Replacing surface mounted sockets with sunken socket

[tarkatronic]

Hi Just a quick one, am I allowed by law to replace my nasty looking surface mounted mains sockets (white place box with sockets on front) to a nice flush mounted socket (providing I can of course chase the brick / breeze block to accept the metal back box with the main socket face then screwed on to this?).

Cheers
Mike

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It is not illegal to sink boxes in to the wall and as it is an existing circuit, would not see a problem regarding notification procedures.
Are the cables also surface mounted or buried?

If you want to install flat plate sockets, the back boxes will need to be 35mm deep, for standard stepped plates, 25mm will be okay

 

[tarkatronic]

Thanks for the reply, well the mains cabling to the socket certainly isn't on the wall so I'm guessing it's buried in the plaster or comes from behind, I will do some investigation work (with the mains off!) just to see what's what when I take the socket front off...