I turned a job down - have I done the right thing?

[RoyWorcester]

Potential customer is having a domestic gas boiler changed. Their installer does not do his own wiring. They asked me to wire up their new boiler system but I realised that it does not comply with part L about conservation of energy (as they do not have separate control of heating in the bedrooms). They do not believe in building regulations and will not have TRVs fitted "as they stick and cause problems" and they have already agreed not to have suitable controls with their "gas safe" registered installer.

I turned it down as I think that if I do the wiring of the controls (to their non-compliant design) I would be at fault. What do you think?

 

[IQ Electrical]

I think I admire your principles but I'd defer the Part L issue to the lack of TRV's on the bedroom radiators rather than any omission on the electrical side.

 

[drew35]

Unfortunately its work and that pays the bills where principles don't. As long as you do the electrical part right you're not accountable for what the plumbers do. I had a lot of principles once, but nowadays for every job you turn down there are plenty of others willing to do the job regardless. I'm not saying there are jobs I don't walk away from, but if I can do it right and my backsides covered then its a done deal.

I always think if an electricians been sort out then that's a good thing for everyone, but if a jobs turned down then there is a cowboy lurking willing to do anything. I just try and guide people round to the proper way of doing things, then if they still want something illegal then step aside for the cowboys.

 

[Johnny-G]

If it's just a replacement boiler does it still have to comply to Part L?

 

[IQ Electrical]

PS welcome to the forum RayWorcester!

 

[RoyWorcester]

Apparently since October 2010 boiler swaps do have to be compliant.

 

[alanl]

You are not certifying the boiler install, you are just supplying an electrical feed for it.
Anything after the FCU is not part of your install, it is the plumbers, so you have no need to turn down the job - just do your part correctly, then all is fine for you.

Alan.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

You are not certifying the boiler install, you are just supplying an electrical feed for it.
Anything after the FCU is not part of your install, it is the plumbers, so you have no need to turn down the job - just do your part correctly, then all is fine for you.

Alan.

Enough said, and thats what i would have done. Look at it like this, you wire a building extension to the correct spec for building and wiring regs, but the builder has not dug the footings deep enough and after a fortnight the extension pulls away from the main building it was joined to.......what has it got to do with you?.............and who's head does the brown stuff land on?

Cheers...........Howard

Cheers.........Howard

 

[RoyWorcester]

The plumber - who I do not know as a local man - does not want to do any of the controls wiring - he wants an electrician to do all the controls even though he has supplied all the parts and there is the existing boiler supply available. That is where the non compliant part will be as to have the required separate control of bedrooms and other parts they could use two zone vaves and two stats etc (or use TRVs)!!

 

[EPGS]

hi there, I'm a heating engineer and the controls of the heating system would be our responsibility, so the installer would be the one at fault, probably wont even be notifying the boiler or probably isnt even gas safe if hes not installing it to current regulations.

 

[RoyWorcester]

Yes - I don't think he will be notifying BC.

 

[misterfranki]

If only all "heating engineers" had a clue about the wiring of the controllers. The last one I dealt with said, nah mate, that's a sparkies job. I seriously don't think he was a heating engineer, even though he sold himself to the customer as one.

 

[pblec]

I think its highly comendable what you are doing but!

is the TRV issue out of your remit as a sparks have you just thrown away a job, you could as has been mentioned do the job notify the customer that the plumbing side should be notifiable to the council, then inform LABC after all their's a post on here about cowboys undercutting and not carrying out the correct procedures and you've found a plumber doing the same.

i have no idea on the remit of how far i should understand part L i'd just do the elecy stuff for a plumber who i hope would of specified correctly. i also had no idea on ventalation until a plumber asked me to disconect the fast speed on a kitchen fan because his gas fire in another room couldn't pass testing (not my instalation i didn't specify the fan)

 

[Big n Daft]

Specifying the heating system is the 'heating engineer's' job. He is the main contractor, sparks just make it work.

 

[londonlec]

I would have just done the job to be honest.