Since 2006, when Part P of the building regulations
became law most changes to your wiring for
lights or sockets, indoors or your garden electrics
needed to comply with the Part P rules. The
most fundamental rule being that for practical
purposes only a 'Competent Person' may complete
certain electrical jobs in and around the home.
What is a 'Competent Person'?
A member of government approved Competent Person
Scheme, such as Blue Flame. CPS members
are inspected annually to ensure their work is
safe, and that they understand the regulations.
What work is covered?
These rules were relaxed in 2013 so that the
alteration of existing circuits in the bathroom
zone 2 & outside zones (a quick web search
will explain bathroom zones), kitchens and
outdoors were removed from the scope of Part P.
But basically this means that currently (May
2014);
-
Any electrical work in bathroom zones 0&1,
or other room where water plumbing and
electricity are present and people are likely to
be more exposed to electrical earth (in English
a room where people are likely to be wet, have
their clothes off and no shoes).
-
Any new circuit.
-
Any change in the circuit breakers or fuses of a
circuit
must be certified as compliant with the current
wiring regulations with the relevant local
authority.
Third party certification in which a diy'er does
most of the installation work, but the work is
certificated by a member of government approved
Competent Person Scheme is allowed under the
scheme. But it is essential that before any work
is concealed the electrician signing off the work
has complete sight of it;
-
After first fix -when the cables are installed
but before they are concealed
-
After second fix, when the circuits are
connected to the consumer unit and tested to
ensure that the earthing and insulation
resistance's meet the regulations. Additionally
you may be required to provide the local
authority with test results that can only be
obtained with the use of specialist equipment.
If you are a handy person and want to do the
unskilled / semi-skilled part of the installation
yourself with Red Kite Electrical ensuring the
correct selection and erection of equipment, and
final certification of the installation we can
offer this service, and it will save you lots of
money.
