DIY enthusiasts and electrical work.

[Pete999]

Probably a well thought and commonly discussed subject. I know the Forum has a DIY section, and has a policy of not offering step by step advice on how to do various electrical work, a good policy in my book, and I think many, if not all Electricians would agree with.

However this policy does not deter many DIYers and people who think they are Electricians from asking questions in very suspicious ways on "how do I do this that or the other, or I have been to B&Q and bought this and that, how would you do so and so.

It's difficult at times to explain to these people, that it's a dangerous thing to try and help without being off hand, and sometimes, when they won't or can't understand why you are reluctant to help, why won't you help the Guy in B&Q sold me this stuff and said it was easy as he was an Electrician because he had done a meaningless course, and he is now qualified as an Electrician.

With all the hype of Part P etc, do you not think the problem lies with the Government, the CPSchemes or who, I do realist that the likes of B&Q, Srewfix etc are a Godsend on a weekend or Bank Holiday when someone calls you up with a problem, and these are just a couple of outlets whereby you can get materials at short notice.

Where do you think the answer lies? should there be a ban on outlets like the two I have mentioned from selling electrical installation products to the public, should these outlets Police the selling of these products to qualified people, restrict selling this gear to the Trade areas, it would be interesting to share your thoughts, without prejudice, and I do realise this subject has been through the mill many times, the main reason I posted is that I was at B&Q the other day getting my tool fix, and happened to pass through the Electrical bit, and being a nosy git, I got speaking to this Bloke who was after some cable and sockets to wire his new extension, and found the price the Sparky was quoting far to high and as it was only a couple sockets he would do it himself, so why was he asking advice? where or who dose the problem lie with? Sorry for the long winded ramble.

 

[Squid]

sleep all night, work all day?
wear women's clothing?
Way to go SWD!

I learnt from the Master Pirate......... Pirate Twinkle Toes from now on.

 

[telectrix]

and he hangs around in bars,

 

[Michael Sands]

Try and buy anything to do with gas and you get escorted out of the big orange stores I tried to buy a cooker hose and refused because I wasn’t gas safe how sad is that but I could buy a new consumer unit with not an eyebrow lifted

 

[MDJ]

Part P is irrelevant IMHO

Absolutely, I don't take any notice of it.

 

[Santa]

I mean what DIY'er needs a 50m drum of cable?

to allow for the 4 x 10m lengths he's cocked up.

The guy who goes to a wholesaler for a ten-metre length and discovers that 10 metres plus 'cutting' charge is only slightly less than a 50-metre reel.

Anyone want 25 metres of 6mm T&E?

 

[jcs8215248]

There is another slant on this topic. I have had a new kitchen installed by one of the big chains. They do have qualified electrical and gas fitters.

As part of the major refit I wanted a few (about 6 doubles) additional sockets and obviously I wanted these to match the ones already fitted that would remain. I was quoted for the additional work but when the team leader (the electrician) turned up it became apparent that he had expected me (without telling me) to identify the fittings and to have obtained them all myself. He would only supply white sockets. He wanted them all to be available the next day! If only he had told me several weeks beforehand!

As it happens I am sufficiently familiar with electrical wiring to be able to make a good guess as to the manufacturer and range and I had to order them on-line as the DIY stores did not appear to stock all the matching parts I needed and local stockists did not list what they stocked. I was able to get them all from Amazon very quickly (but they was a problem with the delivery but that is another story...). They are all now fitted and I have all of the necessary certificates and Building Control have been notified about the new circuits.

The point is that if I had not been able to identify and buy the electrical fittings (power sockets and light switches) I would not have been able to have matching sockets and the appearance of the new (expensive) kitchen would have been compromised.

I still have my own service company (computer services - it is being closed down at the moment as I have recently retired) and trade suppliers would almost certainly have opened a trade account if necessary. I believe my degree (Electrical Engineering in 1963) was sufficient qualification at one time to do electrical work (although I never have other than minor replacements of broken sockets) and I have a very good understanding of electrical safety hazards (although I am only familiar with the regulations up to the 16 edition) as I have been designing large computer systems for 55 years.

Is it typical for an electrician to expect the customer to identify and source their own power sockets, light switches etc? Most people would not have known where to start looking and if there was a ban on buying such components as a private individual I would have had a serious problem.

 

[Pete999]

There is another slant on this topic. I have had a new kitchen installed by one of the big chains. They do have qualified electrical and gas fitters.

As part of the major refit I wanted a few (about 6 doubles) additional sockets and obviously I wanted these to match the ones already fitted that would remain. I was quoted for the additional work but when the team leader (the electrician) turned up it became apparent that he had expected me (without telling me) to identify the fittings and to have obtained them all myself. He would only supply white sockets. He wanted them all to be available the next day! If only he had told me several weeks beforehand!

As it happens I am sufficiently familiar with electrical wiring to be able to make a good guess as to the manufacturer and range and I had to order them on-line as the DIY stores did not appear to stock all the matching parts I needed and local stockists did not list what they stocked. I was able to get them all from Amazon very quickly (but they was a problem with the delivery but that is another story...). They are all now fitted and I have all of the necessary certificates and Building Control have been notified about the new circuits.

The point is that if I had not been able to identify and buy the electrical fittings (power sockets and light switches) I would not have been able to have matching sockets and the appearance of the new (expensive) kitchen would have been compromised.

I still have my own service company (computer services - it is being closed down at the moment as I have recently retired) and trade suppliers would almost certainly have opened a trade account if necessary. I believe my degree (Electrical Engineering in 1963) was sufficient qualification at one time to do electrical work (although I never have other than minor replacements of broken sockets) and I have a very good understanding of electrical safety hazards (although I am only familiar with the regulations up to the 16 edition) as I have been designing large computer systems for 55 years.

Is it typical for an electrician to expect the customer to identify and source their own power sockets, light switches etc? Most people would not have known where to start looking and if there was a ban on buying such components as a private individual I would have had a serious problem.

The electrician would more than likely to have been told by the Surveyor that you wanted the extra sockets, and not explained that you were willing to pay for a specific model, me I would take issue with the Surveyor for not passing on this info, out of interest was it the Big Orange shed who installed your kitchen?

 

[jcs8215248]

The installer is self employed but was provided by the "shed" (no it wasn't the Orange one) to do both the survey and the installation.

The basic kitchen installation cost was included in the original quotation but additional work (like sockets and lighting wiring) was extra and paid directly to him. I specified to the installer how many additional sockets I required and where I wanted them. He quoted me for all the additional installation work including all of the additional power sockets and two new circuits for the ovens. I paid the installer directly for most of the additional items (not just wiring).

The installer is registered for both gas and electrical work and did all of the electrical installation work himself. He had other members of his team that did much of the rest of the installation.

 

[Pete999]

The installer is self employed but was provided by the "shed" (no it wasn't the Orange one) to do both the survey and the installation.

The basic kitchen installation cost was included in the original quotation but additional work (like sockets and lighting wiring) was extra and paid directly to him. I specified to the installer how many additional sockets I required and where I wanted them. He quoted me for all the additional installation work including all of the additional power sockets and two new circuits for the ovens. I paid the installer directly for most of the additional items (not just wiring).

The installer is registered for both gas and electrical work and did all of the electrical installation work himself. He had other members of his team that did much of the rest of the installation.

What sort of certification did this installer leave you when he finished testing the installation?

 

[jcs8215248]

Nicec Domestic Installation Certificate, and I received a Building Regulations Certificate of compliance through the post for the two new circuits.

 

[Pete999]

Nicec Domestic Installation Certificate, and I received a Building Regulations Certificate of compliance through the post for the two new circuits.

Thanks for info

 

[Spoon]

Domestic Installation Certificate

Silly question to everyone..... Is this Nicec just making up their own certs?
I don't see this cert in Appendix 6 of BS7671..

 

[Toneyz]

Theirs like all the other schemes are base upon Appendix 6.

 

[Toneyz]

Thanks for info

I bet you're shocked by that reply Pete.

 

[Pete999]

I bet you're shocked by that reply Pete.

No not really