100a Isolation Switch Cost

[Deleted member 112675]

Hello Everyone

Despite buying electricians gloves, other ppe, 25mm tails and the switch itself I'd still rather it be done by someone a/ qualified and b/ has done it many times before. Only worse case would I consider c/ ....

Anyway, I guess there are some variables so maybe hard to get an approximate price but I'd have thought on my board surely it would be less than an hour's work to pull the main fuse and fit an isolator after the meter? Assuming there was no issue with the DNO (sse) which I think there wouldn't be for a NICEIC etc electrician, and assuming the existing tail lengths are plenty long enough out of the meter, how much would I be looking at? £200 ?

Also, since the work might involve taking the tails out of the existing CU and routing them to the new isolator, could the electrician we hired be obliged to shut down everything if he thought the CU was unsafe? That is actually my biggest fear with hiring anyone rather than doing myself.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

I agreed with the £60 job when it was posted, but for me and regarding the suppliers equipment

I have fitted and will likely do so in the future scores of isolators without touching or interfering with any suppliers equipment
Its known as working live,it was once a task that did not cause consternation and anguish to those in the trade

You could say the same about asbestos and driving a car without a seat belt.

 

[Des 56]

You could say the same about asbestos and driving a car without a seat belt.

Thats a poor response and a comparison that is irrelevant

 

[davesparks]

You could say the same about asbestos and driving a car without a seat belt.

You can't really compare it to either of those things, they can be deadly without any action or mistake from yourself.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

You can't really compare it to either of those things, they can be deadly without any action or mistake from yourself.

Live working, asbestos and driving without a seatbelt are all risks that should be avoided wherever possible so I'd say they are directly comparable.

 

[Deleted member 112675]

SSE have told me that any competent scheme member electrician can do it and they just need to call a number that they gave me when they arrive to site. I assume this is the implementation of the procedure someone kindly linked to up thread.

I would bite the hand off of someone who could do it for £60 with SSEs blessing and didn't start insisting on other upgrades. As I said above I'd consider anything less than £200.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

SSE have told me that any competent scheme member electrician can do it and they just need to call a number that they gave me when they arrive to site. I assume this is the implementation of the procedure someone kindly linked to up thread.

I would bite the hand off of someone who could do it for £60 with SSEs blessing and didn't start insisting on other upgrades. As I said above I'd consider anything less than £200.

The joys of living in London, I guess that comes with it costing them half a day to get anywhere and £20 in congestion charges + parking.

 

[Deleted member 112675]

I'm actually near Bracknell. (Admin has decided every post needs to be more than five words so here are the additionals).

 

[Cbuk2k2]

I'm actually near Bracknell. (Admin has decided every post needs to be more than five words so here are the additionals).

Try putting it on Rated People. Domestic sparks have some strange rules where if you alter an installation you become responsible for anything downstream of where your working.

Listen to what the sparks quoting have to say because it’s probably for the safety of you/family that changes are required.

 

[Deleted member 112675]

Try putting it on Rated People. Domestic sparks have some strange rules where if you alter an installation you become responsible for anything downstream of where your working.

Listen to what the sparks quoting have to say because it’s probably for the safety of you/family that changes are required.

I feel I should be more open. I am not a member of a relevant professional body and I'm not an electrician. I have a close friend who is but he doesn't live close so can't do the work. He does not condone what I'm doing but he reluctantly agrees to help.

I have a multifuntion tester and know which tests are required and how to conduct them. So if any work I do ends up with an installation that passes all tests specified in the wiring regulations it would be safe. I appreciate that the vast majority of DIYers would not have access to that kit nor how to use it nor would they typically have access to a good electrician friend willing to offer advise. I also believe that the vast majority of DIYers who attempted most notifiable work would probably not complete it to a satisfactory standard because there are so many "gotchas" and ways to go wrong.

My motivation with this is to have an isolator fitted that is agreed by SSE who would presumably re-seal the carrier. Once that is in place my motivation is only to fit a board that can accept RCDs. i.e. something that would make the installation a lot safer than it is currently. I am not interested in having a tick at building control but I am interested in ensuring it meets the wiring regulations. My on site guide is 19th so that will do ( I don't have the full copy so rely on my mate ).

I do hope this thread doesn't seem like "trolling". I am not wishing to annoy any professional electrician and I am certainly grateful and interested in your views. Would you fit a 100a isolator inbetween the meter and the CU and how much for?

I am frustrated however, that an electrician would apparently not be able to do this job without being responsible for every strand of cable downstream of the DNO's fuse. That is what I feared and one reason I started to accumulate the ppe required for the job. In simple terms, I'm told £60 is reasonable and I say I'm willing to pay up to £200 but apparently that isn't enough? I need get ready to pay for a full re-wire? Or perhaps I missunderstood ?

 

[Lister1987]

I feel I should be more open. I am not a member of a relevant professional body and I'm not an electrician. I have a close friend who is but he doesn't live close so can't do the work. He does not condone what I'm doing but he reluctantly agrees to help.

I have a multifuntion tester and know which tests are required and how to conduct them. So if any work I do ends up with an installation that passes all tests specified in the wiring regulations it would be safe. I appreciate that the vast majority of DIYers would not have access to that kit nor how to use it nor would they typically have access to a good electrician friend willing to offer advise. I also believe that the vast majority of DIYers who attempted most notifiable work would probably not complete it to a satisfactory standard because there are so many "gotchas" and ways to go wrong.

My motivation with this is to have an isolator fitted that is agreed by SSE who would presumably re-seal the carrier. Once that is in place my motivation is only to fit a board that can accept RCDs. i.e. something that would make the installation a lot safer than it is currently. I am not interested in having a tick at building control but I am interested in ensuring it meets the wiring regulations. My on site guide is 19th so that will do ( I don't have the full copy so rely on my mate ).

I do hope this thread doesn't seem like "trolling". I am not wishing to annoy any professional electrician and I am certainly grateful and interested in your views. Would you fit a 100a isolator inbetween the meter and the CU and how much for?

I am frustrated however, that an electrician would apparently not be able to do this job without being responsible for every strand of cable downstream of the DNO's fuse. That is what I feared and one reason I started to accumulate the ppe required for the job. In simple terms, I'm told £60 is reasonable and I say I'm willing to pay up to £200 but apparently that isn't enough? I need get ready to pay for a full re-wire? Or perhaps I missunderstood ?

Feel free to correct me here but you're looking to fit an isolator with the further intent of a fuseboard replacement? The latter is notifiable and while you may be able to fit an isolator I would strongly advise you get a spark in to do the board change and deal with building control etc.

Why not ask the spark to do it all? I'm guessing cost plays a factor but you could always be cheeky and haggle at the price if they do both jobs together?

 

[Cbuk2k2]

I feel I should be more open. I am not a member of a relevant professional body and I'm not an electrician. I have a close friend who is but he doesn't live close so can't do the work. He does not condone what I'm doing but he reluctantly agrees to help.

I have a multifuntion tester and know which tests are required and how to conduct them. So if any work I do ends up with an installation that passes all tests specified in the wiring regulations it would be safe. I appreciate that the vast majority of DIYers would not have access to that kit nor how to use it nor would they typically have access to a good electrician friend willing to offer advise. I also believe that the vast majority of DIYers who attempted most notifiable work would probably not complete it to a satisfactory standard because there are so many "gotchas" and ways to go wrong.

My motivation with this is to have an isolator fitted that is agreed by SSE who would presumably re-seal the carrier. Once that is in place my motivation is only to fit a board that can accept RCDs. i.e. something that would make the installation a lot safer than it is currently. I am not interested in having a tick at building control but I am interested in ensuring it meets the wiring regulations. My on site guide is 19th so that will do ( I don't have the full copy so rely on my mate ).

I do hope this thread doesn't seem like "trolling". I am not wishing to annoy any professional electrician and I am certainly grateful and interested in your views. Would you fit a 100a isolator inbetween the meter and the CU and how much for?

I am frustrated however, that an electrician would apparently not be able to do this job without being responsible for every strand of cable downstream of the DNO's fuse. That is what I feared and one reason I started to accumulate the ppe required for the job. In simple terms, I'm told £60 is reasonable and I say I'm willing to pay up to £200 but apparently that isn't enough? I need get ready to pay for a full re-wire? Or perhaps I missunderstood ?

I’ve got plenty of electrical qualifications and experience but have never needed any of the domestic ones. I think a judge or insurance company would have a hard time saying I wasn’t “competent”. But I’d still pay a person on a register scheme if I needed a consumer unit change or a rewire.

Physically fitting your isolator is a doddle, I could get my nan to do it for you. What you’re paying for is the knowledge and experience of the tradesperson who comes to fit it.

First off pay someone to compete an inspection (EICR or whatever it’s called this month). Find out what if anything’s wrong with the electrics in you’re home. You could be sleeping in a house fire waiting to happen. It’ll cost you £2-300.

Your electrician will then tell you what if anything needs modifying to make your home safe.

Changing a consumer unit of fitting tje isolator is a bad plan because you as the home owner are legally responsible if anything goes wrong. If your house burns down your insurers may not pay out and if anyone is injured you may well end up in court.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - thanks for the pic. It looks like your meter is sealed and is not of the type that gives separate access to the outgoing side, so officially this needs the Supplier to open. As others have said an isolating switch can be readily installed if the final connection to the meter is not needed to be changed.

It’s not the job of the Electrician to turn your power off. But they should always review your installation to confirm it’s suitable for the proposed change. This can mean that sometimes planned Job A can’t start till agreement is reached about fixing newly found problem B.

 

[Wilko]

I’m also in Bracknell and am happy to advise further if you’d like to message me.

 

[davesparks]

I have a multifuntion tester and know which tests are required and how to conduct them. So if any work I do ends up with an installation that passes all tests specified in the wiring regulations it would be safe.

Once that is in place my motivation is only to fit a board that can accept RCDs. i.e. something that would make the installation a lot safer than it is currently. I am not interested in having a tick at building control but I am interested in ensuring it meets the wiring regulations. My on site guide is 19th so that will do ( I don't have the full copy so rely on my mate ).


I am frustrated however, that an electrician would apparently not be able to do this job without being responsible for every strand of cable downstream of the DNO's fuse.

Passing all of the tests does not make it safe or fully compliant, it only confirms certain things.
You could have bare copper conductors clipped to joists that would pass all tests but clearly are dangerous and non compliant.
Your work needs to be designed in compliance with bs7671 and pass full first and second fix inspections as well as testing for it to be safe and compliant.

RCDs will only make the installation safer if the installation is already in good condition, it is possible for existing, undetected, faults to prevent RCDs from working. Also RCDs don't provide the primary level of protection, this needs to be ensured also.

An electrician is able to do this job without becoming responsible for the entire installation, we are only responsible for our own work. However before starting work we must ensure that certain basic safety requirements are in place, such as bonding, suitability of the supply earth, ADS etc.
We are also free to work above and beyond the regulations and accept or turn down any job we are offered as we see fit.
Just because we can do, or are allowed to do, a particular job, it doesn't mean we have to do it.

 

[Midwest]

My motivation with this is to have an isolator fitted that is agreed by SSE who would presumably re-seal the carrier. Once that is in place my motivation is only to fit a board that can accept RCDs. i.e. something that would make the installation a lot safer than it is currently. I am not interested in having a tick at building control but I am interested in ensuring it meets the wiring regulations. My on site guide is 19th so that will do ( I don't have the full copy so rely on my mate ).

I'd have a think about not notifying any electrical works to your LBC. I retired last year, and have had 3 or 4 requests from old customers for copies of electrical certificates, required for house sales.

I moved house last year, and you are required to complete a legal document asking various questions. One of which is have you had any electrical work carried out (since 2005), and provide certificates & compliance certificates.

I will probably need to relocate my CU in time. I won't have the latest qualifications, so will probably pay some sparks to do it.