Few questions for an electrical installation

[Octopus]

If, and I say if building control's are checking and signing this off they will , or should inspect at each stage ...

 

[Octopus]

I rang BCO and asked whether I could do the install myself, they knew I wasn't qualified, and they said yes, but I would have to have the electrician who works for the council come out and certify, which costs £360, which seemed fine given the few prices I'd had for other jobs.

You are not comparing apples with Apple's. £360 plus VAT is for them just coming to inspect..... No advice, nothing else

 

[MikeGT729]

OK, and I assume design is a stage? I'll give them a ring on Monday and find out for sure

 

[MikeGT729]

You are not comparing apples with Apple's. £360 plus VAT is for them just coming to inspect..... No advice, nothing else

It's £360 Inc VAT. And this isn't BCO, this is the council's own sparky

 

[Octopus]

Design won't be a stage.....

 

[MikeGT729]

OK, like I said, I'll give BCO a ring Monday and double check.

 

[The Ghost]

I think you may be forgetting the extra visits when they have to come back after not signing it off. As you say it shouldn't be an issue as it is only two circuits. That rather flies in the face of the information you have been given if you read carefully. You have been told that it is more than two circuits there are other background factors which are too complex to lay out here. For instance do you have a TN-C-S system or a TNS or possibly (rarely) a TT? Are you aware of the implications of exporting PME to other locations? Can you calculate the volt drop for the run? As stated there is more to it the a "couple of circuits" Now... I am not decrying the DIY attempt and personally I am all for you doing this and applaud your sense of adventure for want of a better word. If I were to do the work for you I would have to check with ESF whether your tumble dryer is subject to recall, have you done that? Tumble dryers have a terrible safety record and quite often burn out cabling. Anyway to answer your question, usually SWA is used to supply outbuildings. Terminating SWA is a skill you would have to master to install it. It would need to be buried circa 18 inches underground and properly marked and the correct gradient of stone laid around it. You could use 2.5mm² or 4 mm ² on a 32a MCB. You have not asked about RCD which is rather worrying as it may indicate you are starting from a point of knowledge which is inadequate. Where are you going to use the conduit just in the utility room? because outside you need to use the right colour. Now, again I am all for you doing this, but this is what it involves. Quite apart from BC signing it off all these points will have to be addressed and of course you are the person who will rely on the safety of the design and of course your family. Now...do you want to call an electrician? or are you going to brave it?

 

[MikeGT729]

OK, like I said, I'll give BCO a ring Monday and double check.

I think you may be forgetting the extra visits when they have to come back after not signing it off. As you say it shouldn't be an issue as it is only two circuits. That rather flies in the face of the information you have been given if you read carefully. You have been told that it is more than two circuits there are other background factors which are too complex to lay out here. For instance do you have a TN-C-S system or a TNS or possibly (rarely) a TT? Are you aware of the implications of exporting PME to other locations? Can you calculate the volt drop for the run? As stated there is more to it the a "couple of circuits" Now... I am not decrying the DIY attempt and personally I am all for you doing this and applaud your sense of adventure for want of a better word. If I were to do the work for you I would have to check with ESF whether your tumble dryer is subject to recall, have you done that? Tumble dryers have a terrible safety record and quite often burn out cabling. Anyway to answer your question, usually SWA is used to supply outbuildings. Terminating SWA is a skill you would have to master to install it. It would need to be buried circa 18 inches underground and properly marked and the correct gradient of stone laid around it. You could use 2.5mm² or 4 mm ² on a 32a MCB. You have not asked about RCD which is rather worrying as it may indicate you are starting from a point of knowledge which is inadequate. Where are you going to use the conduit just in the utility room? because outside you need to use the right colour. Now, again I am all for you doing this, but this is what it involves. Quite apart from BC signing it off all these points will have to be addressed and of course you are the person who will rely on the safety of the design and of course your family. Now...do you want to call an electrician? or are you going to brave it?

The building is joined to the house. All conduit is internal, no part of the installation will run external.

Main CU has RCD protection, as does the mini CU which I bought for the utility. I didn't ask about RCD as I'm well aware of it.

Dryer hasn't been bought yet.

I really don't see the problem in me doing this if a professional is going to check it, test it and sign it off? I'm just doing the labour really.

Is it really this complex? The other jobs we've had done were as simple as anything, hence why I thought I'd do this one this way.

 

[MikeGT729]

Just looked up your many acronyms...

As far as I can see we have a TN-S config with no PME

 

[westward10]

You have no discrimination between rcds.