Requesting a check on electrical wiring in Kitchen

[deamonata]

Hi there,

We're currently in the process of getting a new kitchen fitted and I wanted to double check the new wiring that has been installed before I plaster over it.

To clarify the electrics have been organised by the fitter so as fair as I know the electrician is part P certified but I was looking at it and the position of the wire doesn't match my understanding for the safe zones. It's possible I'm worng, infact it's quite likely but I wanted to check.

In the image attached the wire comes across the ceiling as I would expect and then drops down. the point where it comes down is about 150-200mm from the edge of the hob. Is that acceptable or should it be inline with the hob?



I appreciate any advice as If there is an issue I don't want to plaster over it until it's fixed.

 

[LukeD]

If you get the go ahead / you plan to bond/skim ??

 

[James]

the position looks fine, i would imagine that the idea is for a cooker isolation switch to be fitted above the worktop and that would want to be to the side of the hob, not directly behind it.

however, i would expect to see a loop of cable at that point and a back box chased into the wall.
also, i would like to see some capping over the top of the cables in the rough as a badgers back side chases.

 

[deamonata]

If you get the go ahead / you plan to bond/skim ??

Yeah. I've done a full wall a few times so shouldn't be too bad to just cover the cables. This is after discussions with fitter where he said that it would need doing.

 

[deamonata]

the position looks fine, i would imagine that the idea is for a cooker isolation switch to be fitted above the worktop and that would want to be to the side of the hob, not directly behind it.

however, i would expect to see a loop of cable at that point and a back box chased into the wall.
also, i would like to see some capping over the top of the cables in the rough as a badgers back side chases.

I thought about the isolation switch, but as you said I would have expected a back box. And equally not told to bury the whole thing under plaster if they are planning on fitting one there. There is a loop of wire on the ground but that's not going to be much use if I've plastered it.

Is capping required as part of the regs or just a recommendation?

 

[davesparks]

I thought about the isolation switch, but as you said I would have expected a back box.

What did you as the customer ask for or discuss with the electrician with regards an isolator?

Or did they just turn up and do the work without actually discussing it with you?

It looks like they are intending to put the isolator in the cupboard rather than having it above the worktop, this is allowed but not what most people would consider ideal.

If this is the case then in my opinion the vertical chase does not comply as once the kitchen is fitted you can't readily identify where the cable comes out of the wall to know that there is a cable buried there.

And no, capping is not a requirement, it is just preferred by some of us.

 

[James]

do you have a plan of the completed kitchen?
this should detail what goes where, including the appliances, isolators and any sockets etc.

if it is just being done as an informal pointing exercise,
cooker here [point]
fridge there [point]
oven in the corner [point]
some lights up there, there and there [point, point point]

you are going to be disappointed with how the project goes and possibly disappointed with the final result.

best case is you get what you want but because of misunderstandings you pay extra for moving things about after work has been half completed.

worst case is you pay more than you expected to pay and still do not have exactly what you wanted.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
NOW IS THE TIME to call in the people involved and TELL them EXACTLY what you want.
draw lines and boxes on the wall if you don't have a set of drawings.

don't give anyone the excuse of i didn't know you wanted that or you wanted that that there.
many problems with a finished build were created right at the beginning of the project but only noticed just before the end, and at that point are somewhere between expensive and impossible to fix.

 

[littlespark]

Yeh, i hate going to do a kitchen and the customer says "there's the plan"

Yea.... the plan of the kitchen, the units, the sink...... Great... now where do you want the sockets, the isolating switches, under unit lights... what size is the hob, the oven.....? huh?

"oh, just whatever you think"


Next time someone says that to me, they're getting 2 dozen double sockets spaced an inch apart

 

[James]

Yeh, i hate going to do a kitchen and the customer says "there's the plan"

Yea.... the plan of the kitchen, the units, the sink...... Great... now where do you want the sockets, the isolating switches, under unit lights... what size is the hob, the oven.....? huh?

"oh, just whatever you think"


Next time someone says that to me, they're getting 2 dozen double sockets spaced an inch apart

DADO trunking?????

 

[Dave OCD]

Yeh, i hate going to do a kitchen and the customer says "there's the plan"

Yea.... the plan of the kitchen, the units, the sink...... Great... now where do you want the sockets, the isolating switches, under unit lights... what size is the hob, the oven.....? huh?

"oh, just whatever you think"


Next time someone says that to me, they're getting 2 dozen double sockets spaced an inch apart

The entire room in all directions could be a safe zone.

 

[Vortigern]

presumably you are going to have a fridge/washing machine/sockets for toaster/microw. oven and hob? I don't really get what you are asking? So let's just take the hob and oven. Where is the on off switch/control for both of them? What rating is the hob and oven or are they gas? Where are your sockets - is it only that double socket I see (nowhere near enough then) I see a spur hanging around for the hob? Where is the washing machine supply? No undercupboard lights? (shame on a new Kitchen!) What are those bits of metal going horizontally. I'll give you two points for each question answered. Oh and what about the other three walls????
P.S. that angled cable top right, is that because your kitchen ceiling slopes down there. Where is the extraction?

 

[James]

I think the horizontal metal strips are to hang the wall cupboards off, shame they seem to be upside down.
DO I GET MY 2 PINTS?

 

[Mike Johnson]

More than two, well spotted that man.

 

[Dave OCD]

Those cupboard hanging rails apart from being upside down don't look as though they have many decent fixings either, considering the combined weight of loaded up wall units that could end up hanging off them.

 

[James]

Who did this?
Kitchen fitter apprentice, first day at work.
diy dave down the pub that claims he used to fit kitchens until covid hit the business.

this has the look and feel of a cash job that has no warranty.
I would suggest you @deamonata re-read and take note of my post #7
so many issues that you need to take up with the company that is going to hand you the bill.

p.s. if you are managing this project yourself, buying parts and ordering labour, you are out of your depth and need help from a professional kitchen fitting company. in many ways they are not perfect but they likely to do a lot better than you have got so far.

 

[deamonata]

So this is an IKEA kitchen. They organised the fitter who then organised the supplemental works (electrics ect). I can't comment on the suitability of the rails/ how well they are secured but a quick check online does look like they are mounted the correct way up at least.

The fridge, freezer and oven are all the othe side out of shot of the image. It the far corner there is a second double socket (behind the ladder you can see where the back box will go) and there is another of the other side of the window.

There is a plan, there is a full 3d model of the kitchen which was done with IKEA which focused on organising and then when the fitter come out pre installation we went through the additional thinks that would also need changing (moving some of the sockets because they were close to sinks ect.) admittedly the isolation switch location wasn't discussed though.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Ikea in their own way do things differently, the cabinet fixings are a clamp rather than hanging on a rail, so it does look as though your fittings on the wall are correct.

 

[Midwest]

To be far, when I did kitchen refurbs, the kitchen manufacturer never advised on positioning of electrical outlets in their kitchen unit plans. That would be down to the company commissioned to do the install, with guidance from a competent electrician.

 

[deamonata]

To be far, when I did kitchen refurbs, the kitchen manufacturer never advised on positioning of electrical outlets in their kitchen unit plans. That would be down to the company commissioned to do the install, with guidance from a competent electrician.

Thats basically what happened here.

There are a few bits that have been less than smooth and a few bits where they've cut a corner I wouldn't have, but arguably so far as I can tell none of it will matter in the final kitchen.

The only real worry I've had is was if the cable for the hob was within regs. I'm probably going to have to do some fixes after they are done. For example we now have a hole in the wall into the cupboard under the stairs where they ran cables which will need filling before I can plaster and also some of the cables in the wall aren't as well secured as I would like which meant I didn't plaster them last night as they would protrude through the plaster.

So far (and to the best of my ability to judge) the quality of the work isn't to the level where I would recommend them or ask them back to do future work but not so bad that I would complain.

 

[LukeD]

Those cupboard hanging rails apart from being upside down don't look as though they have many decent fixings either, considering the combined weight of loaded up wall units that could end up hanging off them.

They are the correct way up. But Could do with a few more fixings ! And common sense says "cap " the cables