Hi all. Help on part P required please.

[Carl Clarke]

Firstly hi everyone. I am an electrical engineer in the manufacturing industry. I hold the BS7671 17th edition certificate and have a HND in electrical engineering.

My confusion is as follows;
We are having an extension built which is going to be a family room added on to the existing kitchen. We have had building control involved to inspect the build etc.
I am doing the electrical work myself and I have run all the cables for the ring main and the lighting circuits to BS7671 standards. I plan on connecting the extension sockets to the the kitchen ring main (extending the ring and not spurring off) and extending the downstairs lighting circuits to complete the build. I had a registered electrician out to check my work was ok at first fix and was verified as good. I also took plenty of photos before the plaster board went on.

Can I test/sign off the minor works myself with my qualifications/certifications? Or do I need building control to sign off the work even though they haven’t inspected the first fix? I am confused with the notify part and the sign off part and now the plaster is on, I am getting worried it may have to come off again if building control get involved!

Sorry for the long thread and thanks in advance for any help.

C

 

[Carl Clarke]

Might be worth giving them a call and asking if they will be happy with a eicr by an electrician who is a member of a scheme... then its a case of if you are happy it complies and trust your own work, take the cheapest quote! as the eicr is purely a means to an end

Thanks Gavin, will call them tomorrow and try clearing it up.

 

[Wilko]

Hi Carl - have you got the test gear to get the numbers required for the forms?

 

[Carl Clarke]

Hi Carl - have you got the test gear to get the numbers required for the forms?

Hi Wilko, yes I can borrow the test gear from Work. Thanks

 

[mhar]

This is one of the scenarios that the third party certification scheme was designed for and one that I would have been happy to be involved with. Unfortunately the involvement must be from the beginning at the design stage and then at first fix. Having a competent electrician inspect as you have done is unlikely to have any relevance unless that person is a member of a scam that offers 3rd party certification and that electrician has been assessed for 3rd party certification

 

[Devonchris]

Take two. Part P and Building Regs generally.

Part P of the Buildings Regs either applies or it doesn't. It can't be applied a little bit just for the sake of it.

Similarly with listed building consent. I would hazard a guess that Carl's extension does not fall under listed buildings. So BC cannot require William Morris willow wallpaper on the west wall. How he decorates is up to him and of no concern to BC.

If Part P did apply then BC have a remit to ensure the electrics conforms to BS 7671. But it doesn't so they can't. That includes asking for any certification, signing off or anything else they may think off. What sockets or light fittings are installed is of no concern of BC.

BS 7671 still applies in its own right, but that is now a matter for the owner and installer and not BC.

I believe the letter that Carl received mentioning signing off etc. Is a standard letter that everyone gets and once he explains that Part P does not apply then that statement will be withdrawn. If it isn't then I would politely (don't want to cross them) remind them that they are stepping outside of their jurisdiction and, if they persist, are leaving themselves open to a charge of maladministration in public office. Although I doubt it will come to that.

Disclaimer ; this legal opinion / interpretation is entirely my own work and is not drawn from any Bar / Barracks room Lawyer discussion or urban myth surrounding Part P. If as a result of anything written here you get sent down then don't blame me. And no I won't be arranging a visit to discuss your appeal.

 

[Carl Clarke]

Take two. Part P and Building Regs generally.

Part P of the Buildings Regs either applies or it doesn't. It can't be applied a little bit just for the sake of it.

Similarly with listed building consent. I would hazard a guess that Carl's extension does not fall under listed buildings. So BC cannot require William Morris willow wallpaper on the west wall. How he decorates is up to him and of no concern to BC.

If Part P did apply then BC have a remit to ensure the electrics conforms to BS 7671. But it doesn't so they can't. That includes asking for any certification, signing off or anything else they may think off. What sockets or light fittings are installed is of no concern of BC.

BS 7671 still applies in its own right, but that is now a matter for the owner and installer and not BC.

I believe the letter that Carl received mentioning signing off etc. Is a standard letter that everyone gets and once he explains that Part P does not apply then that statement will be withdrawn. If it isn't then I would politely (don't want to cross them) remind them that they are stepping outside of their jurisdiction and, if they persist, are leaving themselves open to a charge of maladministration in public office. Although I doubt it will come to that.

Disclaimer ; this legal opinion / interpretation is entirely my own work and is not drawn from any Bar / Barracks room Lawyer discussion or urban myth surrounding Part P. If as a result of anything written here you get sent down then don't blame me. And no I won't be arranging a visit to discuss your appeal.

Hi Chris,
Exactly that. I contacted BC today and told them the situation. They said as I was extending the kitchen ring main and the downstairs lighting circuits it wouldn’t require notification as no new circuits were being added. I have to send them a minor works cert for both circuits along with a copy of my 2382 certificate. I have also done autocad electrical drawings beforehand of exactly how it is wired and where it is extended from etc so will send them with the paperwork. Thanks for the help it is much appreciated. Carl

 

[Carl Clarke]

This is one of the scenarios that the third party certification scheme was designed for and one that I would have been happy to be involved with. Unfortunately the involvement must be from the beginning at the design stage and then at first fix. Having a competent electrician inspect as you have done is unlikely to have any relevance unless that person is a member of a scam that offers 3rd party certification and that electrician has been assessed for 3rd party certification

Thank you for the reply. Just to clarify, the electrician who came out to check the install at first fix, did it as a favour to check I had ran the cables to the correct zone specification before the plaster was applied. He was not going to sign anything or have any involvement in the install. It was mainly a sanity check for myself to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Thanks again.

 

[Devonchris]

So they have accepted Part P doesn't apply and then want to apply something they made up themselves. That's still overstepping their remit. Still, as it easy for you to comply, best not to rock the boat. Good result.

 

[telectrix]

So they have accepted Part P doesn't apply and then want to apply something they made up themselves. That's still overstepping their remit. Still, as it easy for you to comply, best not to rock the boat. Good result.

if new circuits or other notifiable works had been part of it, BC would then require a copy of OP's EIC, but as you pointed out, they may not need anything. a copyof OP's MWC's might be requested for their records.