Consumer unit change - How do you do it?

[catdog1121]

Dont change many consumer units, usually go ok but had one today that I did cheap for next door neighbour (Why is it always the ones you do cheap for friends and family that bite you). Anyway changed the board etc, all ok. Then came testing and obviously have various alterations in the last 40yrs, still had original wylex rewireable fuses.

I found Neutral ring missing - A socket had a neutral out.
Conservatory had two sockets, a light and an automatic window opener all spured off a spur in the kitchen with no grommets in the back box (Apparently done by an electrician)
One socket of two gang no neutral - just change face plate
One socket no neutral (Spur) - Just had to wago and put blank plate as obviously a junction box under the floor
There was some others as well.

Anyway in my haste to speed up testing I did insulation resistance with a couple of sockets off (I know stupid), when powered on RCD kept tripping if I removed socket neutrals it was fine. Finally tracked it down to a really tight socket in the kitchen that had a damaged neutral cable, managed to sort everything.

Started at 9.30, was running around in the dark finished about 8pm with everything ok, im totally shattered.

I am thinking of insisting on a full EICR before I do a consumer unit change again, at least you know what you are getting into mostly and you dont spend an entire evening trying to chase down issues as once you have changed the board and especially adding RCD's your kinda committed.

Just wondering do others do EICR beforehand or just wing it?

If you just wing it how often do you have issues?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I change a domestic consumer unit perhaps once per month.
I do some simple tests on the pre works visit.. global IR, few pictures, check Main bonding. This means I have an idea if any extra work may be required which I mention in the quote.
When I am carrying out the actual CU change I do the dead tests after I have removed the existing CU and just have all the cables poking out of the wall (or into the shell of the new CU). It doesn't make any sense to terminate them all neatly and then take them out again for the dead tests. Live tests at the end when all is finished.
I don't think you need to carry out an EICR with every board change. Just a good pre works visit. On occasion I may suggest an EICR if the house looks like it needs it. This would then be cheaper than a normal EICR as some of the work is duplicated with CU change.

 

[westward10]

I change a domestic consumer unit perhaps once per month.
I do some simple tests on the pre works visit.. global IR, few pictures, check Main bonding. This means I have an idea if any extra work may be required which I mention in the quote.
When I am carrying out the actual CU change I do the dead tests after I have removed the existing CU and just have all the cables poking out of the wall (or into the shell of the new CU). It doesn't make any sense to terminate them all neatly and then take them out again for the dead tests. Live tests at the end when all is finished.
I don't think you need to carry out an EICR with every board change. Just a good pre works visit. On occasion I may suggest an EICR if the house looks like it needs it. This would then be cheaper than a normal EICR as some of the work is duplicated with CU change.

You do IR tests with all the cpcs isolated from each other and the earthing conductor? I test as I am connecting them.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Always insist on a full EICR before changing a board now. Always book a full day for the EICR and a day for a bird change. So your looking at a minimum of about £700 for me to change a 10 way board for a RCBO board with SPD.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Always insist on a full EICR before changing a board now. Always book a full day for the EICR and a day for a bird change. So your looking at a minimum of about £700 for me to change a 10 way board for a RCBO board with SPD.

thats pretty reasonable imo , not sure a Pre board swap eicr Would last me a full day thou. Reckon I could be done by lunch time

 

[DPG]

Always insist on a full EICR before changing a board now. Always book a full day for the EICR and a day for a bird change. So your looking at a minimum of about £700 for me to change a 10 way board for a RCBO board with SPD.

I need a bird change. Got any good models?

 

[Midwest]

I change a domestic consumer unit perhaps once per month.
I do some simple tests on the pre works visit.. global IR, few pictures, check Main bonding. This means I have an idea if any extra work may be required which I mention in the quote.
When I am carrying out the actual CU change I do the dead tests after I have removed the existing CU and just have all the cables poking out of the wall (or into the shell of the new CU). It doesn't make any sense to terminate them all neatly and then take them out again for the dead tests. Live tests at the end when all is finished.
I don't think you need to carry out an EICR with every board change. Just a good pre works visit. On occasion I may suggest an EICR if the house looks like it needs it. This would then be cheaper than a normal EICR as some of the work is duplicated with CU change.

Likewise for me with testing before taking the old CU came off the wall; used to do that on another day, before changing the CU.

Don't think I would of much domestic work, charging for an EICR, then doing the CU change as an additional quotation.
[automerge]1601652532[/automerge]

Neat & Tidy but no dead testing ...

There was no evidence of any testing. Haven't we seen this lot before?

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

I need a bird change. Got any good models?

Got some cracking models. Unfortunately you can probably get one off a local cowboy for £150 and a few pints

 

[Dustydazzler]

Likewise for me with testing before taking the old CU came off the wall; used to do that on another day, before changing the CU.

Don't think I would of much domestic work, charging for an EICR, then doing the CU change as an additional quotation.
[automerge]1601652532[/automerge]


There was no evidence of any testing. Haven't we seen this lot before?

yes , it’s the 1 day re-wire clan from Scotland

 

[ipf]

put your quote in For a simple board change and offer to knock 50% the eicr when you do the consumer unit and all remedial work...

if they opt not to do the board then you just invoice for the eicr and leave it at that
thoughts ?

Thinking, how can you invoice for an EICR if all you're doing is quoting for a CU change.....and they're not accepting?

 

[pc1966]

You do IR tests with all the cpcs isolated from each other and the earthing conductor? I test as I am connecting them.

A very good point.

But hopefully he temporarily joined them up (and to incoming earth) for the IR test, even a temporary winding of thin wire round the lot will do as it is not needing the low ohm R2 style of measurement demanding good connections.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Thinking, how can you invoice for an EICR if all you're doing is quoting for a CU change.....and they're not accepting?

2 seperate job

 

[ipf]

2 seperate job

Maybe...if you quote for an EICR
but you're only quoting for a CU change....unless agreed, they wont (and shouldn't) pay for a prior test unless they ask for one.
If you include the test in the quote and it's accepted, you've got the job anyway, all in.

 

[happysteve]

I cost in a morning or afternoon, a week or so before the board change, to do pre-board change inspection and test: earthing, bonding, IR, ring continuity, check for borrowed neutrals, and either R1+R2 or Zs on every circuit. When I give my quote, I explain (in writing) that the quote is subject to the existing circuits meeting the minimum requirements of the Regs; if it's something I can quickly and easily fix during the pre-change checks I'm happy to do so. If there is plenty wrong, then I reschedule the board change for further into the future, and spend the day I booked for the board change doing fault-finding and rectification (either as a quote, but usually on an hourly rate). This has happened about 2 or 3 times, out of about 30 board changes, and the client has always been grateful for sorting things out and doing stuff properly.

In theory, if I do the checks and there's a lot to sort out which the client doesn't want to pay for, the client can cancel the board change and doesn't owe me anything. This has never happened though.

I don't like surprises. When I strip out an old board, I want to make sure, as best I can, that the day will go smoothly.

 

[DefyG]

Neat & Tidy but no dead testing ...

Or sign of a proper torque controlled driver!

 

[Tiger Feet]

Or sign of a proper torque controlled driver!

Agree
People who do mains changes with impact drivers need there hands chopping off

done lot of work on social housing and number of times I go in and try to torque tighten all existing terminals but only to find been install by some tool with a impact and all screws rounded off
My number 1 thing that grinds my gears!