Part P latest regs and what building control have told me.

[stredwizard]

Hi all,

Firstly i would like to apologize if this question has been asked numerous times....

I have recently knocked a wall down that separated my kitchen and a long narrow cupboard, i have had all the appropriate conversations and a visit from building control and a subsequent visit from a structural engineer before the wall was knocked through.

I'm now at the stage where i need to sort the electrics, the demolished wall had one double socket on which i want to now relocate to the new kitchen wall, after speaking with building control this morning they are adamant that a certified electrician must do the work of relocating the socket as i am not qualified and they can then issue a minor works certificate.

After browsing this sites wiki on part P, it appears to imply that a kitchen is no longer a special area, therefore i can myself run the cables and install the socket and connect it up with no notification required.

As a new circuit is not required and i am simply rerouting the current wiring to a wall that is less than a metre away who is right? or am i misreading the wiki regs?

again sorry if the answer is obvious...

Regards
scott

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No notification would be needed if all you were doing was the electrical work. Part P applies to it of course - that applies to all electrical work, no matter how minor, but only some is notifiable in its own right.

But in this case it is part of a larger project. Building Control will be certifying that the entire build complies with the Building Regulations, so they will be putting their stamp of approval to the electrical work, confirming that it complies with Part P. Which is why they want it done by an electrician.

They ought to accept an electrical certificate from any qualified electrician, not just ones registered with NICEIC, NAPIT etc, but often (and understandably) they use that membership as a way to confirm the validity of any qualifications the electrician claims to have. Have you checked their website to see what routes to compliance they offer?

When you applied for BR approval for the work, what did you say, or allow them to assume, would be the way you would ensure compliance with Part P?

 

[ericmark]

I had a real problem getting building control to accept my signature on the installation certificate, and they also insisted an extractor fan was fitted into the wet room we were building as being on the ground floor people were unlikely to leave a window open for ventilation.

So you need to prove to building control that the person doing the work has the skill, and of course the equipment, I had to show the inspector the three meters, RCD tester, loop impedance, and ohm meter which I seem to remember cost my son about £750. So to DIY you would need to buy or hire the testers and take some examination to show you have the skill, the latter proved to be a problem for my son, they would not accept his C&G2391 and as it was then C&G2381 and only when I said I had a degree in electrical and electronic engineering did they back down.

If you get a non scheme member you could have the same problem, getting the LABC inspector to accept his qualifications.

 

[stredwizard]

Hi and thanks for your replies.

Being part of a larger project makes sense, so the best plan for me would be to have an electrician do the socket and get it signed off by building control.

I’m assuming any other ideas I had which I wanted to do while the kitchen was in a state of array, such as spot lighting and under counter / kick panel lighting would also fall into this category too?

Regards
Scott

 

[stredwizard]

When you applied for BR approval for the work, what did you say, or allow them to assume, would be the way you would ensure compliance with Part P?

Sorry missed this bit, I did discuss this during the initial officers visit, at this stage i had already removed the socket in preparation and he did say then that only an approved sparky could do the electrics, I don’t mind either way. Compliance or wether I’m capable is second to safety always, so I’ll happily punt the money up but do the chasing and socket sinking myself.

Regards
Scott

 

[HawkEye244]

If you know what you are doing is up to scratch I don't see the need for a compliance cert. The whole compliance scheme is mostly a scam anyway, if you are working on someones house then fair enough I suppose, but it's your house you can do what you want.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It is (a scam) - but this work does not involve or have anything to do with the schemes.

It is under the Local Authority Building Control who wil issue a Completion Certificate (schemes issue Compliance Certificates) after the electrician's Electrical Certificate.
It's not supposed to make sense.


Stredwizard will just have to do what BC say - within reason.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Being part of a larger project makes sense, so the best plan for me would be to have an electrician do the socket and get it signed off by building control.

I’m assuming any other ideas I had which I wanted to do while the kitchen was in a state of array, such as spot lighting and under counter / kick panel lighting would also fall into this category too?

If they are part of this larger project, yes.

If they are done as a separate project after this one is finished and signed off by Building Control, no, unless there are any new circuits.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sorry missed this bit, I did discuss this during the initial officers visit,

Yes, but before any work was started, you applied for approval to your Building Control dept?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you know what you are doing is up to scratch I don't see the need for a compliance cert.

I'm sure that you don't - your body of work here is ample proof of that.

But meanwhile, back in the real world that all intelligent and sensible people live in....

The whole compliance scheme is mostly a scam anyway, if you are working on someones house then fair enough I suppose, but it's your house you can do what you want.

1) No you may not, and either you are so ignorant that you do not realise that, or you do realise that and therefore what you wrote there was a lie.

2) In this case the OP seems pretty keen on satisfying Building Control so that he can get a completion certificate, so again, no, he may not do what he wants if it does not accord with what they want.