Part P assessment

Innominata · Dec 13, 2009

Hi Guys,
I am just about to go self employed.I have been asked to do a job installing floodlights to illuminate a pub sign in their car park.Could I use this job as part of my assessment as it would probably be classed as commercial work.I am also considering installing an extra socket in my lounge,I am considering spuring off a socket in the dining room drilling straight thro the wall to the lounge so that the sockets will be back to back.The new socket would therefore be lower than the 450mm limit - is this a problem,and again could it be used for the part P inspection.Thanks in advance

Guest123 · Dec 13, 2009

Hi.

Usually they want to see one major and one minor piece of work.

For the major I believe the norm is a CU upgrade and the minor is an additional socket or lighting point. Both jobs need full certification and depending on who you choose may need building control involvement prior to assessment. Some providers allow you to notify after a successful entry on to their scheme, obviously you need to be confident that you will pass.

padmore12345 · Dec 13, 2009

be careful of putting your socket back to back, i know there is less making good, but if your going for a part p assesment unless you have a very thick wall between the two sockets you could be going against part A of the building regs (structure) if your chopping in the box that is, and the other back to back box is chopped in, because you may well be weakening the wall by going more than a sixth in horizontally or a third vertically the depth of the wall. i know its ---- but its in the builing regs and they might pick you up on it.

with regards to the lower than 450mm rule you can bypass this section of the part M building regs (access to and use of buildings) as long as (in a refurb/rewire) the sockets are 'no less' accessible than before. so no lower than the rest of your sockets.

hotXbun · Dec 13, 2009

padmore12345 said:
be careful of putting your socket back to back, i know there is less making good, but if your going for a part p assesment unless you have a very thick wall between the two sockets you could be going against part A of the building regs (structure) if your chopping in the box that is, and the other back to back box is chopped in, because you may well be weakening the wall by going more than a sixth in horizontally or a third vertically the depth of the wall. i know its ---- but its in the builing regs and they might pick you up on it.

with regards to the lower than 450mm rule you can bypass this section of the part M building regs (access to and use of buildings) as long as (in a refurb/rewire) the sockets are 'no less' accessible than before. so no lower than the rest of your sockets.

Yes, I think that's a bit ----

..... If the wall is that thin then it can only be a stud partition or a single brick/block. I would drill through the back of the box to find what it is and then either chase out not directly back to back or carry on as planned. You can always drill the hole at an angle. I can't see any structural problem in this situation especially as you are only making use of what is existing.

As for the commercial work, part P is strictly for buildings that are deemed habitual - going from memory here - and this means they have to have a bed ..... I do not think you will be allowed to include the commercial work as representative. Having said that, I would phone up Elecsa (being the best

) and ask their advice

GL with the self employed .....

padmore12345 · Dec 13, 2009

you can use the pubs car park lights as part of your assessment as long as the pub has a dwelling attached to it and it and the business are run off the same meter and dont have a seperate supply to each.

eg.

meter----------------------pub-----------------------dwelling

within the scope of part p

meter-----------------------pub
meter-----------------------dwelling

not in the scope of part p

saveloy · Dec 13, 2009

padmore12345 said:
be careful of putting your socket back to back, i know there is less making good, but if your going for a part p assesment unless you have a very thick wall between the two sockets you could be going against part A of the building regs (structure) if your chopping in the box that is, and the other back to back box is chopped in, because you may well be weakening the wall by going more than a sixth in horizontally or a third vertically the depth of the wall. i know its ---- but its in the builing regs and they might pick you up on it.
.

The regs you mention are concerned with chases. They have nothing to do with the scenario described.
Putting 2 sockets back to back would have no structural implications whatsoever. If that were the case then it would also be against the regs to drill a 4" hole for an extractor fan or to have openings for plastic air bricks in the base of a wall.

padmore12345 · Dec 13, 2009

saveloy said:
The regs you mention are concerned with chases. They have nothing to do with the scenario described.
Putting 2 sockets back to back would have no structural implications whatsoever. If that were the case then it would also be against the regs to drill a 4" hole for an extractor fan or to have openings for plastic air bricks in the base of a wall.

'Putting 2 sockets back to back would have no structural implications whatsoever.'

Re: 16mm to new board
Be careful when sinking a cable 50mm into a wall as you can seriously undermine the structural integrity of the wall!

(or maybe 2 x 25mm deep boxes back to back!)

tee hee

cbw · Dec 13, 2009

I think its more to do with spread of fire and noise polution,between internal walls, back to back for your part p would not be a good idea.

I will find the rellevent regs when I can, but I am fairly sure of this one!

Simply go through at an angle and chase a small way allong the wall, I believe its 300mm that they must have betwwen them 'back to back'

And height is not relevent in this case

CBW

Steve D · Dec 14, 2009

padmore12345 said:
'Putting 2 sockets back to back would have no structural implications whatsoever.'

Re: 16mm to new board
Be careful when sinking a cable 50mm into a wall as you can seriously undermine the structural integrity of the wall!

(or maybe 2 x 25mm deep boxes back to back!)

tee hee

Putting in a chase of over 50mm deep is completely different to drilling straight through a wall though. Going through the wall isn't going to affect the structural integrity of the wall.

patricklondon · Dec 14, 2009

I think its more to do with spread of fire and noise polution,between internal walls, back to back for your part p would not be a good idea

use intumescent fire pads, dry lining boxes can be baught pre fitted or the strips added after, not a part p issue. the 50mm depth is to do with chases... cutting long deep channels out of walls will do more to the integrity of a building than one relatively small hole

Innominata · Dec 14, 2009

Hi All,
Thanks for all your replies on this subject,regarding the back to back sockets,i was not going to do any chasing but intended to take the easy option and fit a surface mounted back box?

hotXbun · Dec 14, 2009

Innominata said:
Hi All,
Thanks for all your replies on this subject,regarding the back to back sockets,i was not going to do any chasing but intended to take the easy option and fit a surface mounted back box?

...Very wise ... Hmmmm, I can't resist a bit of tongue in cheek .... of course, you could save yourself some effort and just drill a hole in the wall, remove plug from lead, poke lead through wall and reconnect plug. Then drill and put in place 2 screws from which to hang socket and then you can make a tasty job of it and have a multi-socket outlet in place and ready for action .... now don't tell me it doesn't comply, it must do as I've come across such a beast in lot's of places

....

Eggster71 · Dec 15, 2009

hotXbun said:
...Very wise ... Hmmmm, I can't resist a bit of tongue in cheek .... of course, you could save yourself some effort and just drill a hole in the wall, remove plug from lead, poke lead through wall and reconnect plug. Then drill and put in place 2 screws from which to hang socket and then you can make a tasty job of it and have a multi-socket outlet in place and ready for action .... now don't tell me it doesn't comply, it must do as I've come across such a beast in lot's of places ....

Wouldn't that need PAT testing though?

saveloy · Dec 15, 2009

padmore12345 said:
'Putting 2 sockets back to back would have no structural implications whatsoever.'

Re: 16mm to new board
Be careful when sinking a cable 50mm into a wall as you can seriously undermine the structural integrity of the wall!

(or maybe 2 x 25mm deep boxes back to back!)

tee hee

You seem to be confused with the difference between chases and simple cutouts in walls. My post that you quoted was in relation to a chase/ channel in a wall that WOULD undermine the structural integrity of a wall if deeper than proscribed limits.

That post has no relevence to this thread, as the OP was just proposing back to back sockets, not chasing out walls.

You could safely remove a whole brick from a wall with no adverse effects to structral integrity, as the brickwork immeadiately above it is self supporting. so 2 x25 mm boxes back to back won't make a ha'penny worth of difference.

Hope this helps