Rewiring house in France

[timothy.hill]

Hi,

Firstly, before I get shot down by people telling me this is the wrong group etc, I know ok... Couln't really find an alternative tho, so sorry...

Right, by dad has a place in the Mayenne region of France which really needs rewiring - everything needs to be replaced. It is not a very big place - 3 good sized rooms (kitchen, middle room and attic bedroom) and a bathroom.

Now, he has had a quote for =A33k and I am thinking that this is rather a lot for the size of the job. He was also told that there is 2 weeks worth of work. I was therefore wondering if there was anyone out there who has experience of dealing with French sparkys and whether they do in fact cost this much?

Cheers

Tim

[mmzz]

[The Natural Philosopher]

OTOH two weeks with two blokes is easily 2k of labour.

[Christian McArdle]

There is more work in a French installation compared to a UK. This is for several reasons. For example, the lack of ring mains requires the installation of more socket circuits. Also, due to termites and other nasties, you can't just lay cables under the floor, they must be protected in conduit. There is almost certainly an extra 16 layers of bureaucracy involved, too, all requiring palm crossing.

Christian.

[Andrew Gabriel]

You don't imagine for one moment that any french person would take any notice of things like Part P, do you?

[John]

In article , mmzz writes

A colleague who has a house in France tells me not to use pull switches

- the French do not understand them and require a standard light switch, even in the bathroom!

[Andy Hall]

In fact the UK is the only place where one sees pull cords for lightswitches as a standard thing.

Everywhere else there is a switch in the expected position inside the bathroom door or just outside it in some countries.

Most places have sockets in bathrooms as well, generally quite close to the basin, and no special types either.

[Andy Wade]

Despite the fact that ordinary wall switches have been allowed (in Zone

3 or beyond) for over six years now.

It's widely rumoured that this will finally be allowed in the UK when the 17th Edition (BS 7671:2008?) comes into force during 2008. Sockets to be in Zone 3 or beyond and 30 mA RCD protected.

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 22:54:39 +0100 someone who may be Andy Wade wrote this:-

They were allowed before then, provided that the switch was not accessible to someone using the bath or shower.

[Guy King]

The message from Andy Wade contains these words:

It's a habit thing, innit. Anyway, the customers expect pullcords, so what's what they get. I rather like them, though I restrain the bottom end of the string so you pull sideways instead. It's easier to do and uses less force, which is handy if you've got smalls in the house.

[Andy Wade]

You're quite right, I'd forgotten that.

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 00:18:44 +0100 someone who may be Andy Wade wrote this:-

It always used to horrify some people when they saw plate switches in bathrooms. Others still get upset at non-isolated shaver sockets in rooms that only contain a basin and toilet.

[dom]

On a similar note, I've met several people that are uncomfortable about a switched socket left switched on with nothing plugged in. They will go round the room checking them all.

Some people seem to overly absorb the "electricity - dangerous!" message as a child, fearing walking close to a consumer unit etc.

Daft it may be, but if it affects a sale...

[Guy King]

The message from " [e-mail]" contains these words:

What about those stupid "Child safety" covers for sockets? They're a right royal pain in the arse and as far as I can see don't actually acheive anything. If there were really a problem then the BS would have been changed to something safer.

[dom]

Probably of value if you have old 1960's unshuttered sockets.

[Guy King]

The message from " [e-mail]" contains these words:

Wonder how many of them there are left. We've a brand new building up the road - and it's full of these stupid little covers.

[Fitz]

All depends on how you assess risk doesn't it? Electrocution through inquisitive sticking of implements into sockets or even plugs with fingers wrapped round the back probably has a very low likelihood, with very severe consequences. When you can eliminate that likelihood altogether through a one of cost of under a fiver I personally think it's worth doing.

[dom]

[Mr X]

In article , mmzz writes

Why?

[Christian McArdle]

Because it will make the house difficult to sell.

Christian.