Replacing consumer unit - advice please !

[Johnlondon]

Hi there. I'm doing up a house I've just bought and want to replace the consumer unit. I will be getting an electrician to fit it but I want to check with you knowledgable lot whether when the electrician quotes, what he's telling me is right and necessary.

This is what I have at present:



I have read up a bit on regulations but I would like some pointers please. My questions are:

1. Will the CU need to be completely repositioned? At present it it quite low to the floor and is behind a shelf which I moved for the picture.
2. It is fixed at present to a wood board. Should the new one be fitted to a special type of backing board?
3. How can I tell what type of earthing supply it is? TNCS TNS etc. There are just the 3 main cables coming out of the wall.
4. Can the electrician replace the CU without calling out the electricity company? I cannot see how it can be isolated without replovg the main fuse and I don't think he's allowed to touch it.
5. Am I obligated to have the upstairs and downstairs ring main and lighting circuits split when fitting a new board?
6. The garage supply is just off the ring main and I have no idea where the join is. Does this have to have a dedicated supply?

Any advise is much appreciated. Thank you all.

 

[Octopus]

One question, where do the "big" cables go to, the ones exiting the fuseboard from the bottom and running downwards to the left of the main fuse?

 

[Johnuk]

this is one of them jobs were you need to see it to price it

 

[MDJ]

Could be a tt system and the tails entering from outside, the third wire could be from the rod and the earth, looks a right mess in there anyhow, take the sparks advice IMO.

 

[Octopus]

Could be a tt system and the tails entering from outside, the third wire could be from the rod and the earth, looks a right mess in there anyhow, take the sparks advice IMO.

Actually I'd recommend you get 3 people to take a look. Sparks are like economists - they tend not to agree with each other as there are different ways of complying with the regs.

 

[topcat]

Will need time to sort problems they find but would say as others have said get 3 prices and work from their

 

[Johnlondon]

Murdoch - the cables go into from the main fuse straight into the wall into a rubber tube.

Appreciate the replies guys but I was looking for some specific replies. Understand seeing it would help but surely some of my questions are general and answers would apply to any/most domestic installations and not just to mine ?

 

[Johnlondon]

Sorry Murdoch, misread your question - they go into the meter

 

[Octopus]

Murdoch - the cables go into from the main fuse straight into the wall into a rubber tube.

Appreciate the replies guys but I was looking for some specific replies. Understand seeing it would help but surely some of my questions are general and answers would apply to any/most domestic installations and not just to mine ?

Yes you need a new fuse board
You probably need equipotential bonding
You may wish, as part of your refurbishment, split rings and create more circuits
You may need a rewire

Budget £450 to £4500

Sorry mate but out of interest what do you do for a living and could you give specific advise about a situation after you'd seem a few photo's

 

[Johnlondon]

Thank you Murdoch.

Wasn't so much needing an estimate - don't really mind how much it costs as long as it's a fair cost if you know what I mean. I don't want to be quoted for unnecessary work and not know either way. I also don't always go for the cheapest quote because you get what you pay for.

And there's absolutely no point in telling you what I do for a living. No one and I mean no one believes me when I first tell them!

 

[Octopus]

Thank you Murdoch.

Wasn't so much needing an estimate - don't really mind how much it costs as long as it's a fair cost if you know what I mean. I don't want to be quoted for unnecessary work and not know either way. I also don't always go for the cheapest quote because you get what you pay for.

And there's absolutely no point in telling you what I do for a living. No one and I mean no one believes me when I first tell them!

Go on, try us!

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Thank you Murdoch.

Wasn't so much needing an estimate - don't really mind how much it costs as long as it's a fair cost if you know what I mean. I don't want to be quoted for unnecessary work and not know either way. I also don't always go for the cheapest quote because you get what you pay for.

And there's absolutely no point in telling you what I do for a living. No one and I mean no one believes me when I first tell them!

To quote Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back, "I can imagine quite alot"

 

[not clever]

Pole dancer

 

[Johnlondon]

Ok, and only because I love the reference to the imagined amount of reward money. Star Wars is still my favourite film.

I work in LA for 8 months of the year in the adult industry. And no I'm not a **** star ! I work behind the scenes.

 

[not clever]

Debbie does Dallas was my favorite film