see it, can't quote it. Maybe it is high?
Could be a short run of cable to an adajcent stop cock, but could also be a 40m run wiggling through the house and a right PIA.
Could be a new circuits are to be fed from chinese cheap tat mcb+rcd at a low(ish) cost, but could also be all RCBO from a quality brand.
{edited as you posted whilst i typed}
I have lost the odd job myself simply because the customer felt i was puling his leg with the RCD requirement
Like bas says, can't see it, can't quote it. Maybe it is high?
Could be a short run of cable to an adajcent stop cock, but could also be a 40m run wiggling through the house and a right PIA.
Could be a new circuits are to be fed from chinese cheap tat mcb+rcd at a low(ish) cost, but could also be all RCBO from a quality brand.
{edited as you posted whilst i typed}
Yes, I realise it was a bit of tongue in cheek, if you look at my last post, I have discovered there is an earth bond and the revised quote of £418 involves no cable runs just fit a new RCD & housing for two circuits, Hob & cooker which are currently connected to a Square D Quickline CB which only has a 100amp main switch, all ring mains are on a separate CU which has a RCCB.
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