Rewiring job in Scotland

[Doomageta]

Hi Guys, first post here so please let me know if it does not make any sense.

Recently got an old bungalow and since i have just installed a damp proof membrane (DPM) under the floor joists i thought i could do with a rewire as well before we move in.

Currently has an old fuse box that uses rewirable fuses and the sockets on the main rings are on the skirting boards and the 2.5mm cable are red/black...so it really is old.

Before anything else I am not a sparky (Electronics guy by degree but an IT professional by trade) but i like to keep on top of things whether i do the job myself or hire someone.

I am looking to upgrade the fusebox to a new 15-way dual load CU with RCDs and the whole chebang!

In order to keep costs down i was looking to do the wall chasing and running of the cable for the new CU myself but, get sparky in to actually check and do the connections to the CU. There is a mixture or lath+plaster and solid walls that will need to be chased in order to create new circuit and add additional sockets.

Had a guy around to check the place and he was happy doing that but he also said that i do not need to declare the work to the authorities. I thought the addition of new circuit must be declared as part of building regs but, i wasn't 100% sure if that is for Scotland or England or both. He said that unless i was looking to rent or sell the property then there was no need for it. Could anyone advise please? Is it acceptable to not have the work declared even though it is fully tested at the end? I wouldn't see the point (unless it costs big bucks) to get it all done properly and not get the piece of paper that tells you you have done it properly.

Next question is what is the definition of the acceptable zones now for running vertical chases? I will be running cable under the floor joist since i have 0.5m of crawl space lay them on the cement (which is on top of the new DPM). Last time i checked it was 150mm from any kind of corner where two walls meet? Has this increased? Also how high do the sockets need to be? The guy told me 400mm from floor level is now the norm.

Thanks for any guidance and things i should look out for and I am sure i will have plenty more questions as this goes on.

Doomageta

 

[ProDave]

Firstly WHERE in Scotland are you? (or more importantly where is the house?)

There is No Part Pee in Scotland so you don't need to notify it. However if it's a Flat, or a 3 storey building, you are supposed to get a building warrant for a full rewire, but not just for alterations.

Since it's a rewire of an old property, you are not constrained by socket and switch heights. Those are building regulations that apply to new builds, or to extensions. For a rewire you can please yourself.

Safe zones for cables extend vertically up / down, or horizontally from any accessory. So if running cables under the floor, you come straight up the wall from the floor to each socket.

Whoever connects it and tests it should issue an EIC for the work (Electrical Installation Certificate) If you are doing part of the cable installing, I am sure whoever is connecting it will want to see how you have run the cables to satisfy himself that they are routed correctly.

Better to clip cables under the floor to the joists rather than just leave them loose on the floor.

If you are nearby to me, this is a job I would take on with you doing most of the cable pulling.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was made at 15:31 ----------

Need to add, that Lath and plaster walls are dreadful things. If you are doing a full renovation, you would be better off stripping off the lath and plaster, and replacing it with plasterboard. Please don't even think of fitting downlights to a l&p ceiling for instance.

 

[betty swollocks]

Why not fit downlights to l&p ceilings???

Much quicker than squirting accelerant through the letter box when wanting to burn the place down.

 

[Badger]

not a problem if leds are used :slap :run

 

[ProDave]

I wasn't thinking of the flamable effects of a downlighter in a lath and plaster ceiling.

I was thinking that it's nigh on impossible to cut a round hole in a l&p ceiling. I know, I tried it once.

 

[Evans Electric]

Firstly WHERE in Scotland are you? (or more importantly where is the house?)There is No Part Pee in Scotland so you don't need to notify it. However if it's a Flat, or a 3 storey building, you are supposed to get a building warrant for a full rewire, but not just for alterations.

Since it's a rewire of an old property, you are not constrained by socket and switch heights. Those are building regulations that apply to new builds, or to extensions. For a rewire you can please yourself.

Safe zones for cables extend vertically up / down, or horizontally from any accessory. So if running cables under the floor, you come straight up the wall from the floor to each socket.

Whoever connects it and tests it should issue an EIC for the work (Electrical Installation Certificate) If you are doing part of the cable installing, I am sure whoever is connecting it will want to see how you have run the cables to satisfy himself that they are routed correctly.

Better to clip cables under the floor to the joists rather than just leave them loose on the floor.

If you are nearby to me, this is a job I would take on with you doing most of the cable pulling.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was made at 15:31 ----------

Need to add, that Lath and plaster walls are dreadful things. If you are doing a full renovation, you would be better off stripping off the lath and plaster, and replacing it with plasterboard. Please don't even think of fitting downlights to a l&p ceiling for instance.

Oh is that a fact Dave , No Part Pee in Scotlad eh ! Well well, bet none of us knew that !!!

 

[M107]

I wasn't thinking of the flamable effects of a downlighter in a lath and plaster ceiling.I was thinking that it's nigh on impossible to cut a round hole in a l&p ceiling. I know, I tried it once.

Run the holesaw in reverse...........................you'll need a few though they blunt real quick.

 

[Andy™]

There is No Part Pee in Scotland so you don't need to notify it.

Really? you Scots kept quite about that one!

 

[M107]

The way some so called sparks & LABC's go on down here you'd think there wasnt any part Pee at all.

 

[Doomageta]

Firstly WHERE in Scotland are you? (or more importantly where is the house?)There is No Part Pee in Scotland so you don't need to notify it. However if it's a Flat, or a 3 storey building, you are supposed to get a building warrant for a full rewire, but not just for alterations.

Since it's a rewire of an old property, you are not constrained by socket and switch heights. Those are building regulations that apply to new builds, or to extensions. For a rewire you can please yourself.

Safe zones for cables extend vertically up / down, or horizontally from any accessory. So if running cables under the floor, you come straight up the wall from the floor to each socket.

Whoever connects it and tests it should issue an EIC for the work (Electrical Installation Certificate) If you are doing part of the cable installing, I am sure whoever is connecting it will want to see how you have run the cables to satisfy himself that they are routed correctly.

Better to clip cables under the floor to the joists rather than just leave them loose on the floor.

If you are nearby to me, this is a job I would take on with you doing most of the cable pulling.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was made at 15:31 ----------

Need to add, that Lath and plaster walls are dreadful things. If you are doing a full renovation, you would be better off stripping off the lath and plaster, and replacing it with plasterboard. Please don't even think of fitting downlights to a l&p ceiling for instance.

Thanks for the reply ProDave. The house is in Dundee it is a detached bungalow.

Good thing to know about the existing building/extension. I may be planning to build a little dining space if funds allow it after all of this. So the new building/warrant requirements will apply to that if i understood correctly.

Would i request a EIC if the job is a homer?

You think l+p is bad? The first thing i stripped out was these polystyrene ceiling tiles...the spitfires!!! Bad bad bad.

Anyways, Trying to avoid redoing walls if it can be helped. Gonna have to find the wall studs and chase right besides so, i can attach the back box onto the side of them. From what you said the other alternative would be to either have external/wall mounted sockets or have the back box on the skirting board again (hmmm no good) or changing some internal walls.

Can the 2.5mm cables running up from under the floor onto the socket and then back down under the floor to the next point in the ring stay bare in the space in the internal walls? I was going to use some PVC conduit to route them where they are concealed within the space in the internal walls but read somewhere that i may be acceptable not to use conduit. Just asking out of curiosity as I still will use the conduit anyways.

I think this is now long enough for this time of night so take it easy guys.

Doomageta

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Who remembers the threads from a few years ago where all the posters claimed they were in Scotland so they could get advise without all the Part Pee abuse ]

 

[ProDave]

Yes any NEW work, i.e an extension will have to comply with all the socket and switch position requirements of building regs in force at the time, but in the existing house you can do as you please.

No need for conduit inside a stud wall. Your hardest part is going to be getting the cable up from under the floor into the wall if there's not a hole there already to thread the cables through.

If insistent on keeping the l&p walls, be prepared for a lot of bu99ering about and making good where huge chunks of the old plaster fall off. Very often in these old houses the outside walls are also l&p on a timber studs, so you can usually feed cables up behind there as well.

Dundee is way to far off for me, but it sounds like you have someone in mind anyway.

 

[Doomageta]

Well I had one person in and you seem to have advised similar things apart from the socket height (not actually required on existing buildings) and the need for conduit. He may have said that for ease of routing cables more than anything else, since you seem to think that it is not required inside the l+p partition wall. So overall he sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

I haven't drilled a weight-bearing wall yet but, it certainly looks like l+p and bricks behind it. Not sure if there is enough of a gap yet to run cables through that space. I will need conduit on that anyway in case of damp coming through from outside won't I? Actually one of the partition wall (between bathroom and kitchen) is of cement block construction so, that one will be fun.

I am planning on re-plastering the walls anyway so big chunks falling off should be OK...i will get back to you on that one when i start...i may just be changing my mind after a chase or two.

Now ready to tackle this huge thing (for me) by turning old fusebox (3 light circuit + 1 ring main + 1 shower circuit) into new CU with 3 light circuits + 2 ring main circuit + 2 radial shower circuit + 1 kitchen ring + 1 radial for cooker + 1 detectors circuit + 1 radial for boiler+ 1 radial for doorbell.

Just listen and wait for the BANG!!!

Thanks for your guidance. I shall bring this up again if i come across anything weird/difficult/other.

Take it easy. Dundee is the centre of the World (lol)...surely you can't be that far away???

 

[Doomageta]

To Greg1982:

Hi, thanks for the offer. Are you a DIYer like me or a qualified electrician? Like i said in the post i have been in touch with someone already but, it never hurts to look at several options.

Sorry about the thread bump everyone but, apparently you need to have 10 posts before you can send a PM...unless there is a way to bypass this.

 

[jakecameron]

Hi there. Myself and Greg are business partners in fife. I'm sure we can help if u were interested? What was this guys quote? And what work/ material is he providing? Cheers

 

[greg1982]

Hi doomegata, like jack said we have our own business both qualified electricians with an apprentice working alongside us. Offered my help if you needed reliable and honest help.

 

[Doomageta]

Do you have a phone number i could call? You can email it to me at [email protected]

Sorry i still cannot PM.

 

[jakecameron]

Hi please call 07895224610

Jack Cameron