Just a post to thank all contributors (past and present) to this forum. I have just completed a full rewire (to 17th edn) of a cottage I own. Along with some building work this has all been done under the auspices of the local building control and I have received all the requisite certification etc. Initial responses from the forum were of the "if you have to ask, you can't do it" kind, which to my mind negates having a forum such as this in the first place! However, I read through all past postings and found the information I needed.
If any amateur is contemplating doing such a thing may I just list things I wish I had known when I set out;
1 The building control fee for "doing it yourself" approval is fantastic value. Be glad to pay it - you get two very expensive inspections for about £100!!
2. The business of having to have a first fix inspection was something of a pest but that was with a completely empty house which I had basically gutted and with which there was no particular time constraint. If you're living (with family?!) in the house then I can't see how it could be done other than by paying for multiple first fix inspections and that would really get expensive. Think hard about that first.
3. I got involved with a complete rewire because I wanted to move the supply head and meter 3 feet so that I could put a velux in. Local building control said that counted as a rewire and so the whole installation had to come up to scratch. As an amateur I wasn't in a position to argue the point. Even perfectly sound wire runs which didn't comply with "safe areas" etc had to go. In this way a seemingly non-intrusive meter move snowballed into every wall and floor being touched in some way.
4. Use the best quality stuff available and stick to common practice and all the figures (which you don't have to calculate or supply) will fall into place at the final inspection. For instance, there are rules and good practice guides buried around this forum about the maximum area served by a rfc etc.
5. The bit I feared most was preparing the new site for the supply fuses and meter. Reading around, it seemed that there were no rules about specifications etc, only existing practice and this seemed to vary from one DNO to another. In the end I did everything that I could think of so that when the DNO's contractor came to inspect the job for a final quote he said " is that all you want doing?! I can do that for you now!" and I was finally billed a fraction of the expected amount
6. I found that everyone was only too willing to help. At the first fix inspection I was able to sort out what the lecky wanted to see in the way of MEBC etc.
Thanks again expert contributors I couldn't have done it without some of you, but please don't come to this forum if all you're going to say is ... well, you know.
HS
If any amateur is contemplating doing such a thing may I just list things I wish I had known when I set out;
1 The building control fee for "doing it yourself" approval is fantastic value. Be glad to pay it - you get two very expensive inspections for about £100!!
2. The business of having to have a first fix inspection was something of a pest but that was with a completely empty house which I had basically gutted and with which there was no particular time constraint. If you're living (with family?!) in the house then I can't see how it could be done other than by paying for multiple first fix inspections and that would really get expensive. Think hard about that first.
3. I got involved with a complete rewire because I wanted to move the supply head and meter 3 feet so that I could put a velux in. Local building control said that counted as a rewire and so the whole installation had to come up to scratch. As an amateur I wasn't in a position to argue the point. Even perfectly sound wire runs which didn't comply with "safe areas" etc had to go. In this way a seemingly non-intrusive meter move snowballed into every wall and floor being touched in some way.
4. Use the best quality stuff available and stick to common practice and all the figures (which you don't have to calculate or supply) will fall into place at the final inspection. For instance, there are rules and good practice guides buried around this forum about the maximum area served by a rfc etc.
5. The bit I feared most was preparing the new site for the supply fuses and meter. Reading around, it seemed that there were no rules about specifications etc, only existing practice and this seemed to vary from one DNO to another. In the end I did everything that I could think of so that when the DNO's contractor came to inspect the job for a final quote he said " is that all you want doing?! I can do that for you now!" and I was finally billed a fraction of the expected amount
6. I found that everyone was only too willing to help. At the first fix inspection I was able to sort out what the lecky wanted to see in the way of MEBC etc.
Thanks again expert contributors I couldn't have done it without some of you, but please don't come to this forum if all you're going to say is ... well, you know.
HS
