UK Advice on electrical quote

[morsing]

Hi,

New to the forum, but an experienced electrical DYIer. Decades of work on cars, also, house electrics, model railroad automation and arduino monitoring.

My reason for joining though, is really to get some advice regarding a quote I have received to get a property EICR compliant. The property is a '70s, smallish three bedroom semi-detached house with a garage.

I have been quoted a staggering £2140 for what appears to be relatively straight forward work.

- Supply and fit 10 way consumer unit with RCBOs
- Drill out back of kitchen unit to reveal water earth bond
- Change sleeving on immersion heater spur
- Change cable to immersion heater
- Fit screw to immersion heater cap
- Supply and fit 20 fire rated downlights
- Correctly terminate wiring for downlights
- Supply and fit rubber grommets to all back boxes
- Fit stuffing glands to garage sockets
- Remove rewirable fuseboard in garage and replace with fused spur
- Replace wiring between garage switches
- Replace non-working immersion heater boost switch
- Remove ceiling fan bracket and fit pendant cover in front bedroom
- Supply 5 year Electrical Installation Certificate

Most of these I could do in a day myself. If I add up items needed, consumer unit, RCBOs, downlighters, maybe I can see £400-450 in that. That leaves £1700 for the actual work to carry out. Even at £250/day, that's 7 days work.

Am I missing something obviously expensive in that list?

"Drill out back of kitchen unit to reveal water earth bond" - Is that just for inspection?
"Correctly terminate wiring for downlights" - what is actually needed here?

Hope for some guidance here.

Thanks

 

[Deleted account]

The price seems reasonable to me as well.

yes it can be a bit of a shock when getting quotes to do jobs if you haven’t had anything like it done before.

This is the best place to come for honest advice. I done blame you for checking, because there are scammers out there.

if you’d come on and said some one had quoted you £3000- £4000 plus the responses would have
been very different.

 

[GBDamo]

Just doing the rubber grommets would be time consuming. Basically having to re terminate ever switch and socket. Unless I suppose, you cut the grommets.

Getting grommets in a fitted backbox can be a right pain, even cutting them in.

 

[loz2754]

I don't have any grommets in my backboxes.
My question is:
What reg states this about the backboxes having grommets?
I know people say they are there for vibration but if the cables are buried in the wall then they are not going to move.

Protection of sheath of cables against mechanical damage. Thermal cycling could have an effect over a long period of time. I would have thought though in many cases a C3 would be appropriate. Unless you can see actual damage. Anyone know what codebreakers says?

 

[Spoon]

Protection of sheath of cables against mechanical damage. Thermal cycling could have an effect over a long period of time. I would have thought though in many cases a C3 would be appropriate. Unless you can see actual damage. Anyone know what codebreakers says?

What mechanical damage mate? They are plastered into a wall and are not moving. No damage to the sheath unless the things are moving.

 

[telectrix]

yup. the grommet issue is a minor thing and should only warrant a C3 if that. get him to leave that part out and knock off the cost of 20 smokes and a couple of pints.

 

[Risteard]

Hi,

New to the forum, but an experienced electrical DYIer. Decades of work on cars, also, house electrics, model railroad automation and arduino monitoring.

My reason for joining though, is really to get some advice regarding a quote I have received to get a property EICR compliant. The property is a '70s, smallish three bedroom semi-detached house with a garage.

I have been quoted a staggering £2140 for what appears to be relatively straight forward work.

- Supply and fit 10 way consumer unit with RCBOs
- Drill out back of kitchen unit to reveal water earth bond
- Change sleeving on immersion heater spur
- Change cable to immersion heater
- Fit screw to immersion heater cap
- Supply and fit 20 fire rated downlights
- Correctly terminate wiring for downlights
- Supply and fit rubber grommets to all back boxes
- Fit stuffing glands to garage sockets
- Remove rewirable fuseboard in garage and replace with fused spur
- Replace wiring between garage switches
- Replace non-working immersion heater boost switch
- Remove ceiling fan bracket and fit pendant cover in front bedroom
- Supply 5 year Electrical Installation Certificate

Most of these I could do in a day myself. If I add up items needed, consumer unit, RCBOs, downlighters, maybe I can see £400-450 in that. That leaves £1700 for the actual work to carry out. Even at £250/day, that's 7 days work.

Am I missing something obviously expensive in that list?

"Drill out back of kitchen unit to reveal water earth bond" - Is that just for inspection?
"Correctly terminate wiring for downlights" - what is actually needed here?

Hope for some guidance here.

Thanks

No harm to you but there's well, well over a day's work in that.

 

[dodger421]

I don't have any grommets in my backboxes.
My question is:
What reg states this about the backboxes having grommets?

Arguably 522.8.11 “Cable supports and enclosures shall not have sharp edges liable to damage the wiring system”

But like you say, if the cables are plastered in they’re not going to move so is the sharp edge liable to damage the wiring system other than during installation? Probably not.

For what it’s worth Codebreakers doesn’t mention grommets specifically. The closest you’ll get is probably un-bushed cable entry (sheathed cables) which gets a C3 if there are no signs of mechanical strain or damage, a C2 if there are and a C1 for access to live parts.

Again you could argue a C3 for equipment inappropriately installed but unlikely to lead to potential danger (134.1.1), but really that’s about it I think.

 

[loz2754]

What mechanical damage mate? They are plastered into a wall and are not moving. No damage to the sheath unless the things are moving.

The reg mentions protection during installation as well. So as the spreader spreads his muck, he may inflict damage. It's up to the judgement of the inspector on whether to code it or not.
And some metal boxes are not bedded in plaster, being fixed to a wooden noggin with plenty of free movement of the cables. And if the sheath doesn't fully enter the box that's got very little protection. I've seen it many times. Only last week I had a cooker tripping the RCD, traced it to a neutral core chafing against the ungrommetted (made up word) back box.

 

[Wilko]

I have been quoted a staggering £2140 for what appears to be relatively straight forward work.

Hi - as you have concerns about your quote then perhaps you just need some more quotes? I find that the more specific you can be the more likely you will get a quote that reflects what you actually want. Perhaps spend some time researching what down lights you would like installed, for example. Likewise with CUs, there is a significant variation in material costs with included functionality.

 

[DefyG]

The price quoted for the volume of work is as others said - reasonable.
Not sure all items are necessary though for a satisfactory EICR;
Replace Consumer Unit - Reasons/RCD protection? Category?
Replace cable between switches in garage - why?
Install grommets to back boxes - C3!
Change sleeving on immersion heater spur - ?? BPG4 pg17 (Does not require reporting)
Change cable to immersion heater - Why?
Supply and fit 20 fire rated downlights - Non fire rated C3 at best unless something not telling us!
Correctly terminate wiring for downlights ) - Could be just connector blocks??
Fit stuffing glands to garage sockets - Why, Abrasion/IP issue?
Remove rewirable fuseboard in garage and replace with fused spur - Not necessarily a C2?
Replace non-working immersion heater boost switch - Not necessarily an EICR issue.
Remove ceiling fan bracket and fit pendant cover in front bedroom - More info req'd /C3
Supply 5 year Electrical Installation Certificate - 'Maximum' recommended interval is 5 years but the inspector could for various reasons recommend 1 or 3 years for example!