Sign off DIY work Building Control

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by fire, Feb 12, 2016.

  1. fire

    fire Well-Known Member

    There seems to be allot of questions across the forum Electrical and Gas where talk about how to get your DIY work signed off by an accredited registered person.

    I think it is about time this was cleared up for sure.

    The simple answer is, You CAN'T.

    It is illegal for any person to sign off work and say he had done the work when he clearly did not. If that person is a fully fledged registered and accredited Electrician or Gas Engineer and he lies about the installation he can pretty much kiss his career goodbye.

    I think the reason this exist is because no one has told the general public the correct way to do this so here is a post to do just that.

    The not so big but seems to be secret is Building Control.
    Although this may sound like some kind of regulation which it is, Building Control is in fact the nasty evil frustrating hideous people appointed into our local councils up and down England who really do seem to want to get deep into our lives and dictate how we should go about living them. A power hungry political class of diplomatic immune toffs.

    Small rant above over but yes you need to actually visit your local councils website and find the contact details for Building Control of your area.
    You then have to contact them and somehow get them on your side. Then tell them exactly what you want to do, if it installing a new Boiler or the installation of a new Consumer Unit.
    Yes a Consumer Unit installation needs to be notified to the Building Control department of your local council BEFORE work is carried out.

    So before you even lift a screwdriver or push the buy it now button on any items you need to carry out any of the work. It is listed in Part P of the building regs for electrical work you MUST notify the Building Control department of three things which i mention bellow.

    Once they know about it and have been notified, only then you can continue with the DIY work you wish to carry out. They will contact you as to it's progress and will come out and inspect all your work and in many cases while you are doing it. This is because if pipes or cables are to be installed in the wall, they want to inspect them before you plaster over.
    Of course it all depends on what work you plan on carrying out but they will generally be on you like a rash.

    Once work is completed and all DIY work is deemed satisfactory and all tests have been done not to mention certificates for the DIY work they will sign it off. Their sign off is different to a registered accredited engineer because well they are classed as gods of the building regulations.

    So everything in the regulations that states it is notifiable would require signing off and means you need to notify Building Control to infect you with a their plague.

    This is how it is done, so anyone carries out work then tries to get it signed off just won't and anyone who does try cheat the system and gets found out will be screwed.

    So notify Building Control at your local authority, get the go ahead and you won't have to worry about the stupid sign off.

    Oh and this means there is no such thing as someone who is Part P qualified. The P is just the indexing in the Building Regulations catalogue. Nothing more and nothing less and there are only 3 major things in an Electrical installation that require you to notify Building Control for.

    1. Alterations to bathrooms electrics
    2. Installing a new circuit
    3. Changing a Consumer Unit


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2016
  2. fire

    fire Well-Known Member

    Building regulations - a guide

    What happens if I do work without approval?

    The Local Authority has to see that building work complies with the Regulations. If the work does not comply, you may be asked to alter or remove it. If you fail to do this, the Local Authority may serve a notice requiring you do so within 28 days, and you will be liable for the costs.
    If you disagree with the Notice you should tell the Council and seek advice from a suitable qualified person. The time limit will then be extended to allow discussions between your adviser and the Council to take place.
    Are there penalties for contravening the building regulations?

    If you contravene the Regulations by building without notifying the Local Authority or by carrying out work which does not comply, the Local Authority can prosecute. If you are convicted, you are liable to a penalty not exceeding £5,000 plus £50 for each day on which each individual contravention is not put right after you have been convicted. If you do not put the work right when asked to do so, the Local Authority have power to do it themselves and recover the costs from you.
    Can I obtain retrospective approval for building work carried out without notification?

    Yes. The Building Regulations allow you to "regularise" unauthorised building work that has begun since 11 November 1985. However, in applying for this "regularisation" of unauthorised work you must be prepared to open up as much of the construction as necessary so that the Building Control Surveyor can check you are complying with the Building Regulations in force at the time of construction.
    If this is carried out and the works comply or if alterations are made to ensure compliance with the Regulations a "Regularisation Certificate" will be issued. If works do not comply or you are not prepared to open up the necessary areas for inspection no further action will be taken and a "Regularisation Certificate" will not be issued.
    There is a charge payable (which is not subject to VAT) to the Council for this type of application. The money must be deposited with your application for it to be valid. Details are attached to the application form. This Regularisation Charge is not refundable whether or not you obtain a "Regularisation Certificate".

    The regularisation certificate is expensive, very expensive so it is cheaper to notify them before you carry out the work.

    http://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200011/building_control/89/building_regulations_-_a_guide/7
     
  3. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    Hmmm, part p only applies to domestic

    You can do some work in bathrooms without part p

    You can get third party sign offs.

    I'm sure there's more.
     
  4. sparky Si-Fi

    sparky Si-Fi Screwfix Select

    All comes down to using another individuals license number and liability

    I am not reading all that lot in the first two posts. . .
     
  5. sparky Si-Fi

    sparky Si-Fi Screwfix Select

    :(
     
  6. madhatter1uk

    madhatter1uk Screwfix Select

    To use a third party sign off you need to notify before hand. Only one of them do the scheme. Probably niceic. I don't think napit do it.

    With mine it's either part p registered electrician or notify and get a registered electrician to do the work, a test and inspection on it or diy and pay for a registered electrician to inspect it.

    Which is confusing because it completely co tradicts with signing off someone else's work. I assume it's just general test and inspection an EIC they want.
     
  7. tina lucinda lane

    tina lucinda lane Screwfix Select

    smells like bull to me as for gas you can NOT do that your self with out a gas safe cert full stop. Electrical what a lot of rubbish (oh its gud to live in nothern ireland)
     
  8. spinlondon

    spinlondon Screwfix Select

    Only need to be registered with Gas Safe if you are conducting the work for remuneration.
     
  9. tina lucinda lane

    tina lucinda lane Screwfix Select

    majour loop hole that one as under corgi it was against the law to do any gas work with out being registered
     
  10. spinlondon

    spinlondon Screwfix Select

    Nope, Corgi was exactly the same.
     
    Phil Hyde likes this.
  11. tina lucinda lane

    tina lucinda lane Screwfix Select

    funny i had a gas guy into replace a broken valve (still turned on and off safely but the nut to hold the handle on wouldnt stay on due to the threads been worn off due to cross threading) didnt charge me for it as i had bought the part. When i asked he said that if i had done it i would of broke the law
     
  12. madhatter1uk

    madhatter1uk Screwfix Select

    Oi ger orf the sparky's forum with your Corgi talk.
     
  13. tina lucinda lane

    tina lucinda lane Screwfix Select

    get off your high horse the op said both gas and electrical
     
  14. spinlondon

    spinlondon Screwfix Select

    Yep a lot of people believe that.
    The statutory requirement is and always has been, that you be competent, and if doing the work for remuneration, registered.
     
  15. madhatter1uk

    madhatter1uk Screwfix Select

    Noo I like it up here, I'm higher than you lot.
    Last time I was on a high horse I got called Roy Rogers.
     
  16. madhatter1uk

    madhatter1uk Screwfix Select

    I have this argument about Christmas lights with the council all the time. They say I have to be registered. I say I have to be competent. They're plugs and sockets, they don't even come under part p
     
  17. spinlondon

    spinlondon Screwfix Select

    Registered Christmas Light Installer?
    Who do you have to register with for that?
     
  18. madhatter1uk

    madhatter1uk Screwfix Select

    Registered electrician with niceic. Christmas lights just have regs, not a qualification.
     
  19. Coloumb

    Coloumb Screwfix Select

    There is no law to stop you doing what ever you want to your boiler. It's YOUR boiler. If your house later blows up because of the work you did then tuff luck, you were not competent to do the work. If your house was in the middle of a field then you would be homeless and that would be the end of it (unless you damaged the actual gas suppliers equipment - see next). If your house blew up and you were in a terrace and you caused damage to the adjacent properties or indeed life, then you would, quite possibly, be charged with the The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regs and quite a bit else I would imagine as you were clearly not competent to do the work. If you did work for anyone else on equipment that did not belong to you then I would imagine you would be breaking The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 full stop. Not sure what happens if you were doing the work for free though.
     
    madhatter1uk likes this.
  20. sparky Si-Fi

    sparky Si-Fi Screwfix Select

    To use a third party sign off you need to notify before hand.

    . . .you notify LABC prior to any works commencement. . .third parties are exactly what they say, you get them to take the flak and they just come in and test and inspect as they can self certify there OWN work

    Only one of them do the scheme. Probably niceic. I don't think napit do it.

    UP will answer that as he is a spark with the NAPIT

    With mine it's either part p registered electrician or notify and get a registered electrician to do the work, a test and inspection on it or diy and pay for a registered electrician to inspect it.

    Which is confusing because it completely co tradicts with signing off someone else's work. I assume it's just general test and inspection an EIC they want.[/QUOTE]


    LABC's vary from county to county, some will accept an EICR some will have their own gang of sparks who have the local contract


    You have too much guessing going on here. . .
     

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