No bonding on property I'm renovating

[trogg]

Hi, the property I'm working on has no bonding,

there is an earth going to the consumer unit from the meter but that's it...

Incoming water pipe is copper and the gas is cast iron (no meter fitted yet).

I am replacing all the radiators and central heating pipework, the pipework will be 'plastic' except for the final connections to the radiators which will be copper, also all the pipework to the boiler will start off copper.

So I've a couple of questions,

what do I need to do to get things safe and legal,

and what, if anything, can I do myself ?

My original intention was to get an electrician to do a safety inspection and some remedial work towards the end of the renovation, however I'm about to dot and dab some plasterboard so this would be the ideal time to sort the bonding.

thanks

 

[riveralt]

Hi, the property I'm working on has no bonding,

there is an earth going to the consumer unit from the meter but that's it...

Incoming water pipe is copper and the gas is cast iron (no meter fitted yet).

I am replacing all the radiators and central heating pipework, the pipework will be 'plastic' except for the final connections to the radiators which will be copper, also all the pipework to the boiler will start off copper.

So I've a couple of questions,

what do I need to do to get things safe and legal,

Contact your Local Authority Building Control office regarding your new electrics and proposed boiler connections.

My original intention was to get an electrician to do a safety inspection and some remedial work towards the end of the renovation, however I'm about to dot and dab some plasterboard so this would be the ideal time to sort the bonding.
thanks

That won't happen I'm afraid, a registered electrician will need to have been involved in all the stages of the electrical installation.

Look up bonding here:
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:main_equipotential_bonding
and Part P here:
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p

 

[JohnD]

you can do the bonding yourself though, not difficult and not notifiable.

 

[trogg]

A bit of contradicting information,

do I really need to contact BC regarding bonding ?

can I do it myself ?

and thanks for the links.

I am also replacing all the switches and sockets ( been told I can do this myself) but I do understand that I don't have the full knowledge or the equipment as an electrician would have, hence getting one in later.

 

[trogg]

Just had a look at the diagram in the first link, my system has the earthing conductor connected directly to the consumer unit , do I need to install a 'MET' ?

 

[JohnD]

follow the links and find Schedule 4, section (1) subsection (e)

SCHEDULE 4
Descriptions of Work where no Building Notice or Deposit of Full Plans Required
This schedule has no associated Explanatory Memorandum
1. Work consisting of—
(a)replacing any fixed electrical equipment which does not include the provision of— .
(i)any new fixed cabling, or .
(ii)a consumer unit; .
(b)replacing a damaged cable for a single circuit only; .
(c)re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing installation components, where the circuit protective measures are unaffected; .
(d)providing mechanical protection to an existing fixed installation, where the circuit protective measures and current carrying capacity of conductors are unaffected by the increased thermal insulation;
(e)installing or upgrading main or supplementary equipotential bonding;

In your case, the MET will be inside the CU. That's OK if it is reasonably modern. It will be a big brass bar with terminals to accept various sizes of cable. The bigger ones are often at the ends.

 

[trogg]

Thanks JohnD

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'm surprised that a property that is being renovated requires no electrical work other that the provision of bonding and the change of a few sockets and switches.

Surely there is other electrical work being done, new kitchen, new bathroom lighting & fan, maybe??

 

[Electrifying]

My original intention was to get an electrician to do a safety inspection and some remedial work towards the end of the renovation, however I'm about to dot and dab some plasterboard so this would be the ideal time to sort the bonding.

thanks

Would it not make more sense to have an electrician do a PIR on the property first - that way anything that needs doing can be done before you dot and dab etc.............seems the logical way to me.

That way, you will also know if any 'notifiable' work is required.

 

[trogg]

yes there will be other electrical work to be done, i.e. fans , extra sockets and fcu's for the kitchen.

But I'm not putting any ceilings in till right at the end so most of the electrics are accessible, also although some channelling will need to be done, it will be very easily done using a knife or board saw.

 

[riveralt]

yes there will be other electrical work to be done, i.e. fans , extra sockets and fcu's for the kitchen.

So it is notifiable - not being funny but you are doing this house up to sell - so you will need to have either notified the LABC or have engaged an electrician at the outset - since you have done neither you may struggle to achieve the price you want.

But I'm not putting any ceilings in till right at the end so most of the electrics are accessible, also although some channelling will need to be done, it will be very easily done using a knife or board saw.

Ceiling should go up before the walls are dot and dabbed.

 

[trogg]

I can't see what the problem is whether I get an electrician in at the beginning, now or at the end, the work will be done, it will be safe and it will meet the current regulations

And it doesn't matter about when the ceiling goes up, done my mothers house the same way 16 years ago and everything is ok ...... although I did get a plasterer in to do the skimming because she didn't like rough-cast look

 

[Taylortwocities]

I can't see what the problem is whether I get an electrician in at the beginning, now or at the end, the work will be done, it will be safe and it will meet the current regulations

Electrical work in a ktchen is notifiable. All this work will have to comply with the new wiring regulations which usually means work done updating the consumer unit.

The work can be done by you, but you have to register the works with the local authority and pay their fee BEFORE WORK STARTS. They will want to see the work at various stages and will want to inspect the test certificate. This will detail the results of the test you have done with your calibrated test equipment.

Or you can use a registered electrician. He can do the work and notify the job. He can only do this if he has done the work HIMSELF.
He is not permitted to s'sign off' work that you or somebody else has done.

See //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law
for details.

 

[riveralt]

I can't see what the problem is whether I get an electrician in at the beginning, now or at the end, the work will be done, it will be safe and it will meet the current regulations

as has been said before this will not happen.

And it doesn't matter about when the ceiling goes up, done my mothers house the same way 16 years ago and everything is ok

I suppose you paint/wallpaper the walls before the ceiling as well then.

 

[trogg]

I can't understand why I need to inform the local authority about the work I'm doing myself, which is changing most of the sockets and switches, and install some bonding.

I have come on these forums to find out if I can legally do this and the answers I've got suggests I can.

I am fully aware that some of the work that will need doing later on will require a fully qualified electrician, I have never asked or suggested that I would be doing this myself.

So, back on topic,

Tomorrow I will be installing the bonding.......




once I've finished installing the new consumer unit