Garage electricity advice

[Alan]

Hello.

My grandfather has just had a garage built and has been quoted, from what I can gather, a very reasonable price for getting electricity to the garage via armoured cable from his house. The only problem I can see is the guy doing the electrics, although a competent and ex-qualified electrician, is no longer qualified (retired I think). I am aware of these new regulations that have come into force in January this year but I'm wondering, can this guy do the work and then get a qualified electrician to inspect and provide a certificate for the work? If so, how much is an inspection?

Thanks Alan

[Jeff]

The work was completed in December 2004 wasn't it ;-)

Regards Jeff

[tony sayer]

In article , Jeff writes

Good job they don't date stamp the cables;).....

[Dave Stanton]

Dont give the gov any ideas ...

Dave

[Alan]

Thanks, although it might be a bit more complicated than that. He only recently had planning granted for the garage, after January in fact. Unless he can get away with saying he pre-empted the garage being there!

So, I guess that getting certification after the event is a no no?

If, for example, my Grandfather were to sell next year and the buyers (or buyers solicitor) pressed for certification of the electrical work done, what should he do? I've tried telling him to get an up-to-date qualified electrician to do the work to avoid future hassle but, it must be a generation gap thing, he gets angered at having to fork out quite a bit more money for exactly the same work. I guess he has a point though!

Allan

[Mike Harrison]

The work 'could have been started' before the garage was built - as long as it's finished by the end of this month you're ok, so it couldn't be proved.

No - you can still go the building control route. Opinion seems to be divided over whether they are allowed to charge any more than the standard building control fee for inspections etc.

Disconnect the feed at the house CU. Tell buyers it is their responsibility to inspect/certify etc. if they reconnect.

[Oliver Ciaravella]

Thought the work only had to be started in Dec, so discussing it I'm sure can be regarded as starting it.

[Lobster]

inspect/certify etc.

I think it's highly unlikely anyone's going to focus on the electrical aspects of the garage; he can prove he's got building regs approval and planning permission and that should be the end of it. But of any particularly anally retentive solicitor does home in on it, he should just shrug his shoulders and say he hasn't got it; so what? Are the buyers really going to pull out of the sale because it's missing, particularly when there's no evidence that the electrical work's not properly done?

David

[Andy Dingley]

Doesn't matter - it's when it began that counts. Now I'm sure that building a garage must have taken that long, so the rules simply don't come into effect on it.

[Alan]

"as long as it's finished by the end of this month you're ok, so it couldn't be proved."

does that mean with what's already been said about it being started prior to

2005, if the garage is finished, including electrics, by the end of March, he has a valid story (so to speak!)?

It seems the worst he'll have to do is fork out the cost to get building control to pass their eye over it at some later date?

Sorry about all the questions, just need to get as much advice for the sake of my grandfather!

Thanks

Alan

[quisquiliae]

Look at it this way Building Control have better things to do than pay attention to these matters unless you really insist on getting them involved. You appear to a competent person in the frame to actually do the work. So there is no reason to suppose that it will be in any way deficient. In fact employing someone you know is probably a better way to get a good job done than choosing AN Other proffering the right bit of paper.

Assuming the house continues to be lived in for many future years the question of the existence or otherwise of bits of paper does not arise.

If it is sold a serious buyer wont be fussed about the bits of paper if the 'lectrics look ok, and wont be pleased if their solicitors drags out the process and the fees by making a fuss on their behalf. Non-serious buyers should be told to go away anyhow.

If in the future some question arises then in the worst case you get the whole house electrics inspected at that time.

[Mike Harrison]

Work started before Jan 2005 does not fall under the new scam^x^x^x^xregulations if it is completed before the end of Mar 2005.

[No Spam]

Now you know the REAL reason why they changed the colours from red and black. Anyone buying huge stocks of old twin and earth will have a guaranteed business from DIY'ers for years.

[Chris Bacon]

If I need to replace a piece of cable that's been damaged, for instance between two sockets, do I need to tell anyone about it?

[Lobster]

I was in B&Q earlier today and noticed that there's not a sign of any of the harmonised colours. I'd have been none the wiser that there had been any changes at all.

Wickes, on the other hand, do have the new colours IIRC; and a notice on the shelf directs you to their "Good Ideas" leaflet on the subject. However, there are none to be had; apparently they have had a directive from somewhere that they aren't allowed to give them out!

David

[Mark Carver]

Same in my local B&Q, however the local Wilkinsons does now have the new colours on its T&E cables for sale.

I noticed also that Woolworths only now have scraps of mains sockets and switches for sale, and all of those were reduced in price, so perhaps they are phasing out the stock ?

[Rod Hewitt]

Mark Carver wrote in news: [e-mail]:

And B&Q are promoting their best-selling DIY book - with no (apparent - it was a quickish look) mention of new colours, Part P or many other legal/regulatory issues.

[Chris Bacon]

Hm? Any ideas?

[Harvey Van Sickle]

On 10 Mar 2005, Chris Bacon wrote

The guidelines I've read on Part P have stated that simple replacement of existing installations aren't notifiable, but I'm not sure if that applies in the "special areas" (kitchens and bathrooms).

[Chris Bacon]

So, if I want to convert my old radial to a ring, the pen-pushers won't be able to tell. Great!