Outdoor lights/patio

[Doggit]

At the end of the day, as has already been said, you don't really want any trunking on the outside of the house. So any extra lights or electrics, have to be done from inside (and then replaster and redecorate the wall) or inset into the soffits. You haven't mentioned how you intend to do the patio, but the builder has suggested putting in trunking, so I supect he's thinking of low level lights, but again, unless he's good enough to take out bricks, and set the cables in the wall cavity, then it'll be trunking up the wall, or lights sunk into the patio.

 

[Taylortwocities]

but again, unless he's good enough to take out bricks, and set the cables in the wall cavity

We don't put cables in wall cavities, do we?

 

[chriselevate]

That was one of my areas of uncertainty... cables aren't run in the cavity I'm guessing? They are either put in conduit outside or hacked out of the plaster inside and plastered over (in conduit) I'm guessing?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes. Decisions to be made, on site, by your electrician.

 

[chriselevate]

So not in cavity walls then? Is that not the thing to do? You say decisions to be made I'm sure by the electrician but as it's my house I'd like to have a idea of what can be done due to the mess, redecorating and hassle. You don't seem willing to give me this information so perhaps someone else can. Thanks guys.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Its not a matter of not wanting to help you. Its a matter of not being able to make decisions based on an outside photograph.

You COULD lift the roof tiles and run the cables there
You COULD run the cables behind the soffit
Whether you CAN or not is a matter of inspection as to access and construction.

And then we get to wiring to the lights. Cables outside, you may not like the look of.
Cables run on inside walls have certain requirements. Yoiu cannot, for instance, just run cables down an inside wall, drill through the wall to the outside and just plaster over the interior cables. They have to be special cables, or they have to be run in substantial earthed steel conduit.

So it all depends, we don't know what the inside rooms are, or the access, or the limitations, or how much disruption to decorations you are prepared to accept.

In any case, you have said that

I've got an electrician coming round in the next few days

so sometime around now he/she will be able to survey all of these items and discuss with you the several solutions and their implications.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sorry you're loosing me ban-all-shed.

I think you're saying a couple of possibilities are...
1. Use the outside weather proof socket to feed off.

No - I was suggesting that taking the cable to go under the patio out through the wall where the socket is and then down on the surface of the wall for a short distance would probably be so much easier than digging down inside the house and taking it out through the wall already underground that you might relax the "I don't want conduit running up my outside wall" a tad.

2. Use the inside light switch to feed off.

I didn't suggest that as an option. You asked about it and TTC had mentioned the neutral issue (now resolved).

And you're saying the 2nd option would require getting a cable down into a duct below the patio. It would be easier to rip off the plasterboard and drill from inside to out to get the cable hidden and this is easier than going at it from the outside?

I despair.

I was just thinking that I don't want conduit running up my outside wall in order achieve this.

If you don't want that then the cable has to exit the house already below ground level. If it does not then it will have to run down the wall to go underground once it gets outside.

It doesn't matter whether the cable is supplied from a light switch, or a new circuit from the CU, or even from a completely new CU. Or a generator driven by a hamster in a wheel. For it to go underground it has to run down the wall either inside the house or outside the house. And if you don't want to see it on the outside wall, inside it will have to be.

 

[chriselevate]

Ok, thanks.

 

[flameport]

So not in cavity walls then? Is that not the thing to do?

Cables on their own are not, as they may be damaged when pulled in.
Cables in conduit can be installed in the cavity.