When to re-wire??

[Strickers]

Hi guys, when would you consider a re-wire was nesscesary?? I recently when to a property to have a look at a consumer unit change to find in my a opinion a mess!! The consumer unit (old wylex re-wireable type) hanginging off the wall no bonding at all. So on further investigation i found a few pieces of old black rubber for switch drops some dodgy diy type work i.e cables just laid across carpets etc... and told the client its a bit of a dog and it needs a re-wire.1 day before i was to start customer cancelled and i found out that an electrician had done the remedial work and board change for her for £450. Im i just unlucky or im i just a little bit keen to re-wire houses!!!

help

 

[sivoodoo]

thanks hughesy , i know your work is ok just wondering what the customer would think after paying £300 or £400 . So for example someone says i want a new 17th edition CU but when you price it you notice the lighting doesn't have an earth in it and not all their light fittings are class 2 and they don't want to change the non legal(?) ones or have a rewire of the lighting circuit. Would you go ahead do the job and then just write up the failings on the certificate or should you keep well away?

I had just that this week, advised them to replace any class 1s with class 2s after fitting new RCBO board, much safer than the old wylex wood crate, gave them a copy of the electrical safety councils best practice guide on the matter and they are happy. Its hard to walk away from a job where there may be safety issues but whatever we do we are (I hope) leaving the place in a healthier safer state than it was when we walked in.

 

[kung]

Yep certs with payment always ! I tell customers i will order bits and when delivered they pay and all i need do is charge for install etc dont get any problem with that and if they dont pay then ive just lost labour but they dont get cert.
Better than losing more !
Regards
Kung.

 

[Strickers]

When doing a consumer unit change you must obviously fill in an installation certificate. You can't put a fail on an installation cert so you can't do a consumer unit change unless you are going to do all remedial work. By changing the consumer unit your taking responsibility for the complete installation. What a can you worms!!! I agree that it possibly would be better to change the consumer even if you don't do remedial works but you cant.

 

[Spudnik]

With CU changes you do not take responsibility for the whole installation, PROVIDED, the cert states exactly what you did.

I also mark the next inspection sticker with 'CU CHANGE ONLY' so that its clear to anyone coming along to do any other works sometime in the future.

 

[hughesy]

When doing a consumer unit change you must obviously fill in an installation certificate. You can't put a fail on an installation cert so you can't do a consumer unit change unless you are going to do all remedial work. By changing the consumer unit your taking responsibility for the complete installation. What a can you worms!!! I agree that it possibly would be better to change the consumer even if you don't do remedial works but you cant.

so lets all start replacing consumer units and bring the installation up to standard for free.
and can we not write in the comments box on pg 1 that the instalation is in an unsatisfactory condition ?

With CU changes you do not take responsibility for the whole installation, PROVIDED, the cert states exactly what you did.

I also mark the next inspection sticker with 'CU CHANGE ONLY' so that its clear to anyone coming along to do any other works sometime in the future.

very good point .

 

[Spudnik]

I think the most common problem with CU upgrades is the lack or undersized bonding and main earthing which should be addressed.

Deviations are normally green sleeving, non fire rated d/lights where required etc. which can usually be coded accordingly.

 

[Strickers]

With CU changes you do not take responsibility for the whole installation, PROVIDED, the cert states exactly what you did.

I also mark the next inspection sticker with 'CU CHANGE ONLY' so that its clear to anyone coming along to do any other works sometime in the future.

I May be wrong but i was under the impression that if you change a consumer unit your modifying the circuit, when doing a modification it must meet 17th edition. I may have just therefore for past few years since being self-employed been turning away work because i wont' leave a job if it needs remedial work because i think its unsafe. Darn it