LBC inspection

[Tricky Dicky]

You may recall from previous threads that in the process of renewing our ki tchen and permanently wiring up the garage this has involved quite extensiv e rewiring of our electrical system, involving moving meters, replacing the CU, completely rewiring all the kitchen circuits and taking a supply over to the garage.

To make it all legal I have involved BC. When I applied for building contro l and paid my fee, I was told to get back to them when the kitchen first fi x was completed for it to be inspected and was allowed to go ahead with the CU change.

Today the inspector came round, first thing he tells me he is a former bric kie and knows very little about electrics. Looked at some of the wiring jus t asked me a couple of questions regarding some of the cable sizes. After a few minutes gives a nod of approval. I ask him does he want to inspect the garage which was the main reason for the CU replacement. No he says you lo ok as if you know what you are doing so will leave it at that. He then give s me his card saying to get back in touch when everything is ready for test ing and they will arrange an electrician to come and do the tests.

I wonder if anybody else has any experience of electric wiring inspection b ecause it has left me completely astounded especially after getting my unde rpants in a twist to make sure everything was up to regs. As far as I know that all the electrician will do when he comes is simply to carry out tests and no further inspection will take place, unless somebody knows better.

Richard

[Jim GM4 DHJ ...]

everybody fears a visit from BC......I have had wummin' so relieved they have grabbed and kissed me with relief....I have had blokes leave their gorgeous daughters to conduct the visit hoping to distract me.....

[ARW]

It sounds about right.

What are you worrying about?

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

To be honest I suspect at this time most people have beeter things to do than worry about stuff that looks pretty good. I hope you recorded the interchange in some way. Brian

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Sounds par for the course. You should have taken the advice here to ignore the need for the paperwork as regards electrics - assuming you are competent, and don't need someone to check your works.

[ARW]

The most annoying thing (for me) is that most of the dangerous work I now see is from Part P installers.

Some of have done this sort of thing

I am not picking on that firm (first one I found on line) but just saying that is the sort of shit that is out there doing Part P work.

Although as it is you I am replying to I want you to look at the pictures under the "AS A DOMESTIC ELECTRICIAN YOU CAN"

They need to fill that web page up.....

Look at the two options you have with lighting:-)

[Roger Hayter]

But they do show you how to install CO2 detectors, you never know when that will come in handy.

[cpvh]

We had an extension built by the builder from hell (and his alleged qualifi ed sparky a couple of years back.

We had to get the BCO involved.

They came round a various intervals to look at foundations, etc, etc.

Then they said all they needed was the electrics certificate from the spark y and they would sign it off. The BCO said they only needed that because t here had been a light with extractor installed in the wet room* (so no need to check how he?d wired power or lighting in the extension (I SUSP ECT) via a couple of screwed JBs which were then plasterboarded over. No n eed to check the power shower)

After much argy bargy I got a certificate and forwarded it to the BCO. Who rather than signing off the project said he would have to do an inspection .

At that visit he decided that we needed to install a cavity tray in the wal l of the house!

*The light with extractor kept blowing bulbs because it had been installed badly. I had to replace it myself. Am I a qualified sparky? A part P-er? No, but I can install electrics bette r than that twonk of a ?Sparky?.

We?ve also had to replace the roof the builders roofers fitted, and re-do numerous other works.

[cpvh]

Adam,

I?m disappointed.

I thought the link was going to be to something stupid one of the Part P er s had done.

There is company round here that keeps posting Pictures of there recent installations as advertising.

Including a CU (Or fuse box as they called it) They installed About 3 month s ago which was FULL of MCBs (not an RCD or RCBO in sight).

I can?t think of any situation where that would be compliant in 17t h or 18th.

[Tricky Dicky]

Sorry for not coming back earlier. The bottom line is having BC is all abou t securing the official bit of paper that says the wiring is up to spec so sometime in the future if/when the house goes up for sale it does not becom e cause for knocking the price down. As has been said whatever lack of dili gence on the part of BC should not be my concern as long as the work gets c ertified. However, it does remain a concern, having spent a lot of time on here with the help of Adam and John and many others to get clued up on all the latest regulations not to mention other sources too. I am concerned tha t the installation might go through on a nod and a wink and yes it would be nice to get recognition for my diligence.

As Adam has said much of his work is putting right what other professionals have done. If we have regulations to protect consumers then these need to be met and it should not be a case of ?what we can get away with? ??. I have already come across examples of that in the course of doing the wiring. It may be that any dangerous work is revealed by the testing bu t by the same token somethings will not be noted without visual inspection. I know some will say that apart from new builds the majority of houses wil l not meet current standards having been wired under previous amendments an d yet remain perfectly safe as was the case of our last house which is the only full rewire I have done in the past. That was done under the 15th regs and passed by the local Electricity board and it was as safe as it was the n when we left over 40yrs later.

Having had my rant I may have upset the Gods of DIY and may have my work co ndemned, with any luck if Adams service area extends to West Yorkshire it m ight be him doing the inspection at least then I can say you told me to do it that way : )

Richard

[Dave Plowman (News)]

How about all the other wiring in the house? Unless everything a new build.

Some will always try to find a reason to try and knock the price down.

[ARW]

Aico did my installers course for smokes, heats and CO detectors.

[ARW]

It's less than a mile from my house to the Kirklees boundary....

No we do not work for Kirklees.

[Roger Hayter]

I doubt they called them CO2 detectors, though. Those are mainly used in anaesthetic practice, AFAIK.

[ARW]

Fuck me. I never spotted that one. Thanks for that, it took me a long time to spot what you were hinting at:-)

I was waiting to see if Dave could spot the "lighting install and design "and the "lighting design and installation" double take.

[Andrew]

Should 'Free TASTER session' really say 'Free TESTER session' ? :-)