Advice on kitchen sockets and earth.

hawkmoon269 · Sep 5, 2014

Hi All,

I am fitting a new kitchen in my second floor flat (I am not doing anything electrical myself apart from the most simple stuff). I pulled the old kitchen out several months ago and attached to the kitchen taps were earth cables which I removed.

I have called an electrician to fit new mains sockets below existing ones so I have sockets below the work surface. 2x2 sockets to have power for fridge, freezer, washing machine and gas cooker (fully gas, I think the power is just for sparks and timer). Above the work surface I will not be using anything heavy duty apart from a microwave/electric cooker, this will be on the same side as the washing machine so I suppose if I using them at the same time this might but quite a load. Is this all ok?

The electrician has said that the new sockets will have to be RCD sockets as I have an old circuit board (not RCD?).

On the quote he has put;

'Supply and install RCD socket outlets + bonding in kitchen only'

'Supply and install 10MM2 earth bonding to gas and bonding via conduit'

Does this sound correct?

And then about the earthing....

The electrician noticed that the earth was not connected and started talking about the earth cables were not 10mm and they should be. He said he could pull new cables through the conduit (which is in the concrete floor) from the circuit board and if they didn't pull through he would have to fit earth cables in the walls and ceiling. He also started talking about a new circuit board/fuse box.

I was slightly freaked by all this, what started out to be a couple of hundred pounds for new sockets, has turned into the possibility of of a big job and relatively big money.

My alarm bells started ringing as he didn't seem to give a simple answer to anything.

I suppose the answer would be to get a second opinion/quote. But I just want a simple solution.

Any advice would be appreciated,

Many thanks,

Paul

telectrix · Sep 5, 2014

your electrician is mostly right. the sockets need to be RCD protected and the bonding requires reinstating to comply with regulations. a standalone RCD could be fitted to cover all sockets or just the new ones.

Octopus · Sep 5, 2014

Paul, with the greatest respect, if the sparky had looked at the job prior to the kitchen being removed some of this may have been clear, that said he should have warned you.....

A "simple" solution in an older property will nearly always include RCD's, & bonding to the gas and water, as these are mandated by the people who write the regs we follow - so to the end user a "small job" often adds up to more than a few sockets and some cables.

For a 2nd opinion, maybe you should get another spark round - where are you located?

EDIT: One benefit of a fuseboard change is that included in the change will be a full test of your electrics so often worth considering.

Hope this helps.

hawkmoon269 · Sep 5, 2014

Hi,

Thanks for advice and quick responses, that's great!

I am in North London N18.

What bothered me most was the issue of the old earth cable not pulling through so it would have to be put in the walls and ceiling.

He did say about, if I went the whole hog, he would test everything and give me a certificate. This would be good as it will not be long before I sell the flat.

What kind of cost would you expect the 'whole hog' to be? (rough guess only, I imagine it's impossible)

Thanks again,

Paul

telectrix · Sep 5, 2014

a full EICR ( condition report ) costs in the region of £150 -£250 . for this you should get a 8 or 9 page EICR with all the circuit readings.

Octopus · Sep 5, 2014

You should get a minor works certificate for each existing circuit that has been changed.... as part of the job!

New circuits would require an EIC and LABC notification.