New FCU's.

[ericmark]

So you make the call either DIY or don't DIY there is really no halfway.

That used to be the case but it seems that at least some "Third Party Certifier" schemes are now up and running and that they have at least some members ("Registered Third Party Certifiers"). With that approach, however, it is necessary to involve the selected 'Certifier' before any work starts, and for the 'Certifier' to inspect work-in-progress at whatever stage(s) (s)he may see fit. Whether that is, in practice, likely to end up appreciably cheaper than getting a self-certifying electrician to actually do the work, I don't know!

Kind Regards, John

Be it a "Third Party Certifier" or the LABC, would will likely use some one else to do the inspecting and testing anyway, the point is it has to be really spot on as you as the installer have no idea as to how strict they are going to be.

If you are completing the installation certificate and submitting it to LABC they can come and test some items to satisfy themselves you have actually done as you say on the certificate, but they are not testing the whole job. With the one I did they did not even visit. Only saw the LABC inspector once before I took over the work. But I had to satisfy the inspector that I had the skill required.

As to how much is tested that is an interesting question. If the tester removes every socket to check the earth sleeve is in place and grommets used then he is near enough re-doing the whole job. In fact it could take longer to inspect and test than do the work. This is time is chargeable and although we have seen examples of LABC charges we have not seen any examples of "Third Party Certifier" charges. For a whole re-wire after an inspector has removed 5 or 10 sockets he has a good idea of the workmanship and using an impedance meter he can test all sockets without removing them all so the cost is not that great likely around £300 but with a small job he ends up nearly doing the job to test.

The LABC in Wales where I live charge on the value of the job and the charges start with the first £2000 worth of work. So in general for wiring it's the minimum charge from memory around £120 plus cost of third party inspector so even for a simple kitchen likely will get a £300 bill.

So in the main it's a case of either do all your own testing and inspecting and forget about the law or get an scheme member electrician. OK if you can satisfy the LABC you have the skill then you have a fixed fee that's easy to work out if cheaper to DIY or get a scheme member electrician. However if you don't have the skill then it's an open cheque book you have not a clue how many faults the inspector will find and each time he finds fault that's another visit and another charge.

It's no good asking electricians what it will cost to DIY we (at least we hope) will not get it wrong and will not have any re-tests and are in the main scheme members so don't see the LABC route.

On the odd time we get posters who do come back and say how much it cost to get the completion certificate but only for full re-wires and around £600 ~ £800 seems a normal amount. Even then they don't get an installation certificate only the person doing the work can sign that and the inspector has not done the work.

So I still say you have to decide DIY or Scheme member electrician there is in real terms no half way. To use some one else to inspect and test is simply too expensive to be worth doing.

You may get an electrician who will come and take readings with his meter and help you fill in the installation certificate but it will be your signature not his. Plagiarism has always been a crime one can't claim you did work you didn't in any walk of life and get away with it on a regular basis so any electrician who "Does favours" will likely in the end get caught. And then he has no living.

 

[deadshort]

And later he can just replace the fcu with an oven! Future proofing! Hope he left a nice loop of cable.....

I, (and perhaps others) would connect an oven to the cooker switch provided, leaving a sufficient cable to be able to safely remove the oven from the housing if required to undertake repairs.


Kind regards,

DS

 

[JohnW2]

So I still say you have to decide DIY or Scheme member electrician there is in real terms no half way. To use some one else to inspect and test is simply too expensive to be worth doing.

We certainly do not yet know what "Third Party Certifiers" are likely to charge. As I wrote:

Whether that is, in practice, likely to end up appreciably cheaper than getting a self-certifying electrician to actually do the work, I don't know!

However, common sense suggests that they would have to charge appreciably less for just doing the "I&T and Certifying" than if they also did all the installation work as well. Since the Third Party Certification Route (in England) avoids the need for the DIYer to pay LABC fees, it's difficult to guess what the relative costs of the two approaches would be.

You may get an electrician who will come and take readings with his meter and help you fill in the installation certificate but it will be your signature not his. Plagiarism has always been a crime one can't claim you did work you didn't in any walk of life and get away with it on a regular basis so any electrician who "Does favours" will likely in the end get caught.

All true - but I was, of course, talking about an official Scheme which is legal in England, so no-one inviolved would be committing any crime.

Kind Regards, John