Various bits of work needed... Various questions!

[Max Rasa]

Hi all

Sorry the title's so vague...

We'll be having some work carried out on the house electrics soon. We've got an electrician doing most of the work, although I might do some of the bits that I am allowed to. But I am also doing a lot of the planning of the work to be done by the electrician. So I just need to clarify a few things if anyone wouldn't mind pitching in?

1. How can things be left in the area above ceilings / below first floor floors, if I want to leave provision for future sockets/lights to be added after some other work has been done on the house? Can excess cable be left or are there rules against that? That would be my preference. But if not, is putting a junction box in at this stage an acceptable approach so that the new light/socket can be taken from that?

2. What are the rules for wiring in lofts? Can cable be left loose with some slack (I'll want to insulate the loft at some point and would rather the cables are on top of the insulation)? Or must they be clipped and tight?

3. Can a bathroom light be fit by a DIYer? The wiring is already there, and so is the switch (outside the room).
So it would just be putting in a new light. I know the light has to be made for bathrooms/wet areas. Just wasn't sure if it has to be an electrician who does it because of where it is.

4. Changing single sockets to doubles with a converter. Is this allowed to be done DIY? Is it as straight forward as it looks? Anything to look out for or consider?

5. I know it is not a simple single answer, but is there a general rule of thumb for maximum cable runs for mains rings (on 2.5mm) and lighting (on 1.5mm)? With lighting, is all of the wiring counted or just some?

6. Does everything have to be tip top before the electrician can issue a certificate? For example, part of the house needs to be renovated, but in the meantime it is still being used. However, the consumer unit for this part of the house is going to be changed for a more modern / safer one. But at the same time, there are some things which aren't great... Some sockets would ideally be replaced. Some flooring is up and the wiring (and junction boxes) are therefore exposed. But I see little point in addressing these things now as the renovation will start soonish and any further electrical work done now will only have to be undone then. I'm guessing that means he won't be able to "sign it off" but wasn't sure... I guess if he can't he can always sign it off when the rest of the work is finished later in the year...

Any thoughts and help most gratefully appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Charlie_]

I have had my customers get involved many times..
If they want to do all the chasing out, drilling holes, sweeping up, pulling cables then brilliant, bring it on.
Better than a snotty nosed little kid that just wants to mess about with his phone.
Customer also gets to see how amazing we are and best of all endless supplies of food and drink

 

[peterhyper]

I have had my customers get involved many times..
If they want to do all the chasing out, drilling holes, sweeping up, pulling cables then brilliant, bring it on.
Better than a snotty nosed little kid that just wants to mess about with his phone.
Customer also gets to see how amazing we are and best of all endless supplies of food and drink

I feel bad disagreeing with the poster of the month, but I'm happy for the customer to insist on clearing up after me, but that's as far as it goes.

I had a guy last year called me and offered to work with me for free to gain some experience, apart from the fact he wouldn't learn much from me, as FatAlan mentioned, it just slows everything down, and it can take longer to do plus I don't want all the small talk (call me miserable).

Each to their own, but if a customer said they would be my labourer to save on the cost I wouldn't even quote for the job.

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

I also avoid jobs were the customer wants to be the labourer to save costs. Only things they could possibly do to help are make lots of brews, possibly clean up at end of the day and stay out of the way.

 

[DPG]

The guy who was on here the other day needing to sink an SWA from house to shed would have loved it if the customer had dug the trench through the chalk rock under the grass for him!

 

[coolsparx]

It is a difficult one & there is no one size fits all answer. I am more than happy to get the customer to help by doing chases, lifting floor boards etc. If fact even running cables & mounting back boxes, as long as everything is to regs & what I have asked, also I can see everything before anything is closed or buried.

I have cone across many situations when householders have had work done by trusted electricians & never received certificates or BC notification. They were none the wiser until they come to sell their house & as lay people why should they be, therefore 2 or 3 quotes off recommended electricians is always a good idea.

 

[johnduffell]

legally you can do everything if you notify it to the local building control (however they would want it all checked by someone with the qualifications so you're no better off cost wise)
if you don't want to notify, you can still do a lot - everything except new circuits, and alterations in bath/shower rooms (replacement is allowed) However even then, all work must effectively comply with the regs in order to be within the law. That would at a minimum include the correct testing on top of the actual installation work, even if no documentation needed.
Hope that's useful and objective enough...from one DIY to another.