Quick question before pricing

[scott-fitz]

Pricing a job wiring a new extension, nothing massive just a dining room, utility and toilet.

To avoid opening a can of worms replacing the old consumer unit I'm going to keep my installation on it's own 4 way RCD protected CU which I will install within the extension due to there being limited space in the electric cupboard.

I'd normally opt for a SWA into a metal clad board, but the customer wants the board to be installed high level in the dining room and personally I think it'd look naff with a metal clad board and a SWA on show, for this reason I'm looking at installing a 16mm t&e from an mcb in the existing consumer unit or a small dp switch and mcb henry blocked off the main tails, I haven't decided yet.

However my question is this, Am I right in thinking that my 16mm T&E doesn't have to be RCD protected if I run it all the way in say MT4? It's my understanding that it won't have to be RCD protected as long as it's surface?

Cheers,

Scott

 

[Engineer54]

Your going to install a new separate CU for dining room a utility room and a WC?? ....Are you being serious here??
So to suit YOUR needs the customer is going to have to put up with looking at an eyesore of a CU at high level in the dining room??

I know what i would have told you if i were the customer. Your creating a bigger can of worms in my opinion than doing the job correctly in the first place, by replacing the existing CU!! it would have also brought the rest of the house up to the latest RCD safety regulations too... Unbelievable!!!

 

[scott-fitz]

"Engineer54" I'm sorry but I see no need for your outburst, I agree this isn't the best scenario and frankly I don't think you should be slagging people off when they come for a little advice on a friendly forum, how is this work not being done "correctly" agreed it's not practical but it will in no way deviate from the regs.

The customer has recently had a periodic report done and does not want a replacement consumer or rectification work to be done in the main house, they have insisted on a separate consumer.

The board and meter is in an old recessed cupboard, which the front door backs onto when opened, there is no possible way that a new board would fit in there, when suggesting it could go just outside the cupboard in the hallway he refused and asked for it to be put high level in the dining room.

this wouldn't be suiting my needs at all as it would make my job a lot easier just replacing the old CU and adding some additional circuits.

So what do you propose I do, turn down the work?

 

[Engineer54]

That is not how you described the situation in your OP, apart from anything else, you were claiming limited space in the electric cupboard!!

So your clients have funds for a dining room and utility room extension, but nothing for the electrical safety of the rest of the house!! So what results did they get from this PIR they had done on the existing CU??

 

[scott-fitz]

They have quite a few code 2 deviations the most serious of which is no c.p.c for the lighting circuits that are supplying class I equipment, I personally have seen this down a few times as a code 2 but if doing the report myself I wouldn't feel comfortable putting it down as anything less than a 1.

The customer really should know better as he's a builder but when speaking to him it's clear that the way things look comes before safety - he is not prepared have his lights re-wired or even to have the class I equipment changed.

There is also some sockets that have been installed with cable which has insufficient c.s.a, again he won't let me touch these (I'm suspecting that he put them in).

I'm sorry if the OP wasn't sufficient, this was to stay clear of writing an essay and just get my main question across which was about the RCD/non-RCD protection of the additional CU supply, In my mind I have two options for the way he wants it done and i feel I can make it look better in T&E with all the cables coming into the back of the CU than having an SWA glanded into a metal clad box.

I do agree with you whole heartedly about the aesthetics of a CU in the dining room and the bonus to the whole of the house a replacement CU would bring but there is only so much I can do when a customer says no, would you not agree?

 

[topquark]

Technically no, it doesn't have to be RCD protected. However with a cable that size, I'd want it to be.

My first reaction was also that 16mm sounded a bit OTT as well, would a 45-50A supply at 10mm not be large enough?

 

[Welchyboy]

wow a cu at high level in the dining room with a dirty great bit of mt4 sticking out the bottom on a new extension, i would hate to have to put my name to that!

If he is a builder cant you get him to build a small cupboard in the corner of the room or something and if your gonna use one rcd to protect all your new circuits put it at the supply end of the 16mm cable then you can chase it into the wall

seems he is being a little unreasonable to me, but then again most builders are

oh and as above 16mm is a bit costly and large for a sub main supplying them circuits, a 10mm would be more than enough and you would save a good few quid!

 

[Octopus]

A builder, unsafe house and cutting corners. twxt.

 

[topquark]

A builder, unsafe house and cutting corners. twxt.

I'm biting my tongue

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I'm biting my tongue

Yep and the o/p wants to bite the bullet here...no not THAT bullit..lol....wants to bite the bullet and walk.....caus the next thing will be...oh..ever sinse you did the work we keep getting "faults" etc...you get the picture...I bet those class 1s are still there n all and i bet if another sparks went in there on a PIR ....some of those 2s would end up being 1s.............

 

[Silly Sausage]

"Engineer54" I'm sorry but I see no need for your outburst, I agree this isn't the best scenario and frankly I don't think you should be slagging people off when they come for a little advice on a friendly forum,

Haha, Scott.

Take no offence from E54, it's the way he is, abrupt and straight to the point, doesn't take fools gladly (honourary Yorkshire man), but he is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable blokes on here...he gives sound & reliable/accurate advice

Good luck with your job.

A