www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

I got the house in 2003 and did the kitchen first. Did all my own cabling.

Then they bought in Part P -and I'm doing the rest of it now so am worrying about it all and blah, blah...

If I get the house inspected can they make a thing over the kitchen?

Providing its all 'safe' to prior PP specs can they stick their noses in?

Cheers

I'm not a sparky but from the work I've done anything pre Part P does not get inspected. I've even been told to use the old colours and say the work was done pre 05 when you come to sell to get wrong the issue.

And as for the colour change a friend of mine completed a double storey extension and the inspector told him he could use either colour scheme giving the reason to keep it in line with the rest of the house.

The new colour cables were for sale months before part P was introduced and so there is no need to use the old cable colours.

People will get around part p if they can because it saves them money, time and hassle.

Thanks for that.

I'm in a difficult position because I'm normally as straight as a die for everything when it comes to legislation etc.

But the Part P winds me up something rotten.

I'm extremely careful about wiring obviously I don't know all the regs but apply bucket loads of common sense so would like to know what I can 'get away with in terms of declaration'

Half my wiring is the old colour and half is new.

I thought if when we sell the place in 10 years time will we be able to say the work was done prior to Part P.

If so, when did the new cable colour become available to buy. I seem to think it was before Jan 05

I know this email make me look bad and dishonest - but I'm not honest

If I remember rightly I think you could get it in approx July 2004

You are not dishonest and I shouldn't be telling you, but you asked

unless you have a new fuse board only the circuit that is being worked on needs testing

Use a little pragmatism.

The main objective of Part P was to stop the cowboys. They can get found out.

How ar you going to get found out wiring your own house? Do you really want to pay £100 or so every time you get BC to pass your work?

Thanks guys.

I know all the pro-sparks are going to be spitting teeth over this next statement, but basic housing electrics isn't that complicated.

Read up on everything first, be neat and careful, check everything with a multimeter after you pull the breakers, leave no bare copper, protect your cables, don't run and cables where you wouldn't expect them to go (all mine go vertically even if its the difficult option) and don't expose them to puncture hazards.

When I did the loft rafters I pre-drilled them all with 3 30mm cable holes middle and both ends. Top of each hole was 60mm from the top of the rafter. I only use 2" screws etc.

If I have to join cables at a socket I twist them together and then solder them before putting them into the terminal. Don't know if its the right thing to do or not, but surely it can't hurt and must improve the conductivity.

I did electronics at college and my dad used to be a radio / TV engineer so I grew up around electrics.

Got my first belt aged 8 You learn real quick after that.

Again apologies to all the pros but I think this is caused by the government that is replacing common sense with regulation to a RIDICULOUS degree.

Caution this coffee might be hot. Strap mattresses to the bonnets of cars to protect pedestrians - how about teaching them to cross the road properly. Police that can't even tell kids off anymore. I got a clip round the ear from a bobby when I was a kid. Went home told my dad and got a twatting from him as well...

Getting off my soapbox now and taking the nice pink pills the happy man in the white coat gave me.

twist them together and solder, well thats a good way to make sure they are connected, but very time consuming and makes it interesting shall we say when a fault develops and we have to break the ring up to trace the problem. Sometimes a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Testing using a multimeter is not going to prove anything apart from ring continuity , will not prove if the protective device wil operate in the correct time, if it complies or is safe. Thats why you need an electrician to test your work as there are a lot of varaiables involved in electrics not just run cable connect to supply and turn on, Oh look it works , it must be ok then . cross fingers and prey

Nick

I wouldn't bother with the soldering bit or twisting the wires together, this annoys the crap out of me!

If you ever need to seperate the wires, they often break because they have been twisted together.

I take all that on board. No more twisting together and soldering.

Yes a little knowledge is dangerous, but I know how stupid I am.

I will get things tested to make sure they are safe, but it will probably be a on the quiet test by one of the works sparks - not for certification, but just to make sure it's safe.