New Kitchen Installed - Is electrical work satisfactory?

[wodger]

Hi all,

Recently had a new kitchen installed. During the survey the guy said they may need to upgrade my CU as it is the old style fuse wire type with no RCD protection at all.

As part of the kitchen install I had one of the ring mains extended and had various sockets moved / added. They also moved and replaced the cooker switch.

All the installers did to the CU is put a sticker on stating that the installation had mixed colour wiring. Is this all that would be required? When I had an electrical safety soon after we moved in (after finding the 3 outdoor halogen spots wired from the ensuite shower circuit simply using choc block on a piece of wood in the loft) they said no new electrical work should be completed until the CU is upgraded.

Secondly, what should I expect to pay to upgrade my CU with 8 fuses to a proper RCD protected unit? Is it important that I get this done?

Thanks as always.

Warren

 

[tSpark]

about £100 for a decent cu

they should have AT THE LEAST added RCD protection to the parts of the ring main circuit they altered/added and the cooker circuit unless the part of the circuit they installed was enclosed in earthed metallic conduit (very doubtful)

Even then I PERSUME your earthing arrangements would need upgrading

 

[securespark]

They should have provided RCD protection for the socket outlets.

Have you any certs?

EDIT: Too slow...

£100 for a CU? Parts only or Parts & Labour?

Split-load, High-Integrity, or 100A incomer with RCBO's??

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And are you in England or Wales?

 

[securespark]

Or Scotland?

 

[tSpark]

Sorry
£100 just for CU (high integ, 10 way, with mcbs, Dual RCD)
definitely excluding Labour

you should allow for extras that maybe required (Earth cable, clamps etc etc,)

 

[wodger]

Thanks all.

Yes I did get a certificate for the installation (had to ask for it mind you).

The cooker wire from memory is just burried directly in the wall. The extra bit they installed was also directly in the wall with no metal casing that I could see. All the additional wiring was the same.

Definately no RCD. Should I question this? Is the certificate valid?

In answer to other questions.... England.

 

[tSpark]

The work done requires RCD protection, question it?

Is the electrician/company you used listed here http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp ?

can you post a copy to look at please?

 

[wodger]

Hi,

Yes they are listed on that site. Premier Kitchen & Bedrooms, Peterborough.

Here are the certs I got:

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes I did get a certificate for the installation (had to ask for it mind you).

What sort of certificate was it?

The cooker wire from memory is just burried directly in the wall. The extra bit they installed was also directly in the wall with no metal casing that I could see. All the additional wiring was the same.

Definately no RCD. Should I question this? Is the certificate valid?

Depends on what it says about Wiring Regulations compliance...

In answer to other questions.... England.

Was the electrician registered? Have you had your Building Regulations completion certificate yet? (How recent was "recently"?)

If he wasn't registered, did he notify in advance? Did you see a BCO visit at any time? Have you got a Building Regulations completion certificate?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Doh!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The certificate doesn't look valid to me.

They installed new concealed cables - they weren't allowed to leave them without RCD protection.

They added new sockets - they weren't allowed to leave them without RCD protection.

They documented EEBADS as the protection method, modified the installation but didn't check the adequacy of the earthing and bonding.

 

[wodger]

Thanks. I suspected something might be amiss given what the electical safety test reported and what the surveyor said.

How would you suggest I proceed? Should I contact (and pay) a 3rd party electrician? Or should I contact the company (again)? Or perhaps contact a regulatory board of some kind?

Warren

EDIT:

In answer to your questions... the kitchen was actually installed in September last year however it took until September this year to get the electical installation test done.... After months of complaints about various things one of which being the lack of electric install cert!!

I have not had any building regs certificate (no inspections either) but I have had a NAPIT completion certificate.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - in September last year there was no requirement for RCD protection on concealed cables and all sockets.

 

[tSpark]

They still should have added RCD protection to the socket outlets they added really,

Just contact the company and express your concerns, im sure they will be happy to rectify,

Ask them whether you will be recieving a Building regs Certificate in the post anytime soon.