Height Restriction On Consumer Unit? Please advise

[killerking]

Hello people im new to this site and i would like some advise if possible.

I live in a 1920's terrace council property, our current consumer unit was only fitted and full rewired done two years back.

The current location of the board is on a partition wall in the kitchen approx 2 metres from the floor, we want this partition wall knocking down and have permisson to do so, but as the consumer unit is on the wall it needs to be moved and we have certain instructions to follow from a letter from the council.

- all worked carried out must be from a NICEIC contractor and Part P of the building regs certified they must also provide all paper work.

The council electrical inspector says the the board must be approx 450mm to 1200mm from the ground?? Is this right?

I want to put the board on the back wall by the celing this will mean i dont have to extend wires etc etc.(And save me a small fortune)

Now after speaking to a number of NICEIC contractors and (hours on reading on forums) they told me i can put the board where i like and there is no height restricting on where to put the consumer board, and that height restrictions only apply on new builds.My friend who works for EON has looked through the 17th edition regs book and cannot see anything about the height of the boards

Can any one help please?

 

[WayneL]

Hello people im new to this site and i would like some advise if possible.

I live in a 1920's terrace council property, our current consumer unit was only fitted and full rewired done two years back.

The current location of the board is on a partition wall in the kitchen approx 2 metres from the floor, we want this partition wall knocking down and have permisson to do so, but as the consumer unit is on the wall it needs to be moved and we have certain instructions to follow from a letter from the council.

- all worked carried out must be from a NICEIC contractor and Part P of the building regs certified they must also provide all paper work.

The council electrical inspector says the the board must be approx 450mm to 1200mm from the ground?? Is this right?

I want to put the board on the back wall by the celing this will mean i dont have to extend wires etc etc.(And save me a small fortune)

Now after speaking to a number of NICEIC contractors and (hours on reading on forums) they told me i can put the board where i like and there is no height restricting on where to put the consumer board, and that height restrictions only apply on new builds.My friend who works for EON has looked through the 17th edition regs book and cannot see anything about the height of the boards

Can any one help please?

Hi mate,

It's not in the 17th edition, it comes under 'Part M' of the building regulations - 'Access to and Use of Buildings'

The 450mm to 1200mm measurements are correct, but does only apply to new installations.

The problem is, on a rewire/consumer unit replacement, although you don't have to fully comply, on completion, the installation must be no worse, in terms of compliance, than before you started.

So, for example, you can't install a replacement CU at ceiling height if it was initially situated at head height - this would be worse in terms of compliance.

Hope that clears things up.

 

[malcolmsanford]

First is this a council or private dwelling? If it is council property then they can demand what and how high things are as long as they stay within part M of the building regs.

So shall we take it as it's your private home and not a council house. First you can use whoever you want to rewire the house, you can even do it yourself. As long as if you do it yourself you notify the Local Building Control who will give you a building warrant to start work. What they advise as I do, is get a Part P registered Electrician who will do this for you and can self certify, that can mean NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA and so on.

Part M of the building regs says that switches and control units on NEW BUILDS should be at a height of 450mm to 1200mm, new builds. A rewire then there is no need to stick to this, as it says that the building should be no worse in terms of compliance with other parts of Schedule 1 of the building Regs. Again hopfully if you get a competant electrician he will know this.

Now CU it is said in Part M that becasue of the sensitivity of RCDs and MCBS that a CU should be only accessible, no heights maximum or minimum are mentioned

 

[killerking]

Thanks for the reply wayne, look like i need to put it at 450mm to 1200mm then which is a shame

 

[killerking]

Thanks malcolmsanford yes the property is council when you say '' stay within part M of the building regs'' sorry i thought part M regs were for new builds?

 

[rocker]

Just another case of councils talking absolute crap.

 

[telectrix]

xcuse me, but isn't it regs that sockets are 450 to 1200, and light switches at 1200, ( for the use of people with limited reach). where in any reg., 7671 or building regs, does it state that CUs must be 450 - 1200?

accessible, yes. can't see any problem with installing at ceiling height.

AsRocker says. councils talking out of their paper clogged ****

 

[malcolmsanford]

Thanks malcolmsanford yes the property is council when you say '' stay within part M of the building regs'' sorry i thought part M regs were for new builds?

No the building Regs apply to all work old or new.

 

[Phil]

the council as the "landlord" can ask for it to be done as they require. a lot of councils on re wires now will have you do the sockets 450mm and the cu 1200mm as this will save them having to make any more adjustments other than say the bathroom or kitchen if they have disabled people in the house after the current tenant moves out. they can be a real pain in the bum when trying to work with them on works as i know after having dealings with one of there surveyors in the past.

 

[nickblake]

Phil are you right on that one,i am not disputing it mind , most people would have to bend down to see it , its all very well installing for disabled people , but what about the tall people ive got a customer who moaded like hell when i did her new build every thing at new heights put the CDU at 1500 as i feel thats a reasonable height ,she is 6ft6 and has to bend down to reach the light switches lol so where's the happy medium

 

[nickblake]

Righty ho just looked it up in the guide to building regs section 10.7.1 Quote Because of the sensitivity of circuit breakers RCD or RCBO's fitted to consumer units should be readily accessible , so to me as long as its not some where where you cant get at it without using a ladder or stool then it should be ok at 1200 /1500 ,think thats covered us both phil lol .

 

[telectrix]

ther is no happy medium where bureacrasts are concerned. it's do it like we say or else

 

[Phil]

some of those councils are a law or a regulation to themselves. i personally would not want them too low for little hands poking around mind you saying that somme adults hands should not be poking around in them either.

 

[nickblake]

some of those councils are a law or a regulation to themselves. i personally would not want them too low for little hands poking around mind you saying that somme adults hands should not be poking around in them either.

i agree with that one ,access with the use of a tool 4 year old with its early learning center tool box ,,but i have read that Part P may be on its last legs ... so we'll probably get something that costs more and even worse !!!

 

[Phil]

don`t get me started on part p i would not even have so much of an issue with it if they had bothered to even try to educate the general public. saying that there are enough electricians after reading some posts on here and talking to them that are confused by it.