A few question for you all...

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Electroglow

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Now... Last week I came to 2nd fix a loft conversion and realised it has been plastered. I told the builder to mark where the cables are for the down lights and what joist they are in. He forgot to mark them all...

Only 3 light are marked. After pinging out the lines we diced to go with his marks.. Problem was the cables are no where to b seen. Yes they were in the next joist along.

Another problem.. The stud wall was not built for one of the rooms so we left the fan ISo and pull cord for the light hnging down ready to b pulled in... When we arrived he had pulled the light switch cable and put a hole just above the door( he thought this was the fan iso) and put the real fan iso where the switch should be)

Is it ok to put the fan iso flush to the ceiling? It Hwithin reach to isolate ????

Another q is... The builder has put his own shower cable in... That's fine but has not put a iso switch for the shower and he doesn't remember where he ran the cable... Any ways of getting around this other than making a note at the db??

Cheers

 
Manufactures instructions for the shower probably say that a local isolation switch is required and they normally need to be double pole with a separation of at least 3mm. As such a note at the DB is not a solution IMHO. Best read the shower installation instructions and follow those if you are signing an electrical certificate and notifying for part P compliance. If you are not doing the correct certification then just wire it as you want. But I can see no reasonable excuse for not installing the correct isolation switch. The builder can just patch back up any holes due to his negligence. Unless you failed to advise him clearly of the requirements, in which case you could cover the cost for making good any access holes yourself.

Doc H.

 
Yes building control will be notified.. I didn't know they wanted a shower as I said in the op. as far as I am aware the shower has nothing to do with me. I did not connect up the shower... I know a isolation with with in 2m is the regulations... He said there is no way he is looking for the cable. So I will put on the cert the shower has not been installed by us just the lighting and power

 
I always make a detailed plan where down light cables have been left. Also indicating certain joists on the map. I have never met a builder I could trust to mark or identify any cables. Even when I know where they are, they often get pushed to the side or hidden in insulation. Trusty coat hanger and determination finds them. The other problem I encounter Is remembering where I left the plan. To identify joists I make a small hole to find them , a bit of filler can fix it afterwards.

 
If you have not been contracted to connect the shower, don't connect it to the CU, let A.N.Other take care of that, like the rest of the shower wiring. You shouldn't put yourself in the position of being responsible for someone elses non compliance.

Make sure your certificates only cover the circuits that you personally have done.

Can't see anything wrong with a fan isolator switch in the ceiling, seen it plenty of times.

 
Same as Dave says TBH , the shower is nothing to do with you so don't connect it .(Apply sparks law No.1 of rectum protectus) Builders eh! ' Most of them never learn .

Treat the downlight debacle as a learning curve, as with Pewter , I always do a sketch with measurements for downlights and the builder I do most for agrees the positions with me and keeps the sketch until 2nd fix.

 
The trouble is that most of the time, each tradesman is only bothered about there part of the job, and if this means that moving, cutting, getting rid of your cables out of the way will make their job easier, then they will do it.

As an example, a sparky I used to know, would take some spray paint and mark the floor below his k/o boxes (ok this only works if the floor is finished and not waiting to be screeded Lol!) therefore if it got plastered over he could find it quickly.

 
The trouble is that most of the time, each tradesman is only bothered about there part of the job, and if this means that moving, cutting, getting rid of your cables out of the way will make their job easier, then they will do it.As an example, a sparky I used to know, would take some spray paint and mark the floor below his k/o boxes (ok this only works if the floor is finished and not waiting to be screeded Lol!) therefore if it got plastered over he could find it quickly.
I use a hammer !!

 
After having the same problem a few years ago (posted about it here I think or might have been back in the SF days)& the added problem that the builder had lobbed the cables above kingspan then boarded & plastered........ I started doing the same as the guys.... make a detailed layout plan & give one to the builder & one to the customer keeping one for yourself.

 
I made the plaster cut holes out from where ye lights are befor he boarded it. On one of the cable he had trapped it between the joist and the player board lol.

 
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