Right lads, what do I need?????

[Moley]

The daughter and her boyfriend are doing up a house. They bought it last year and have totally gutted it. At the moment they have knocked two rooms into one. It's just a shame it's a downstairs room and an upstairs room. Anyway, the floors and walls are being dealt with. Onwards comes the electrics. Now, they've got a spark onboard BUT let's just say he wouldn't be my first choice! Come to think of it he wouldn't be my second choice either but it's not my decision. I've told them what I think but he's a friend of the daughters boyfriend and wants to use him. Anyway, I've spoken to him and to keep things down on a VAT level for him he wants me to source everything and he'll do the work. Before anyone comes up with the usual question, no, I won't be doing anything. Things have moved on too much since I did my 16th edition. I'm happy to stick to my HV stuff. Can't beat a bit of 400kV. I've asked him what make he wants for the CU but all I got was 'Up to you, I'll fit anything'. Not very reasuring. Anyway, I'm going for a full RCBO box. What makes do you lot recommend? I was thinking of the following circuits (again, he's no use!). Downstairs sockets, Upstairs sockets, Kitchen sockets, upstairs lights, downstairs lights, kitchen lights, shower, boiler. What have I forgotten? Bathroom light on downstairs circuit or separate?

Next question - I don't suppose anyone out there want to quote on a full wire job on a 3 bed terraced house in Ynysybwl, 14(ish) miles north of Cardiff, so I can persuade the daughter to knock this guy on the head??

 

[littlespark]

You don’t really need a separate circuit just for kitchen lights… It’s the predicted load on kitchen sockets that warrants a separate circuit just for kitchen.

Electric cooker point?
Even if they’re all gas, it might be an idea to future proof in case they decide later they prefer an electric hob.

Radial circuits for dedicated 2kW loads such as dryers??

Remember smoke detectors. Check what’s needed.

Possibility of EV charger? Again, future proof.

Consumer Unit choice is either Fusebox or Hager.

 

[Moley]

I was thinking of the kitchen lights in case something trips the downstairs lights and someone is cooking. Perhaps overkill?
Ah yes, cooker. Okay, they are gas but as you say, let's future proof.
Washer/dryer could have it's own.
Smokes? Don't think they are needed in Wales? Isn't that a Scottish thing?
EV charger, it's a terrace with next to no chance of parking outside your own house. There is a back lane and possibility of turning part of the garden into parking so maybe.

 

[littlespark]

I believe england (and possibly wales) have caught up with the smoke detector thing, but not sure if the rules are bang on the same as Scotland.
whatever… go with aico hardwired.

 

[UNG]

Smokes? Don't think they are needed in Wales? Isn't that a Scottish thing?

Unfortunately fire isn't that selective as to where it will and won't possibly occur
For the relatively small cost it is well worth fitting them for peace of mind
I would say given it is a terraced property as well as smoke detectors I would suggest looking at the combined detectors Aico do and consider a detector that also detects CO

 

[James]

Don’t forget

Outside lighting
Supply for shed
Hot tub
A/c condenser
Garden sockets
Network cables
Shaver socket
Heated or lit bathroom mirror

A lot of above may seem unnecessary but costs nothing to put in now and is very disruptive to put in later.

 

[littlespark]

Wall mounted telly?
Back up immersion? Or is it a combi- no tank
Attic power and lighting?
Kitchen under unit lights, kickboard lights. Lights that come on when you open a drawer…..

Maybe need a separate lighting circuit for kitchen after all

 

[Moley]

Don’t forget

Outside lighting
Supply for shed
Hot tub
A/c condenser
Garden sockets
Network cables
Shaver socket
Heated or lit bathroom mirror

A lot of above may seem unnecessary but costs nothing to put in now and is very disruptive to put in later.

Outside lights - Yes.
Supply for shed - Yup, forgot about that
Hot tub - no chance. We live in Wales
A/C - Again, this is Wales
Garden socket - maybe one for the jet washer. Use garden shed supply?
Network cables - Yup, I'll sort that out. At the moment they use wifi for everything including X-Box. I've got 2 rolls of cat5 (I know it's old but it'll be better than wifi)
Shaver socket and mirror. I'll talk to them.

 

[Moley]

Wall mounted telly?
Back up immersion? Or is it a combi- no tank
Attic power and lighting?
Kitchen under unit lights, kickboard lights. Lights that come on when you open a drawer…..

Maybe need a separate lighting circuit for kitchen after all

Telly they want in the corner but I'll check about bedroom
No immersion, it's a combi
Attic - that will have to be done. It's a big attic with ladder access which they are going to improve
Probably have kitchen on separate circuit just as a precaution.

Me and the electrician are going to have to have a good chat over this. Still don't like the guy though I can see me following around with my MFT after he's gone home. I bet you lot hate people like me

 

[littlespark]

I would do the same to be honest.

As soon as I’ve heard someone’s been at a family of mine, I like to pick faults.

Ei, the fire alarm system on the country house I work in where the “fire alarm specialists” have taken supplies from emergency lights for their radio relay boxes.


I understand your reservations with the spark…. What about the other trades? Joinery and plumbery?



Oh… I’ve just had a thought…. What about cctv or a ring doorbell? Other smart features? Take neutrals to every switch and deep enough back boxes.

 

[Moley]

The plumber is great. Joinery is a mix of her boyfriends father (that's his trade) and the boyfriend so we are okay on both those sides.

Good call on the neutrals to each switch. Even though the two of them are not interested in that sort of stuff at the moment who knows what they will want in the future

 

[brianmoooore]

Don't get too hung up on the upstairs/downstairs division of circuits thing. I've always tried to arrange lights so that the light in a room is on a different circuit from that outside the room door. This is usually quite simple - bedrooms on on circuit, but the passage outside on a different circuit (possibly along with any ensuites). With sockets, apart from the kitchen, where a socket on a cooker isolator offers an alternative supply, I try to slice a house vertically, with sockets upstairs at the eastern end of the house, for example, being on the same circuit as downstairs rooms below them. This avoids situations that when there's a circuit down, you don't have vast areas of the property with no alternative.