| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Nick |
Spark?Do we have an electrician here?I need some work doing, and a perfect world would allow a fellow DS to do it. Failing that, a rough price, based on a survey I've had done (they want £7/800)! |
| lottie |
Beware the new regulations  ---I've just had £1000 of work needed for the new kitchen turned into £2000 because he couldn't pass the new board until the garage had rodent proof wiring etc. 
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| pricey |
Missed this, do you still need a rough quote? |
| Nick |
Oooh, yes please!
1. Equipotential bond to the water cannot be located due to kitchen units. 2. Equipotential bond to the gas is under sized. 3. Uninsulated CPC floating in light switch near live termination. 4. Incorrectly connected pendant. 5. No local isolator for cooker. (It's a GAS cooker, with no electric. Halfwits). 6. No mechanical indicator to isolator on shower pull switch. 7. Insulated cable exposed at pendant. 8. Absence of 30mA RCD protector for socket outlets. 9. Absence of RCD for cables installed at a depth of less than 50mm from the surface of a wall where the cables do not incorporate an earthed metallic covering, or are not protected from mechanical penetration by nails, etc. 10. Switch line of lighting not identified. 11. Absence of circuit identification at circuit board. 12. Circuit conductors are not arranged to facilitate testing. Work to be done. 1, 2 New bonding conductors. 3. Install insulation and terminate. 4,7 Reconnect pendants correctly. 5. Install new circuit for cooker. 6. Replace isolator. 8, 9, 11, 12. Replace dist board for dual RCD protected board including RCDs. 10 ID switch lines in lighting circuit. Any ideas of a rough price for this, and how much actually needs doing, and how much is someon taking the mick, please? |
| Dee J |
For the work they've listed, the quote looks about right... but most of what the've listed is either detail niggles or just the result of the wiring conforming to an older version of the regs.
The main thing thats costing the money is items 8 & 9 ... i.e fit a new dual RCD consumer unit. This is not absolutely necessary - the RCD protection is strictly only necessary for any new wiring... and there are other ways of providing RCD protection on any new wiring - seperate RCDs after the consumer unit is one, or fitting RCBOs (combined RCD and MCB) in the existing consumer unit. You might be able to save £2-300... But honestly, unless your consumer unit is modern enough to take RCBOs - I'd take the plunge and go for the full deal... and it will look much better when you sell. Make sure you get an Electrical Installation Certificate and a Building Regs certificate. An Electrician who is part of one of the various schemes should be able to do that. Have a look at www.napit.org.uk for more info. I'd love to quote, but I'm in West Devon Dee Napit Registered Electrician |
| Nick |
This is for a property I rent out (they came, checked, issued a certificate after doing some work) and are now saying this is the full report, submitted three months after the inspection was done, and I must do it NOW. |
| pricey |
You Don't have to have it done, I was going to look into it but got called out and just got in to be called out again  I will PM you later.
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| Nick |
Appreciated, both of you. If I don't reply, it's because I am out of the country for a couple of days. |
| Dee J |
Didn't realise this was an inspection for letting... thought you were having other work done. For letting, you have a responsibility to ensure the electrical installation is safe. There are many ways of achieving this.
1. Use your own judgement and carry the full responsibilty and liability yourself (and the judge asks how you assessed your ability to do this). 2. Have a low cost (about £40) quick visual check as beloved of letting agents (not worth the paper it's written on, but at least transfers the liabilty to the fool that signs it). 3. Have a full periodic inspection and test done and act on the findings and make sure all remedial work is certified appropriately (£100-200 for the inspection/test +cost of remedials). of your inspection results, 1 and 2 need further investigation. 3,4 and 7 need fixing. 8 is advisable. 6 and 9 are only required for new wiring. 10,11 and 12 are not safety issues. 5 as you say is irrelevant. This is only from my understanding of your posting, not an absolute judgement (I can't take responsibilty for another person's inspection). Do I take it they issued a certificate for some other work done... how could they do that if they thought the gas/water bond wasn't up to spec? Did they say the install was safe and issue a satisfactory result only to retract it later - three month delay doesn't seem acceptable to report on findings. Dee |