What height for light switch

[RobTi]

Hi I am moving most of my light switches, rehanging doors the opposite way so the existing ones are all at different heights 1425-1440 so what height to centre would you say, also are there any requirements for placement a couple are now going on a wall return of 400mm & 500mm would you just centre them or what ?
Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's your house. It's up to you where you put the switches.

 

[stem]

Generally as defined in Part M of the Building Regulations:

 

[EFLImpudence]

...but it is not compulsory.

 

[RobTi]

...but it is not compulsory.

Will see what studs or dwangs are in the area

 

[RF Lighting]

When I was a wee boy we used to mount switches at 52” to the bottom of the box. These days it’s normal to mount them at 1200mm to the top of the box. They look very low at first but once you get used to it I personally much prefer the new heights.

 

[ericmark]

To view some thing it needs to be above 1400 and to reach some thing needs to be under 1400 so a thermostat which requires both is often put so centre line is at 1400 mm.

However some one in a wheel chair can't stand up to view some thing, but an able bodied person can bend down, so eye level in a wheel chair is around 1200 mm. Things like oven knobs often need viewing from above, same with some thermostats, so around 1000 mm is a good compromise so wheel chair users can view from above.

Sockets for a wheel chair user likely 300 mm is a good height, but in non domestic the building regulations say 400 mm, I have often wondered why domestic 450 mm, the centre of a wheel chair wheel is around the 300 mm so that is often the widest point of the chair, so in a wheel chair users house you often see damage at that height, so 400 mm raises the socket above the height where damage is likely.

In real terms it is unlikely that wheel chairs will be used upstairs, so upstairs the most like item to damage a socket is the bed and the vacuum cleaner, so sockets at the bed head should be around 250 mm to top or a little less, but over 100 mm so clear of vacuum cleaner, the regulations say that we should consider any damage likely, and I in error set the bedroom sockets low, the floor finished level was above what I had expected, and the LABC inspector accepted that upstairs sockets were low to prevent damage from bed head, that was not the real reason they were low, but I got away with it.

As said for a new build heights are given, but they are flexible, so I put light switches at 1000 mm in mothers house as she was in a wheel chair. Also there are rules about corners, again as wheel chair user can't assess a corner. But in your own house do as you want.

 

[333rocky333]

When I was a wee boy we used to mount switches at 52” to the bottom of the box. These days it’s normal to mount them at 1200mm to the top of the box. They look very low at first but once you get used to it I personally much prefer the new heights.

I seem to recall, from back in the day, 4ft 6 inch centres, so seems about the same as you

 

[Taylortwocities]

Generally as defined in Part M of the Building Regulations:

View attachment 230480

Does NOT relate to an existing property. Part M only applies to new buildings. if you started using those socket and switch heights in existing houses you would also need wheelchair ramps and extra wide doors in downstairs cloak rooms.

Get yourself a copy of Part M and read the first paragraph.

 

[Mottie]

I’ve always put them where they seemed comfortable to me. I’ve just gone and measured mine and the are all within a few cm of 1500 mm to the top of the switch.

 

[sparkwright]

When I was a wee boy we used to mount switches at 52” to the bottom of the box. These days it’s normal to mount them at 1200mm to the top of the box. They look very low at first but once you get used to it I personally much prefer the new heights.

I was going to say 55" to the top of the box that's how I always did them.

 

[JohnW2]

Does NOT relate to an existing property. Part M only applies to new buildings.

Indeed, but not only that but, even when it does apply, 'Part M' (well, Part M1, which is the only relevant bit in this context) consist only of 18 words (even less than Part P!), which say nothing specific.

All the 'numbers' we hear quoted come from Approved Document M, and are therefore only non-mandatory 'guidance'. As the introduction of that document says:

... Thus there is no obligation to adopt any particular solution contained in an Approved Document if you prefer to meet the relevant requirement in some other way.

Get yourself a copy of Part M and read the first paragraph.

As above, the relevant bit is Part M1, which consists of just 18 words, not really arranged into 'paragraphs' . As I'm sure you know, all it says is ...

That is (all of) "the law" with which one has to comply (IF Part M applies - so basically just new builds).

Kind Regards, John

 

[Taylortwocities]

True. As with P there’s the legislation and then there’s the approved document.

 

[JohnW2]

True. As with P there’s the legislation and then there’s the approved document.

Exactly - and it's the former (which contains no 'numbers') with which one has to comply.

Kind Regards, John

 

[plugwash]

That is (all of) "the law" with which one has to comply (IF Part M applies - so basically just new builds).

The problem is that "the law" is so damn vague that it seems to me it's practically impossible to determine if any particular solution is or is not in compliance with it..