Electrical Safety Certificate

[oggy1511]

Hi Everyone I really need some advice by any of you electrians out there please.
We are part exchanging our hoiuse with Bovis builders and they want a electical safety certificate which isnt a problem and we have someone coming out Friday to do this. We have had alot done to the electrics in the past ie New consumer unit. Lights earthed and rewired a new ring main put in kitchen and all new plug sockets put in kitchen, We have had the plug sockets tested in the rest of the house and was told they were fine. Now there is a couple of things that is bothering us and we not sure if these will fail one the living room and bedroom sockets are mounted onto the skirting board would this fail the test? if so how much would it be to put right there are eight in total. Also the bonding to gas pipes we dont have this how much would that be? Also to the water pipe to but we dont have a water meter? Also the gas meter is outside and backs onto the electric meter and consumer unit which is in side the house. But the water main which is in the kitchen on the other side of the house to the consumer unit and we live in a mid terrace so how on earth are they going to get the bonding from the water mains to the consumer unit. How much would it be as well?
Also what do they exactly test?
Any advice greatly recieved
Many Many thanks
Oggy

 

[sparkwright]

This is an old house then?

You may probably get away with the sockets on the skirting board, but the earth cable (10 mm) to the water supply and the gas supply is vital.

Running a cable to the water may be fairly hard, but a pro will usually find a way without too much effort. Lifting the floorboards in an old house is usually very easy, assuming you don't have fancy flooring. Often the cable can be run under kitchen units too. Failing that, the cable may be run on the outside of the property if all else fails (ideally in conduit or simliar), and cost is becoming a problem. Look horrible mind.

The sockets on the skirting boards need to be mounted on some kind of non combustible box, which they hopefully are. These can be flush or surface mounted.

 

[oggy1511]

hi thankyou for your response gas wont be a problem as it backs onto the consumer unit. its just the water one that will be a big big problem as the kitchen floor is concrete and dining room is concrete then living room is floor boards and yes we have laminate flooring throughout the living area downstairs. Also cant see how they can run round the house as we live in a mid terrace and the only way we can get to the back is walk through the house or walk round all the houses. would there be any other way they could do it at all? as i say gas wouldnt be a problem
would it be really expensive ?
many thanks oggy

 

[sparkwright]

You will likely have to remove floor boards upstairs. Run the cable from mains up the wall, under upstairs floor, then down kitchen wall. Any cupboards you may have may disguise cable.

If you cannot get the upstairs floor up you may have to run the cable across the loft space.

 

[oggy1511]

Thats ok then we have carpets all upstairs so that aint a problem thank god. How much do you think it would cost to put a earth bonding on the gas and water pipe please just so we know what to expect?
Thankyou once again much appreciated
Oggy

 

[oggy1511]

Also another quick question does the bonding have to be put on the stopcock or can it be put on a mains the reason I ask is that we have just had a new kitchen put in 2 years ago and the stop cock is behind a cupboard but we do have the mains coming into the cupboard for the water and we have isolating valves on the mains. I dont want my cupboard and sink pulled out in the process.
Thanks Oggy

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[sparkwright]

To get the earth clamp near to the stopcock as it has to be, it is possible to cut a nice neat circular hole with a hole saw in the back of the cupboard.

 

[riveralt]

Where practicable the pipe (not the stopcock) should be bonded within 600mm of the service meter or at the point where it enters the house and should normally be on the consumer side before any branch pipework.

 

[oggy1511]

I would but that means pulling all my cupboard and sink out as my stop cock is behind the cupboard.
Thanks Oggy

 

[riveralt]

I would but that means pulling all my cupboard and sink out as my stop cock is behind the cupboard.
Thanks Oggy

Where practicable the pipe should be bonded within 600mm of the service meter or at the point where it enters the house and should normally be on the consumer side before any branch pipework

 

[oggy1511]

Looking like they will be holesawing the back of my cupboard to get to the stopcock then anyone any idea how much it would be to bond the gas and water pipe
Thanks Oggy

 

[oggy1511]

We dont have a water service meter we on water rates. The stopcock is behind the cupboard in the kitchen.
Thanks oggy

 

[riveralt]

We dont have a water service meter we on water rates. The stopcock is behind the cupboard in the kitchen.
Thanks oggy

If your water pipe comes up from the ground to the stopcock, surely you can access it (the pipe) from underneath the cupboard via the kickboard without doing any demolishing. Think about the word practicable....

 

[Adam_151]

But you should have a hole cut in the back of the cupboard to get to the stop tap anyway.... for those burst pipe occaions...