Wiring prep before electrician - garage conversion

[AD2001]

I'm doing a garage conversion and looking to do the simpler jobs myself. Electrics obviously isn't one of those tasks but as I am doing the stud and ceiling insulation etc, can I lay 2.5mm electic wires so that its in place for the electrician to wire up?

My thinking is, start near the main circuit and put the 2.5mm cable everywhere I need a socket as a daisy chain around the room. With plenty of extra left for fitting etc.

That way I can fix most of the plasterboards and the electrician just comes once to connect the the mains and sockets up. I assume they'd install a new small consumer unit for the room off the mains which is located in the garage so just leave that accessible.

Similar 1.5mm cable for lighting as would need a new light and switch.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[ETAF]

i think you will need to speak to the electrician you are planning on using
They have to sign off the Design, installation and testing

My thinking is, start near the main circuit and put the 2.5mm cable everywhere I need a socket as a daisy chain around the room. With plenty of extra left for fitting etc.

A ring 2.5mm going from source , around all the sockets and back to the source
or a radial circuit , just out from the source , would need a higher grade cable 4mm for 32A circuits

Dont need 1.5mm for a couple of garage lights , which are likely to be LED anyway 1mm
But will you have any 2 way switching for the lights

Whats going to be powered in the Garage ?

 

[ericmark]

My old garage, now a garden room, has the solar inverter and battery in it, and is the point where power enters the building, I say this to point out there can be very different requirements.

But we start at the design stage, then the installation, and finally the inspection and testing, and with commercial buildings it could be different people doing each function, but with domestic the normal way is for the electrician to be a member of a scheme, and in the main the one-person does all three functions, and there is no provision within the scheme for the work to be split.

In theory, you can ask the LABC to do the inspection etc. I have done it once, they wanted to see my test equipment, with the calibration certificates, and my qualifications to show I had the skill, they can appoint a third party inspector, they select who, but you pay, so can work out rather expensive.

The scheme providers do spot checks, so no scheme member electrician is going to put his livelihood on the line to save you a few quid, the answer would be if asked, thanks but no, thanks. However, having some of the boring stuff done, for one, is a tempting idea, as long as done on time, the problem my son found, was the client would say reading for next stage on a date, but when he arrived, either not done, or not done as agreed, he had no other work booked in, so ended up doing the work the client had agreed to do, so vowed never again, so it is hard to find an electrician who will allow you to do the work, as likely been caught out in the past.

There is also the cost of having a garage conversion year after year, I pay £1000 per year for mine, it is not a separate dwelling, but the council see it as a separate dwelling, so I pay council tax on it.

 

[Murdochcat]

Far too many variables to comment really - so find a spark who's will to work with you BEFORE you do anything because I always laugh at callers who expect me to "just connect up" and test

 

[Taylortwocities]

I always laugh at callers who expect me to "just connect up" and test

Yes me too. There's always other, better jobs to do than looking at someone's DIY version of how they think electrics are done.
I mean, if you have this book from 20 years ago, then you know how to do it, right?

 

[sparkwright]

Don't start doing the wiring before you've spoken to an electrician first.

Thing is, most electricians are incredibly busy, and don't really want to mess about with some job that some amateur has had a go at starting.

Since you ask.

 

[Risteard]

I'm doing a garage conversion and looking to do the simpler jobs myself. Electrics obviously isn't one of those tasks but as I am doing the stud and ceiling insulation etc, can I lay 2.5mm electic wires so that its in place for the electrician to wire up?

My thinking is, start near the main circuit and put the 2.5mm cable everywhere I need a socket as a daisy chain around the room. With plenty of extra left for fitting etc.

That way I can fix most of the plasterboards and the electrician just comes once to connect the the mains and sockets up. I assume they'd install a new small consumer unit for the room off the mains which is located in the garage so just leave that accessible.

Similar 1.5mm cable for lighting as would need a new light and switch.

Thanks in advance for any advice

The only preparation you should do is to load up your bank account.