Building control not co-opertive - advice?

[Clivehd]

I did my Part P qualification 6 years back, so the certificate expired a year ago. Been doing wirepatching for years but decided to do a Part P, semi retire and earn a bit doing ad hoc work. No chance once I realised what insurance, test gear, calibration, and registration would cost. Did a bit for a contractor for a while then jacked it all in and sold the Fluke on fleabay.

Now I want to rewire my own house and submitted my intentions to BC. I said I was competent and wanted to do a phased rewire, starting with new kitchen circuits and a new kitchen fitting, then top floor (of three) lighting and power, then middle floor followed by ground and garage. Told them since I needed to live in the house I wanted to minimise disruption. I presently have two CU/Boards with a henley connector. I wanted to put in a new high integrity board to replace an old defunct but still wired MEM which was long ago used for storage radiators. My intention was to wire new circuits to a new board and strip out old circuits as they became redundant, leaving both boards in place until the old one became redundant, then disconnect old tails and install new to the new board only.

Been told - I will have to either have to do all first fix at once and have it all open to be inspected or pay for addition inspections, which could be 5/6 or more - not happy with me swopping new circuits onto a new board unless tested first, which I could do (buy tester back), and any phase of work will need two inspections - first and second fix!!

If I was still with my old firm (now subs all elec work out unfortunately) I could do this job any way I wanted, now I'm being punished and wondered if anyone could suggest a way to deal with this situation.

I dont want to renew my Part P, not register with Napit or any one else, and don't say 'get a sparky in' - I can't afford my prices let alone someone elses!!

Anyone had experience of trying to get an installation 'regularised' afterwards because I'm thinking this may be the way to go so no interim inspections to pay for and I can do things my way, then when finished and I produce all the test results inspection and certification (by third party sparks of course) what can they say??

Be pleased to hear any thoughts on the subject.

 

[Des 56]

Now I want to rewire my own house and submitted my intentions to BC.

That's like saying I have just committed suicide,then saying,I want to know the best medicine to take to make me better

If you are going to break the rules,it may be better not to tell the administrators beforehand

 

[Rauer]

So you want us to tell you how to break the law?

 

[Guitarist]

I have to agree with your BC in part. You want to start adding new circuits to a new CU but don't want to carry out any testing until it is all done? As a sparky, you know that any circuit should be tested before being energised. In addition to that, another electrician is not permitted to test and sign off work you have carried out (at least not yet). Are you actually a fully qualified electrician, or did you simply complete a part P course?
I know this isn't what you want to hear, but testing is carried out for a reason, not just to satisfy LBC.

 

[Clivehd]

If you are going to break the rules,it may be better not to tell the administrators beforehand[/QUOTE]

I don't want to break the rules that why I talked to BC first and got their take on things. I can test and check the circuits before energising, and would do so, but even so BC aren't playing ball and being obstructive - unnecessarily IMHO.

Why do we in England let the government dictate what we can or can't do in and on our own property. If I kill someone I know I'm liable, if my house burns down and its my wiring I can be held responsible and the insurance may not pay out. Until a few years back I could have done any of this work with no qualifications, no testing, no checks, no questions asked. This is me working on my own house - its my house, my property,I own and have paid for it.

Mostly I find punters are scared of electricity and don't want to touch anything - which is a good thing. The cowboys will always be around no matter what rules you bring in. Small electrical contractors are now weighed down with regulations and many are just making a living and working all gods hours to do so.

I know you guys will come back with the 'keep people safe' argument, and better to ''professionalise the trade', and such like reasons. But prior to Part P fully qualified electricians were held in high regard, now any old bod can call themselves electricians. One guy on the course I was on could not cope with any of the calculations or understand the testing procedures - he was a plumber who needed to connect boilers to spurs - but unbelievably he ( by being taken into a seperate room by the tutor to redo his exam) managed to come out with a pass!! If that doesn't dilute the 'profession'and devalue everyone I don't know what does.

Anyone can work on the brakes on their car with impunity. No-one says they can't - but what would happen if the government brought in a law saying only competent people were allowed to do car repairs, ones that had done a course and exams and then paid good money to join a (government approved) registered body to supposedly check on their competence (but don't really anyway - just pay your cash to them) - all small guys running their own one man businesses and servicing their own vehicles to save money would either break the law or have to put up their prices. What about the hobby people that run racing cars, off roaders, track cars .............

I know some complete idiots attempt things they shouldn't but these regulations will never stop them - so who exactly do we protect? All that happens is the responsible who try to do things by the rules get blocked by beauracracy, electrical contractors have to put all the prices up, and in the end more people go round the back route.

So is anyone able to answer my original question - has anyone ever tried to get a retrospective approval from BS for an electrical installation. I bet no-one ever has - cos you do it outside the rules and keep quiet and trust no-one asks questions and nothing goes wrong, not go later to BS- say what you've done and try to get them to pat you on the head!:stupid:

 

[trev]

Without wanting to sound aggressive Clive I think you've proven from what you've posted that you don't want to adhere to the rules no matter what you claim.
You don't want to pay for multiple first and second fix inspections, you don't want/can't afford to pay for a spark, you don't want to re register etc etc.
I'm afraid that these are the only LEGAL options open to you as any notifiable installation is required to be notified within 30 days of it's completion.

 

[Guitarist]

Clive, you are right, there are many cowboys out there and people who don't play by the rules. I am amazed and shocked that someone can attend a course for a few weeks and call themself an "electrician", but that's a different thread.
Bottom line is that you become part P registered with all that entails, or you break the law as many people do. I am part P registered, and yes, it costs me a fortune, but as I don't want to break the law (however wrong I may think it is), that is my only option.
Your LBC are obliged to follow the law, so I'm not sure how you can accuse them of not "playing ball", simply because they have told you that they won't break the rules for you. It may be your property now, but at some point down the line I'm sure it will belong to someone else.

 

[Octopus]

This is going to end in tears...................

Why don't you get a local sparky to work with you, yes it'll cost you a bit but if you do the bashing and drilling and let them do the testing etc maybe you can stay legal and save a few pennies.

 

[wade88]

Is a re-wire necessary? have tests proven it may need attention? or are you simply trying to find something to do in your semi retirement, if thats the case, mug off the re-wire save the time and money, put a bag of burning poo on the door step of your local council office and jump on a party cruise to Rio De Janero baby

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Just saying.....its an option

 

[drew35]

Pretty soon every trade will have a scheme of some sort, us and gas just got hit first. There is one for mechanics its called being ATA registered, and you do have to be ATA registered to change the brakes on your car, but the brakes are at least checked every year on the MOT. And none of you have a clue how to change your brakes properly, at least not to the ATA standard, everyone just thinks they can, until someone gets killed.

I know I wouldn't want to buy a house that had been worked on by some numpty without any control.

 

[telectrix]

i've been doing the brakes on every vehicle i've ever owned and never had a problem.

sent from my samsung galaxy in ward 5, north staffs emergency admission ward.

 

[wade88]

i've been doing the brakes on every vehicle i've ever owned and never had a problem.

So have I. Can't see how ATA standard break changes would differ. What comes off, must simply go back on...preferably in the same order

 

[Clive P]

I know this is not really in tune with the thread posted, but I thought you may find it interesting as it's about LABC. When I did my 2391 a couple of years ago, one of the lads on the course called them to a re-wire he had done ( he's a fully qualified spark , but working mostly on commercial/industrial ). Anyway they sent the Admin girl from the office to sign it off, and she couldn't even wire a plug!

Regards.

 

[Rauer]

Don't quite belive that

 

[Clive P]

Totally true, believe it or not.

Regards.

 

[Geordie Spark]

i've been doing the brakes on every vehicle i've ever owned and never had a problem.

sent from my samsung galaxy in ward 5, north staffs emergency admission ward.

Are you realy back in the horsepickle Tel?? I hope not & that you're ok.

 

[telectrix]

nah, geordie, it was a joke on diy brake replacement. i'm fitter than i was before. so impressed with the surgeon's work, i'm getting him in to do my central heating plumbing next week.

 

[Geordie Spark]

nah, geordie, it was a joke on diy brake replacement. i'm fitter than i was before. so impressed with the surgeon's work, i'm getting him in to do my central heating plumbing next week.

Good lad !!! I'm pleased that you're ok.

 

[telectrix]

been back working for 2 weeks. only 2-3 days a week, taking it easy for a bit. using a 3lb hammer for chasing, not the old 4lb lump.

 

[Guitarist]

nah, geordie, it was a joke on diy brake replacement. i'm fitter than i was before. so impressed with the surgeon's work, i'm getting him in to do my central heating plumbing next week.

I must confess, when I read your post I thought "bloody hell, not again...."