I am having a workshop built at the bottom of my garden and want to supply power to it. I want to stay on the right side of the law and regulations but at the same time I want to do as much as possible myself to save money. With this is mind, would it be permissible for me to fully wire up the sockets and lights, fit and wire up consumer unit, run the SWA down the garden to the consumer unit in the house, but then get an electrician in to make the final connection and test and certify the installation?
It will be difficult for you to get anyone to certify and notify work that they haven't done themselves. Having said that, if you know someone that's registered on a competent person scheme he might be willing to oversee your work as you proceed and then sign it off as his own work but he will want to see everything you do before any of it gets covered up.
Would it be considered unsafe if I just plugged the outbuilding into an outside socket, in the same way that you would connect a caravan to the mains supply?
Sen, when you say it would be difficult to get anyone to certify work they haven't done themselves,, surely any good sparky would look at this as just another job that needs to be done and charge accordingly? Similar to a 5 yr periodical I'm assuming. ??
As 99% of people do anyway, Without any thought to theirs, or others safety. What you do in your own home is up to you, But an electrician would do it correctly and ensure that safety was foremost before anything else, Cost or otherwise tbh.
A sparky has to 'sign off' work to confirm it conforms to all the relevant requirements, if he does, not knowing the full picture of the installation, and something occurs, heaven forbid, it'll be his neck on the block.
I accept that Rulland, but surely a sparks would thoroughly test the installation?/ 5yr periodicals aren't always undertaken by the same sparks after all and some installations can be nightmares to test ( I know because we've not long had ours done at work,,,, took a team of 3 sparks just over a week to test everything)
There is a difference between testing an installation and certifying an installation in my book. Testing proves that all is good electrically. Certifying proves that all wiring is in safe zones, etc etc, how can one confirm that if one wasn't the one that installed it?. As I reiterate, you certify it, you are responsible when some one puts a nail through a cable......that shouldn't be there!.
So, getting back to my earlier question....... Would it be considered unsafe if I just plugged the outbuilding into an outside socket, in the same way that you would connect a caravan to the mains supply?
Something I never do I am afraid and the majority of SELF CERTIFICATION sparks who have signed up to part P schemes will adopt the same principle Also its company policy not to start jobs half way through.
Why don't you contact a spark before you start and decide between yous what you can do with regards with cable size and routes etc I think anyone would be happy to let you do the install and the electrician can make ( all ) the connections
Thing I find with these ill run the cables in and you make the connections aspect is thats all well and good and folk state its to save a bit as they have not much money, but a week later a new motor is on the drive so the cash was there in the first place!
If most of it is going to be surface mounted, which is prolly will be, I wouldn't have a problem signing it off, so long as I was paid for an hour of my time to discus what needs to be done first.
I used to like b&q trade counter you could send customers there to get materials on your account and you would get cheques through door from b&q but that didn't last long
Saving money and getting things done right don't go hand in hand ......... Its one or the other in my experience
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