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 NAPIT. 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);
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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).
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Any new circuit.
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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;
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After first fix -when the cables are installed but before they are concealed
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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.
But if you are interested in exploring this option you must contact us before you start the work, not after first fix.
