Should I get myself certified?

[aa44]

I am planning to build a house next year and I want to do as much work as I can myself.

I want the house to be safe, legal and well-built. I know that there are things that I don’t want to tackle, for example wiring up the CU, but I am pretty confident about most of the other aspects of the electrics. Before part P changed, I did some fairly major electrical DIY work with a mate (we rewired a house), and I am reading up on the 17th edition.

What I am wondering is whether I will end up with a better, cheaper job if I go on a course to get part-P certified or if I get everything that I do inspected by the local BCO and get a proper sparks to connect the CU.

One of the areas that I know that I would be weak on would be testing. Assuming that the BCO gets somebody in to do the inspection(s) rather than them doing it themselves, is this something that the inspector will do?

I know that the inspections will cost quite a bit, but so would the course. My thinking is that the combination of getting somebody else in to install the CU and the inspections ought to pick up any major gaffes that I make.

Anybody got any advice?
Thanks
AA

 

[Adam_151]

No point registering as a competant person, these schemes are designed for those who do electrical work as a profession, and do not lend themselves to your situation, and are indeed not required

When you build your house LABC will be involved anyway, you'll have to have a chat to the BCO, but basically your plans will need to say something along the lines of electrical work will be carried out to BS7671, but not by an entity who can self certify (careful that your architect does not say otherwise as a standard thing)

Now as long as building control are happy with that, you need to find a sparks who is happy to sign as designer number one and for inspection and testing on a three part EIC, and to act as in a sort of consultant role as well as testing at the end, you will then sign for designer number 2, and for construction, the best bet is if you have a mate or relative who is a sparks (even if he doesn't do domestic for his day job)

 

[SparkyNinja]

Adam_151 has just laid out the best method for your new build.

As it is a new build, there will a few key things the electrician will need to be aware of with regard to the building regulations, and so an electrician who has soley work commercially may not be aware of the most recent changes. However the BCO and LABC combined should be able to provide you with any other guidance.


You wouldn't want to get yourself registered as competent, as the cost of training, equipment, registration etc will cost more than getting an electrician on board......... unless you planning on building an estate in the near future.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You all, including the OP himself, seem to have missed something...

aa44

Joined: 28 Oct 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Shetland,
United Kingdom
Thanked: 0 times

 

[securespark]

Should I get myself certified?

Why? What have you done?

 

[conny]

Does anything ever get past you BAS?

You'd be a bitch of a QA inspector!

 

[aa44]

What have I done? Moved to Shetland.

Is the Scottish scheme very different to the English one?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes.

 

[aa44]

How about providing a more helpful answer?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is the Scottish scheme very different to the English one?

Yes, but I know nothing about it.

 

[ColJack]

no, not much..

they have warrants rather than notification..
but they have their own version of "Part-P" in as much as they stipulate that electrical work should be done safely and not cause harm to persons or property.. which is what Part-P boils down to..
they also have a list of works that dont need a warrant, much like we have a list of works that don't require notification..
however their list is a lot harder to decode than ours and is vague about electrics..

The Building ( Scotland ) Regulations 2004.
Schedule 5, Section 4 ( Safety ) part 4.5 is the equivalent of "Part-P"..
Schedule 3 is the section that details works which don't require a warrant..
part A 21 says that any electrical work that is ELV does not require a warrant, and that's all it says about electrics.. so any other does..

 

[chapeau]

so any other does..

Go back and read it again.

aa44. How high off the ground is the highest ceiling of your proposed dwelling?

 

[aa44]

Thanks ColJack.

Aiming for a ceiling height of about 2.40. Not planning on anything ELV. Heating controls will probably all be 230v, as will the lighting.

 

[Chri5]

Check with the Scots LABC as to what they will want.

SELECT (I think that the name) police Edinburgh with a iron hand, but other areas seem to have a far more relaxed attitude.

Part P in Scotland is run in a different format by SELECT, so if you did go down the training route you'd need to check courses that are suitable for your Country rather than what covers England, Wales, Ireland.

Part P basic course is £600 for 5 days + 5 days time + a few nights reading first. Lets round that up as £1000 of 'cost' would you save that ?
What happens to weak points such as getting a £500 MFTU / tester and being able to use it !

I'd suggest a chat with local sparks that deal with your LABC and suggesting you do all the donkey work such as cabling and back boxes, supply the materials yourself and get them in for 2nd fix and test with a few ongoing inspections as the work moves forward.