Electrical socket height in conservatory with dwarf wall.

Putting some double sockets into the walls of my conservatory, during construction. The dwarf wall is done, but the UPVC is yet to be fitted. I am going for unfinished brick look, so want the wiring in the cavity and through the back of the socket, so I need to get the sockets in today :-)

The regs seem to say that it needs to be 450mm up from floor level, but my dwarf wall is 380mm high! Do the regs not apply at all in this instance? what is a reasonable height given my circumstances? (Obviously fiting them 380mm high will look pretty stupid.)

Reply to
Mark Gillespie
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This is Part M of the building regs. It would only apply to a new building, or a building which already conformed to Part M in any case, not to extensions to older buildings.

Secondly, the heights are guideline methods of meeting the requirements, and not absolutes. You could additionally provide one or more sockets higher up along the back wall (presumably not glazed) to meet the regs, whilst having the lower sockets in the dwarf walls. I would not provide sockets higher than about

400mm near to doorways either, as a trailing cord from higher sockets represents a serious trip hazard.
Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I'm working myself up to do the same thing at present with the "exterior effect" i.e. original exterior wall still exposed in the conservatory and new dwarf wall using the same brick. I'll be putting the wiring in the cavity and sockets will be at the same height as in the house for consistency. Blow Part X!

Reply to
clot

Sorry, couldn't resist this...

Ask them to hold an extension lead for you ?

Reply to
Colin Wilson

******TUMBLEWEED*******
Reply to
Mark Gillespie

This is part M of the Building Regulations - access for disabled people etc.

I had the same issue and discussed it with the local authority. Part M is only applicable if the work was a new building or an extension to a building that is already Part M compliant.

Secondly, a conservatory is normally exempt from Building Regulation control provided that certain conditions are met related to size, construction and thermal separation from the house.

However, there are two aspects in which there is Building Regulation applicability:

- Glazing must be in accordance with part N (safety issues)

- Wiring is controlled under part P, so if you DIY, a Building Notice is required.

Note that part P says nothing about socket heights for the disabled, although there is a restriction to running cabling within a band of

150mm up from the floor. However, if it's in a cavity, that would not apply (too far below the surface)

I guess that you have four courses of bricks up from what will be the eventual floor position? If so, one course down from the top would be a good choice.

Reply to
Andy Hall

AFAIA the Part P electrical regs won`t apply to your electrics (as long as your conservatory is exempt from the Building Regs) so you can DIY them. Providing you don`t supply the conservatorys power by extending a Kitchen/bathroom circuit or by providing a new one from the fuseboard. Could any electrians confirm 100% please.

Richard

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Reply to
fullflow plumbing

I believe you are right, but I am not qualified to confirm 100%.

Reply to
clot

I checked this point further. The answer can be found quite easily using a Google search on "Part P" and "conservatories"

The provisions of part P do apply to conservatories. The exemption from other provisions of the Building Regulations do not exempt exempt it from the part P rules.

However, your point about whether it's *notifiable* or not is correct. If it does not involve a new circuit or extension from a bathroom/kitchen, then it is not notifiable. However, this is under the general provisions of Part P. There is not an exemption because the conservatory is exempt from other BR provisions.

Reply to
Andy Hall

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