Stuck between a rock and a hard place

[ban-all-sheds]

i have just been reading the local building control and basically for the work i want doing - the council has to be told - but aslong as they chap is registered OK - then he can sign it all off

Yes - that's the whole point of registration. But do your LABC put obstacles that they should not in the way of non-registered or unqualified people doing it?

i have to admit its a mine field of what you can and cant do - and they dont make it very clear

It's not really a minefield, but LABCs are often unclear - that's what happens when you try to ignore and selectively interpret to your advantage what the regulations say.

although it does look like i could rewire the upstairs completly and i have no need to tell anyone

Why on earth do you think that?

5 - then i can add sockets as need be in the future ( if any ) safe in the knowledge that i dont need to notify the council

Except in the kitchen, bathroom and outside.

out of interest - if its done in a 4mm radial - does that mean that if i add a spur - does that have to be in 4mm wiring aswell ??

If you don't then how will it be adequately protected by an MCB sized for 4mm²?

if thats the case - is it possible to get 3*4mm cables into the back of a socket

Check the specs of the socket - it'll be tight.

 

[Sherbertlion]

out of interest - if its done in a 4mm radial - does that mean that if i add a spur - does that have to be in 4mm wiring aswell ??

If you don't then how will it be adequately protected by an MCB sized for 4mm²?


p.363 of the red book? But lets not start that again.

 

[chojin360]

he he he !!

from what i have read so far - it looks like i would have to continue using the 4mm wiring - so that clears that up ( ish !! )

and the upstairs rewire - according to the local regs - it says that you can fix wiring thats not in the kitchen/bathroom/outside without notification

i wouldnt do it - i would rather have it all done in the one go - it was just something i read on the council docs !

it all makes very interesting reading to be honest - as an outsider you dont realise how much stuff there is to comply to

and this forum is full of stuff to read up about , im just slowly reading thru most of the threads and then bouncing from one to another

i should retrain as a sparky - it sounds more exciting than the job i do now ( it prob isnt - it just sounds it ! )

still waiting back from him regarding the questions i have asked .. so i cant do anything at the moment

out of interest - will there be a lot of damge to the walls - or should there just be inch wide channels to the sockets/switches ?? - i suppose it depends on how good the plaster is etc.. and if it all cracks off - so its more of a general question

a big thanks again for all of the info ... as i said - it makes great reading

Stu

 

[ban-all-sheds]

and the upstairs rewire - according to the local regs - it says that you can fix wiring thats not in the kitchen/bathroom/outside without notification

"Local regulations"? There's no such thing.

Here are The Building Regulations, and if you look at Schedule 2B you'll see what you can do without notification.

 

[chojin360]

could i not do it under section 2B 1.B - as the upstairs is a single circuit - or is a single circuit classed as from one plug to another ?

the doc that i was reading was : http://www.chorley.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=245&p=0 and if you look at page 26 ( page 27 on the pdf ) it says :

Works that are not notifiable include repairs, replacements and maintenance; and additions or alterations to existing circuits outside of kitchens and bathrooms.

so does that mean that my council would allow me to do it - but the docs that you pointed out wont

like i said a few posts back - they dont make it easy do they !!

 

[Taylortwocities]

The 'repairs' bit refers to making good a single piece of cable or replacing a fitting due to damage etc. You know very well taht the intention of this wording, and the spirit of it, does not include rewiring a complete circuit.

If you replace the whole circuit, EXACTLY as it was, then you could maybe say that it was 28 separate repairs.

The hard part will be connecting all those repairs up to the fuseboard - that will make it a new circuit.

Your problems will be compounded because it will not be a like for like replacement. The wiring you have will be the old imperial sizes and the cpc will be smaller than todays cable. So it will be notifiable.

In any case, you'll be putting in a new consumer unit? Thats also notifiable.

 

[chojin360]

yeah i can appreciate what you are saying

the whole lot will be replaced - but like i said - from the outside eye - it does read that you can replace a lot of it yourself

from my point of view they should give clear advice for the average DIY'er or failing that a diagram tells a thousand words

still awaiting info from the sparky - so im just reading everything i can ( so i can try and "talk the talk" to him )

Stu

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The 'repairs' bit refers to making good a single piece of cable or replacing a fitting due to damage etc. You know very well taht the intention of this wording, and the spirit of it, does not include rewiring a complete circuit.

I must confess I've never read 1(b) as meaning that...

Your problems will be compounded because it will not be a like for like replacement. The wiring you have will be the old imperial sizes and the cpc will be smaller than todays cable. So it will be notifiable.

"Like for like" is not a term or concept used in the regulations.

In any case, you'll be putting in a new consumer unit? Thats also notifiable.

Oh yes.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

from my point of view they should give clear advice for the average DIY'er

Schedule 2B is pretty cut & dried...

 

[chojin360]

from my point of view they should give clear advice for the average DIY'er

Schedule 2B is pretty cut & dried...

from a sparky point of view or joe public

from the above few posts - we seems to get differening views of what is meant ?