Loft wiring.

[mc497]

Hi,

I am in the process of converting my loft at the mo, and with the current climate im watching every penny.
Basically i have a few simple questions on the wiring aspect of it, hopefully some of you could answer.
Getting hold of my building control officer is a nightmare, so I thought I may get a quicker answer fron the forum.

1: Can I use regular wire for the sockets and the lighting, or does it have to be fire resistant...? (regs regarding loft convs seem to be endless)

2: I am planning on installing downlights, would these also need to be fire rated...?

3: I am installing mains operated smoke detectors, one in the passageway, one on the landing ceiling at top of stairs, and one either further along the landing, or should the third acctually go in the loft conv itsef...?
It is a very small landing.

p.s Could anyone give me a rough estimate on how much a spark may charge me to inspect and test this lot at the end...? (only a rough idea)...


Cheers.

 

[GStueyXR]

It'll cost you around £120 for a PIR.

But if your plan is to use the PIR as an install certificate then dont waste your time.

Buildings control will charge you at least £180, materials at least £100... and atl east 3 days labour for yourself.

A spark will get the first fix done in a day, second fix and I&T in 4 hours.

I would guess a spark will charge £320- 400 ish all certified.

 

[JUD]

Hi,

I am in the process of converting my loft at the mo, and with the current climate im watching every penny.
Basically i have a few simple questions on the wiring aspect of it, hopefully some of you could answer.
Getting hold of my building control officer is a nightmare, so I thought I may get a quicker answer fron the forum.

1: Can I use regular wire for the sockets and the lighting, or does it have to be fire resistant...? (regs regarding loft convs seem to be endless)

You can use normal Twin & Earth but you have to make sure it's the correct csa (i.e. it may be running through insulation etc.)

2: I am planning on installing downlights, would these also need to be fire rated...?

I don't think so. I think fire rated downlights only have to be used between floors to restrict the spread of fire. You may have to use fire hoods though, if they're installed in insulation

3: I am installing mains operated smoke detectors, one in the passageway, one on the landing ceiling at top of stairs, and one either further along the landing, or should the third acctually go in the loft conv itsef...?
It is a very small landing.

If you're installing interlinked smoke alarms you have to have at least one alarm per floor.

p.s Could anyone give me a rough estimate on how much a spark may charge me to inspect and test this lot at the end...? (only a rough idea)...


Cheers.

In Green

 

[eddielarge]

Hi,

I am in the process of converting my loft at the mo, and with the current climate im watching every penny.
Basically i have a few simple questions on the wiring aspect of it, hopefully some of you could answer.
Getting hold of my building control officer is a nightmare, so I thought I may get a quicker answer fron the forum.

1: Can I use regular wire for the sockets and the lighting, or does it have to be fire resistant...? (regs regarding loft convs seem to be endless)

2: I am planning on installing downlights, would these also need to be fire rated...?

3: I am installing mains operated smoke detectors, one in the passageway, one on the landing ceiling at top of stairs, and one either further along the landing, or should the third acctually go in the loft conv itsef...?
It is a very small landing.

p.s Could anyone give me a rough estimate on how much a spark may charge me to inspect and test this lot at the end...? (only a rough idea)...


Cheers.

why do you need a test done, as the electrician that does the work will issue this as a standard.

But if as i suspect , u are going to try and save money and do it yourself, then make sure your circuit is rcd protected (which may reqire fuse board change)

Your main gas and bonding are up to date

and all your smoke detectors are mains interlinked, and not just battery.

and even then a full test and cert will be in the region of £300 just for the test

 

[sparks1234]

If the smokes are awkward to do because of interlinking you can used the radio triggered ones. all you need is a feed to each one

 

[Des 56]

A Cardiff lad wanting to do things by the book

This must be deserving of a long winded reply and a lot of moaning to go with it

Firstly,the work may not be notifiable work under part p building regs
If the sockets and lights/smokes are extensions of existing circuits, I dont think they are notifiable

You cant have certification off an electrician unless he is prepared to sign an installation certificate,thereby taking responsibility that he has actually"done the work"

You could pay for a report on the existing that you have installed.this is not supposed to be the way that part p should work,but building control would accept a tescos food bill for electrical work and not know the difference or care that it is not an Eic,so it would probably be accepted

Sizing of cables takes knowlege of various factors
However,this flawed part p nonesense allows additions/extensions of circuits to be non notifiable in parts of houses yet notifiable in certain locations
So in effect,they care not that diyers may install fire hazzard cabling to a circuit as long as its out of these special locations,what an utter total farce the whole set up was and is

Check if my imformation is correct or not and possibly save yourself the cost of test/inspection or Labc fees
I may very well be wrong about whats notifiable, because I am no where near knowing exactly what is and what isn't,how the general public are supposed to be aware makes me think the morons who dreamed up the nonesense are even more stupid than we have given them credit for

The other alternative is to totally ignore the nonesense and make sure the installation is safe and compliant and be very very very unlucky if you found you were one of the rarest creatures in this land,that is somebody prosecuted for doing notifiable work without going through the unused proper channels


Put an interlinked alarm in the loft
Make sure downlights have the permitted clearence before installing
Fire rated downlights maintain the fire break values of fire compartments,your main problem may be the heat of these downlights causing a fire through lack of dispersal of that heat
Downlights are not a good idea for loft lighting in my opinion

 

[GStueyXR]

Des, if his house burns then the insurance is invalid without certs. The work he has listed is clearly notifiable.

 

[JUD]

Des, if his house burns then the insurance is invalid without certs. The work he has listed is clearly notifiable.

It is only notifiable if he is installing new circuits back to the CU.

If he is just extending existing circuits then it's a Minor Works and not notifiable (unless there's a bathroom involved of course)

 

[mccant]

electrician is a skilled job that is why we go to college and pay to take exams . electrical work of any kind should be done by an electrician .d.i.y is not an option , end of .

 

[martysparky]

Part P states that DIY electrics should be checked by a competent person in any case.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Installing LV downlights is notifyable wherever they are installed.........apart from that I have a lots of sympathy for des's rant.

 

[JUD]

Installing LV downlights is notifyable wherever they are installed.........apart from that I have a lots of sympathy for des's rant.

Unless they are pre-assembled CE marked downlights.

 

[mc497]

Well thanks for all the 'comments'.
I made BC aware thatI was doing the electrical work myself, which they were fine about.
I have now installed all the new wiring, everything works fine, and building control are sending their fella out on Monday to test and inspect.......

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Unless they are pre-assembled CE marked downlights.

Correct!!!....wot a shambles part P is