DIY enthusiasts and electrical work.

[Deuce]

Why not 2nd fix it then too?

Because I'm creating new circuits and not a spark is the easy answer. I could complete and ensure it's safe but I can't self certify.

I employ the services of a few sparks through my business, and I can double check what to route where with them in advance (in this case no checking needed, it's literally just a 32a ring). When it's all in but not hooked up, they can make the final connections, test and certify.

In short, by saving them the laborious part of the work I can pay them in retained loyalty as we have a working relationship, and some beer.

 

[TJ Anderson]

Because I'm creating new circuits and not a spark is the easy answer. I could complete and ensure it's safe but I can't self certify.

I employ the services of a few sparks through my business, and I can double check what to route where with them in advance (in this case no checking needed, it's literally just a 32a ring). When it's all in but not hooked up, they can make the final connections, test and certify.

In short, by saving them the laborious part of the work I can pay them in retained loyalty as we have a working relationship, and some beer.

If you've got an electrician who will do what you want for you then you might as well 2nd fix too, then even less for them to do and you can get more experience. They can still check your terminations as part of their initial verification of the install.

 

[Deuce]

If you've got an electrician who will do what you want for you then you might as well 2nd fix too, then even less for them to do and you can get more experience. They can still check your terminations as part of their initial verification of the install.

That's a grey area, it means trusting my connections upon visual inspection, or literally pulling each connection to check it was stripped correctly and full contact is made ( in the same time they can just make their own connections). My connections would easily pass resistance testing even if they weren't 'ideal'.

Maybe I'm too nice a person but for me, for the sake of paying for a little time for them to be 100% confident in what they're signing off on, it's a good balance. I have no doubt they would trust my connections, but still I'm happy to pay for a few hours for them to own the job they're signing off on. And as I mentioned, I'm mostly paying in beer anyway, and I'll often go as far as to help them drink their payment.

 

[Midwest]

I've not been keeping up with this thread, and not read every post, so apologies if this has already been mentioned here, or if it has been mentioned elsewhere.

Whilst in my throne room, I was reading the latest copy of PE, when I came across this piece;

NAPIT Sets Out Significant Reforms to the Building Regu - https://www.napit.org.uk/news/article/NAPIT-Sets-Out-Significant-Reforms-to-the-Building-Regulations.aspx

So thats me out of stuff.

 

[Deuce]

I've not been keeping up with this thread, and not read every post, so apologies if this has already been mentioned here, or if it has been mentioned elsewhere.

Whilst in my throne room, I was reading the latest copy of PE, when I came across this piece;

NAPIT Sets Out Significant Reforms to the Building Regu - https://www.napit.org.uk/news/article/NAPIT-Sets-Out-Significant-Reforms-to-the-Building-Regulations.aspx

So thats me out of stuff.

Further tightening of regulation seems pointless, at this stage they may as well just simply state that ANY electrical work of any nature must be carried out by a trading, qualified spark and be done with it.

A sad day for DIYers such as myself but it's already pretty tough to be certain of what I am permitted to do.

 

[Midwest]

they may as well just simply state that ANY electrical work of any nature must be carried out by a trading, qualified spark and be done with it.

Thats exactly Napit's proposal for the domestic market.

 

[Deuce]

Thats exactly Napit's proposal for the domestic market.

To include all minor works too? For example, replacing a light fitting on like for like basis. If so, that's gonna become annoying, frankly a little castrating..

 

[Midwest]

Couldn't agree more.

Up until the end of May, I was in a scheme. If these proposals were taken up, from June onwards I would not be complying with the 'legal requirements', even to work in my own house.

I do agree though, that something should be done about the scope of electrical diy work, even if it is in your own house.

 

[telectrix]

I've not been keeping up with this thread, and not read every post, so apologies if this has already been mentioned here, or if it has been mentioned elsewhere.

Whilst in my throne room, I was reading the latest copy of PE, when I came across this piece;

NAPIT Sets Out Significant Reforms to the Building Regu - https://www.napit.org.uk/news/article/NAPIT-Sets-Out-Significant-Reforms-to-the-Building-Regulations.aspx

So thats me out of stuff.

.that statement has some merit in that it calls for all electrical work to be carried out by a competent electrician. with which i agree 100%. reading between the lines however, it's advocating more income for the various robdog scams.

 

[Deuce]

.that statement has some merit in that it calls for all electrical work to be carried out by a competent electrician. with which i agree 100%. reading between the lines however, it's advocating more income for the various robdog scams.

If it goes far enough to cover replacing of lights/sockets like for like then B&Q and such will no doubt start offering a fitting service with every such item sold, and probably at surprisingly low cost "Would you like us to schedule an electrician to fit these for you? It's £10 per light including electrical safety testing"... they could easily afford to do that as their in house sparks would be booked up back to back 40 hours a week, akin to a sky/broadband engineers schedule.

That's progress..