Wiring up the stairs

[sparkwright]

The site is simply to help DIYers (and pros) to do a decent, safe job that complies to regulations and to professional standards hopefully.

You have no doubt LEARNT how important safe zones are, so anyone using something like a power drill will have an idea where the cables are buried.

Cables can be buried in a wall within 150 mm of an internal corner or the ceiling, or directly in line vertically or horizontally of an electrical accessory.

I think half burying some trunking in a wall will look a bit naff. You could consider burying the cables (just below the plaster) within 150 mm of the corner; this is allowed - though in my opinion hardly fool proof. One solution could be to fit a double knockout box somewhere, run the cables through it, and fit a blanking plate. At least someone could trace the cables in the future.

Any cupboards or hollow walls you could consider running the cables?

Consider putting in any cables or conduits for future use.

 

[big-all]

Your right of course, this site should not be called DIYnot as it is really for experts to have a debate and critisise us lower mortals.

heeelllooo and welcome prjwarren

your sort off missing the the point

what you are trying to do is covered by strict regulation
because you are entering a part p zone [toilet kitchen or exterior]you are required to inform buildings control and ask them to certify at your cost
or get a spark to do the work and certify
you simply are not allowed to do what you want that's why you cant get the answers you want

as an aside iff you go "through" the stairs do not under any circumstances remove any material from the string

 

[prjwarren]

I stand corrected

 

[prjwarren]

There we go, learning all the time. The cable will run next to a corner at the top of the stairs going from the cupboard under the stairs through the floorboards. It is not going into any room only the landing wall. Unfortunatly this is the only option. There will only be the 10mm shower feed and 2x 1mm cables.(not as many as stated before) One is to feed the upstairs lights of which thre are 4 and the other is to feed the bathroom lights of which there are four downlights. Any and all copper pipes have an earth cable attatched.

 

[prjwarren]

I did consider running it through a stud wall but on the basis that only plaster board would be protecting it thought better of it (correct me if i'm wrong) This wall would back on to the bathroom and although the bathroom is to be fully tiled and tanked still didn't really like the option of running cables just the other side of a shower

 

[riveralt]

There will only be the 10mm shower feed and 2x 1mm cables.(not as many as stated before) One is to feed the upstairs lights of which thre are 4 and the other is to feed the bathroom lights of which there are four downlights.

Is there any reason why you are putting the rooms on separate circuits?

Any and all copper pipes have an earth cable attatched.

Why are you doing that? Is this supplementary or main protective bondig?

 

[prjwarren]

To be honest, I thought it would be good practice in case wall lights etc were added at a later date. Also if for some reason there was a problem in the bathroom it wouldn't knock the rest of the lights out. The consumer unit has loads of room.

 

[riveralt]

Any and all copper pipes have an earth cable attatched.

So is the supplementary or main protective bonding?

 

[1john]

This sounds like an absolutly dangerous bodged up, lashed together and thrown up cowboy job, or it's a wind up.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Your right of course, this site should not be called DIYnot as it is really for experts to have a debate and critisise us lower mortals.

People only get criticised when they do things worthy of criticism.
You say you've already started rewiring your house, and yet you didn't even know of the existence of the acceptable zones for concealing cables.

Not one of the list of questions I asked is specious. Not one was a sneering "look how little you know". Anybody rewiring a house should be able to answer every one, off the top of their head.

If they cannot then they are not competent to do the work and they should not attempt it.

The problem you have is of unknown unknowns - there are large areas of knowledge you do not possess but don't even realise that they exist and you don't know them.

And unlike many DIY tasks, with electrical work it simply is not acceptable to work to lower standards than a professional.

It is only us lower mortals who ever make mistakes and electricians didn't have to learn anything, they just plugged themselves in uploaded all relevant data and never ever asked anyone else for advise!

That's not true. Most of them will have spent years learning before they embarked on an unassisted complete house rewire.

You were unfortunate to encounter one who had not.

 

[prjwarren]

OK!
I'm admitting defeat and apologise to you all!
I'm currrently at what you chaps call first fix with all the floorboards up so you can see the wiring, where its going and what it's doing.
So now is the time to call a qualified chappie with an understanding ear (as I was totally ignorant to the new regs) or pick the phone up to local council.

 

[kevindgas]

and 2x 1mm cables.(not as many as stated before) One is to feed the upstairs lights of which thre are 4 and the other is to feed the bathroom lights of which there are four downlights.

riveralt wrote

Is there any reason why you are putting the rooms on separate circuits?

probably in light of his previous posting above!! which makes me question his competence to undertake this work!

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[bernardgreen]

Is there any reason why you are putting the rooms on separate circuits?

It can be useful to be able to turn off the power to a teenager's bed room without affecting other rooms.

 

[prjwarren]

You know I hope I don't get electricians turning up at the door with the attitude of some of you people.
Quite a few of you must come on this site solely to have a go at other people.
On the basis that the first so called qualified electrician wanted to rip me off and wire up my house incorrectly quite frankly is it any wonder I have gone down this route!
And just the same as I could tar you all with the same brush and say you are all rip off merchants and will do a bodge job when my back is turned I haven't! I've come on here to politely ask advice.
However a few of you have taken the attitude that this is obviously a bodge job and i'm incompetent. You are judging me on something you have not seen! But then I suppose you have the power to see my work as you sit on your throne chair up there in the clouds. You have pulled apart my posts sentence by sentence with you holier than thou attitude!
If you've had a bad day go and kick the cat or go down the pub and start a fight. Don't have the cowardice to hide behind your computers if you want to let off steam!
There are nicer ways of telling someone they are wrong!
I have backed off! I have now looked up what is needed (which has incidently changed since the last time I undertook this sort of project) I shall now employ an electrician who fills me with a bit more confidence than the last chap.
What does strike me and hit me in the face is the fact that all you qualified people who know what they are talking about have so much time to be arguing on sites like this. Correct that! It doesn't suprise me at all because with the attitude of some of you it's a wonder you have any work at all and rightly so! As a result you probably beef about the fact you didn't get the job and it's someone else's fault, which gives you lots of time to have a go at people on here.
It may well be that you can work out the newtons per square inch or the microns in a block of flats but that won't feed the family and to get work people need to start acting like they are human beings and have some sort of respect for other human beings. I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around.
So! I hope all you people who have pulled me apart and had a go at me have lots of time to continue to quote the rules and regs on this site. If you don't understand what this mere mortal is saying you don't deserve to have work with an attitude that you have!
As I said earlier, there are nicer ways of telling someone he's wrong!
For all the people who have been decent about my question please ignore my rantings and thank you for your advice.