Help - confused a little

[Cirrus]

Have been to look at a job tonight which is a bathroom. Need to get power into it for an unswitched spur and also install a ceiling fan. Had a look at the board and it is an old rewireable fuse type. Now, gas and water bond seem to be on 4 or 6 mm earth. Advised this is upgraded along with the board. Now, if he says he doesn't want the board changing or equipotential bonding upgrading then am I still ok to do the bathroom works? Wouldn't be installing a new circuit, simply breaking into existing circuits.

 

[PAUL M]

I Know What Your Saying ,i Come Up Against This All The Time But If You Do Any Work In The Property Arn"t You Supposed To Upgrade The Earthing As A Minimum.

 

[Cirrus]

That's what I am unsure about

 

[PAUL M]

well the work you are doing in the bathroom will require a minor works cert and it asks on the cert about adequate earthing.

 

[Cirrus]

Am gonna renew equipotential bonds, cage bonding, main tails as a start!

 

[Shakey]

Have been to look at a job tonight which is a bathroom. Need to get power into it for an unswitched spur and also install a ceiling fan. Had a look at the board and it is an old rewireable fuse type. Now, gas and water bond seem to be on 4 or 6 mm earth. Advised this is upgraded along with the board. Now, if he says he doesn't want the board changing or equipotential bonding upgrading then am I still ok to do the bathroom works? Wouldn't be installing a new circuit, simply breaking into existing circuits.

Cirrus, just done a post on this (rewire - how far)

under 16th, , reg 130-07-01 "no alteration or addition ...etc etc unless the earthing and bonding arrangements are also adequate"

You re doing an altertion, so sorry, but main bonds it is old chum

 

[Andy M]

Will you do the work to 16th or 17th? if so RCBO's so insist on board change

 

[danzor]

i always make sure main bonds are in. always thought it was law? correct me if im wrong. Or a law to me

 

[PAUL M]

I Was Told By Nic Man If The Customer Refuses To Upgrade Earthing I Am To Explain To Them In Writing Why The Work Cant Be Done And Dont Do It,i Would Spend Half My Time Writing Letters.

 

[Cirrus]

This is the thing. If he refuses me the work because I say his earthing arrangements are not up to standard then he will just get another spark in who really doesn't give a monkeys and will do aything for the money even if it contravenes regs

 

[PAUL M]

aint Life A Bitch.:d

 

[Cirrus]

Meaning what exactly?

 

[Shakey]

Meaning what exactly?

Cirrus, as a guess, i would say what he means is 'tough doo doo's'

Just because a cowboy may come behind you and do the work that the regs is limiting you to do, do does not give you authority to circumvent the regs yourself, which seems to be what you are suggesting.

The regs requires that you lose the job before just ignoring what is an extant requirement , just to earn the buck

like the man said, life's a bitch, and no-one said it was gonna be fair

 

[PAUL M]

YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH SHAKEY,ITS NOT FAIR , PART P AS DONE NOTHING TO DETER THE COWBOYS IT HAS JUST MADE IT HARDER TO RUN YOUR BUISNESS .I HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO SAY SOD IT AND DO THE WORK ANYWAY IN THE PAST BUT IT AINT WORTH IT,IT IS NOT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD BECAUSE A COWBOY HAS NONE OF THE OVERHEADS THAT WE HAVE ,AND THE COUNCILS ARE NOT EVEN POLICING IT. THERE WAS A ARTICLE IN THE LAST EDITION OF SWITCHED ON MAG ,IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY DOING WORK AND NOT PART P THEY WANT YOU TO PHONE UP AND GRASS ON THEM,SO KNOW THEY WANT SPARKIES TO POLICE IT FOR THEM.

 

[Andy M]

Let it go

The other "sparks" will be in the dock not you
I know it is frustrating, 80% of jobs i visit the bonds are missing in the wrong place or undersized, which means i have to visit even the most minor job to quote before hand. most people will accept it if you "sell" yourself and make a point about safety, i usually send a copy of the NIC glossy guide titled "Why must earthing and bonding be checked" and that has worked well and the customer doesn't think you are bull****ting them.

The NIC helpline told me that walking away is often the wisest thing to do and even if you loose a days work you could loose a lot more

 

[Cirrus]

Shakey, I wasn't ever gonna consider doing the job 'through the back door' - I thought you knew me better!
I explained things to him today, had to knock £100 off the price cos he was expecting a bill for £150 and not £900 and he said that's fine (and it's cash), the job is all mine. He accepts the work needs doing and wants it done to the regs. Some people are decent.

 

[Shakey]

Shakey, I wasn't ever gonna consider doing the job 'through the back door' - I thought you knew me better!
I explained things to him today, had to knock £100 off the price cos he was expecting a bill for £150 and not £900 and he said that's fine (and it's cash), the job is all mine. He accepts the work needs doing and wants it done to the regs. Some people are decent.

Of course I know Cirrus old chum

I was just trying to explain what i thought the guy meant by his comment

I raise this with my students all the time - if you quote properly to do the job within the regs, the customer always knows a bloke down the pub who will do it for cheaper

and like he said

Life's a bit*h