Electrical Survey On Property

BangTidy · Jul 25, 2011

Hi, ive been asked to take a look at a property for a friend whos thinking about buying it. He just wants to know what the currrent state of the electrics are and if any work would need doing on it. Usure on the age of the property at the min but where its located its probably going to be old.

What im planning to do is:-
check for bonding on the water/gas
check for earthing at sockets and lights
check for any broken sockets/lights
check for any RCD protection
take a quick insulation resistance reading across tails at the board

Any more things would i need to look out for, cheers?

oxocube · Jul 25, 2011

Sounds about rght, I would also do some EFLI checks.

telectrix · Jul 25, 2011

Ze and a couple of random Zs readings. check for borrowed neutrals. esp on landding light/s.

SimpleSimon · Jul 25, 2011

Your friend will be getting a Periodic Inspection. (Electrical Installation report.) in his structural survey, why don't you conduct that for him as well?
But for a quick glance that sounds like a good start.

SirKit Breaker · Jul 25, 2011

Dont expect your IR readings to be in spec at the tails, and if they are you will be very close to the mark. I would be half tempted to do a couple of circuits individually. I did this on saturday and got 0.53 meg at the tails, the lowest i got individually was 6.75 "ish" and i traced that to a duff flourescent fitting.

If its for a mate do the full PIR and let him owe you one, especially if you are in line for remedial work.

Cheers.........Howard.

BangTidy · Jul 31, 2011

Cheers for the replys, took a quick look on Friday and when I got there the estate agent said all I could do was have a "visual" look ast the owners had not given permission!! (CHEERS)
Eventually managed to get permission to at least take some socket fronts and light fittings off. Confirmened that was CPC's at sockets and light fittings, water & gas was bonded, under sized tails, no RCD's and the CU was a little outdated!! Added a couple of pics.
What do people think? Without taking any test reading and just on visual inspection, would i be allright in saying the condition looks ok on visual inspection only but if they say wanted to put in a shower which there isint one as such now, it would require a new CU?

oxocube · Aug 1, 2011

The mains into the cu's looks dodgy, I'd have the cover off to have a look.
And the 2 earth cables are they bonding or main earths to the cu's.

BlueToBits · Aug 1, 2011

If it was my friend I would be 100% truthful and honest.
"It needs some improvement to meet current standards. A PIR would be needed to properly asses the degree of these improvements. I could get a fair idea if I could remove a few covers to get a closer look and do some tests, but as it stands, worst case scenario would be rewiring at £X thousand, best case would be £Y hundred."

BangTidy · Aug 1, 2011

oxocube said:
The mains into the cu's looks dodgy, I'd have the cover off to have a look.
And the 2 earth cables are they bonding or main earths to the cu's.

Couldnt take the covers off, only a few lights and sockets. The 2 earths are the mains to the CU!

BangTidy · Aug 1, 2011

BlueToBits said:
If it was my friend I would be 100% truthful and honest.
"It needs some improvement to meet current standards. A PIR would be needed to properly asses the degree of these improvements. I could get a fair idea if I could remove a few covers to get a closer look and do some tests, but as it stands, worst case scenario would be rewiring at £X thousand, best case would be £Y hundred."

Yeah going to be honest by saying only was able to visualy check so carnt give my guarantee at all. If he wants it properly checked then could give a better answer!

Engineer54 · Aug 1, 2011

I don't know what everyone's so concerned about, looks to me a better than average older installation. It may not be as old as many may think, as those CU's are major step up than those old Wylex rewireable CU's.

Sure it can probably do with a bit of upgrading in the near future, but i doubt it would need anything major doing as a matter of urgency. I may be wrong, but I bet you will also find that any testing you undertake, won't throw up any nasties either...lol!!

Seen far worse than this, and they still complied with the Reg's they were originally installed too... OK it doesn't comply with the latest Reg's but then nothing prior to 2008 does!! ... lol!!

What i will say, is to upgrade these CU's, you will probably need to go the RCBO route, but that's not a bad thing, in itself!!!!