OT - Consumer units / Building Regs
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I'm building a detached garage next to my house, can I install the electrics my self, or have I got to get a propper leccy in todo it? I was planning on fitting a fresh consumer unit into the garage.

Building Regs haven't signed it off yet as it's not complete, so don't want to upset them at this stage

Team Racing

I'm fairly sure you have to get someone part P qualified to sign it off, so you can do it yourself, but you will have to get someone else in to test and certificate it.
I'm in a similar position, as I want to replace the consumer unit in my house, but as usual don't want to pay for someone else to do it.

Jim

I think I'm correct in saying that the new regs now dictate that all electrical work must be undertaken by a 'competent person' and that a certificate of conformity should be issued - this you will need for your completion certificate. Having said this, you could do the work yourself and get a suitable qualified engineer to check and test your install and issue the required paperwork.

Certainly, I'd install a separate DB in the garage if nothing else but for convenience. Given your installing the lift, you may need some advise on circuit loadings and the supply from the house anyway

Rob

if your changing the consumer unit or installing cable then it needs to be installed and tested by a sparks

if your changing a switch, socket or light fitting it does not need testing and can be DIY

if you have a drum of the old colour cable you can do what you like and you dont need it testing. sorry that should say, if the work was done before the change in cable colour you dont need it testing

Jim. i work for a building services company and i just got this from our NICEIC electrical supervisor

Edited by Turbo Shed on 23rd Oct, 2007.

Hi,
I've not come across this problem, but can you get engineers to sign off work they've not done?
I don't know if they will due to public liability insurance issues?
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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since you could have bodged the new cable under the floor with connector blocks and car speaker wire, they will not normaly certificate other peoples work.

You could run the wires yourself, fit all the socket boxes, lights, consumer unit etc...and leave the final connections to a qualified sparky.

Im sure this way you could get someone to sign it off and it won't cost a fortune as the labour intensive part is already done.

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I was under the impression you could DIY as long as the you go through the correct motions with the Building Inspector, ie inspections etc as with the build process.

This makes it (slightly) clearer:
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_...ork_and_the_law

it all comes down to the 'competent person' description.

A decent sparks should be able to test an installation wether he installed it or not - grantede he may not be happy you've done him out of a job! Jim, put the word about - I'm sure you will find someone locally that will do what you want.

Commercial installations need to be checked at least every 5 years and a certificate issued and the majority of these will be concealed - granted I'm not sure this would be the same certification or testing as for a new install.

the problem is that if the DIY person makes a bodge that is hidden then a sparks issues a ticket then the sparks is responsible for the bodge and potential fire etc

if a sparks is doing the 5 year fixed wire test then some cables are concealed so cannot be tested. since its an old instal the sparks cannot be held responsible for hidden problems

seems fair i was sure there would have been some differance between the certification. So if all the wiring was exposed, then potentially the whole of the installation can be traced and certified?

Jim are you going to conceal the system or is it all going to be surface mounted?

As said above, under new part P regulations, all new circuits must be tested by a Part P registered company, and the certificate logged with the building authority.

Its a complete pain in the arse, I'm a time served spark of over 10 years, and technically I cant do any work in my own house; but a kitchen fitter who has been on a 3 day course can....

Is the garage a new build Jim, or is it existing.. If its an old building, I'd try and get some old red/black twin and wire it yourself.. making sure it looks as old as possible lol!

Edited by Kean on 23rd Oct, 2007.

So how would you go on fitting a new consumer unit to replace an existing one? As this is not a new circuit, so does it require testing afterwards?

When changing a consumer unit, you should carry out a perodic inspection and test on all the circuits from that board.

Basically as already mentiond all work should be carried out by a competent person. This does not mean that you have to have any qualifications to do the job.

If you do make changes to you electrics and it is major, like changing the consumer unit or adding a garage then you will have to get it part P checked. That is if you want building regs to pass it. If you are net expecting a building inspector round to your house then change it and leave it. If you sell the house and the survey askes for the part p cert then get one then or say it was done before it was needed.

As far as I can see most councils will be able to provid a part P tester for little or no money that will not have a vested interest in failing it and therefore not rip you off.

So my advice is:
Jim, ring your council and see what they have to offer.

Tom, Just change it and that is it. If you want to though a call to the local council won't hurt, just don't tell them you name and address......

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Plus you've had you're house longer than the regs Tom

Just need to make sure there is no visible date stamp on the CU

..and new colour wire was available for at least 6 months (if not longer) before the regs changed so 'in theory' a house could've been re-wired, in new colours, and not need to be Part P certified.

As Iain said - check for lack of date stamps and you should be half way to winning any arguements.

Think its same kind of rules as Corgi engineers at work. Don't think they can pass other peoples work. Abit of a monoply really.

Nope it is not like that at all. Anybody trained can check a circuit regardless of who installed it.

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Hmm.. from the DIYNot.com website I posted earlier:
"Another important point to note is that apart from a Building Inspector, nobody can certify someone else's work as being compliant with the Building Regulations. Unless arranged by or in cooperation with LABC, a 3rd party electrical inspection is of no value in terms of complying with the law.

Looks like it might come down to interpretation of the regs as usual - everyone reads these things differently.

Having re-wired part of my house with no test certificates (yet) I would certainly be interested in getting someone in with the right qualifications!