Questions for any sparkies on here?

JohnBoyUK

Chaps, am in need of some advice...
My new gaff has only one double plug socket in my lounge. Not a massive problem for the normal person but for a man with every gadget known to man, think I'm going to need some more...

Now firstly, is this something I can do myself? If its a case of adding a spur off another socket, can I do that? Or do I really need to get a sparky in to do it for me? Presumably, if I need additional points off the ring main, I assume I will need to get a sparky to do that for me due to the H&S aspects...and needing qualifications to do that etc etc

Then the obvious question, how much is it likely to cost having 2 double sockets in one corner (for TV, Surround Sound, Sky HD Box, PS3/XBox) then a double in the other three corners?

Thankfully, it appears that the house has been rewired completely in the last 20 years or so...but am still trying to fathom why they've only had one plug socket in their lounge!!!

Bournemouth Addick

[cite]Posted By: JohnBoyUK[/cite]Chaps, am in need of some advice...
My new gaff has only one double plug socket in my lounge. Not a massive problem for the normal person but for a man with every gadget known to man, think I'm going to need some more...

Now firstly, is this something I can do myself? If its a case of adding a spur off another socket, can I do that? Or do I really need to get a sparky in to do it for me? Presumably, if I need additional points off the ring main, I assume I will need to get a sparky to do that for me due to the H&S aspects...and needing qualifications to do that etc etc

Then the obvious question, how much is it likely to cost having 2 double sockets in one corner (for TV, Surround Sound, Sky HD Box, PS3/XBox) then a double in the other three corners?

Thankfully, it appears that the house has been rewired completely in the last 20 years or so...but am still trying to fathom why they've only had one plug socket in their lounge!!!

I think you'll have to get a Part P qualified person in to do that lot. There are DIY options but not for that amount of work and if you don't use a Part P registered sparky you'll have to notify building control and then they send someone down to look at it, etc.

Friend Or Defoe

Like you said it's strange to have only one double in the lounge, that may be due to a more serious problem with the DB, personally I would get a pro in for that reason.

McLovin

One thing that you'll find, with modern regulations is that if you get a proper registered spark in to add sockets and the (for example) wiring or fusebox aren't up to scratch, they'll have to bring them up to Part P standards before they can sort the little things out. For peace of mind, I'd always go down this route (a non-qualified might do it, but that would worry me), as you never know what lunacy whoever has wired your place up might have rigged up. Only putting one double in a main room suggests a bit of a clouded mind! Expensive up front, but at least your place will be properly certified for when you go to sell it on, or if you rent it.

Oggy Red

Sounds to me that it's a flat conversion within an older house, and it's an old ring main - perhaps dating from the 60s or whenever.
In which case all the electrics will need replacing.

Back then you just needed a socket for the telly, record player or an electric fire - and you unplugged one when you hoovered once a week.
No plethora of gadgets in those days.......!

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

Good afternoon. CL resident sparky to the rescue. There are three routes you can go down. 1. Hire a spark to add more sockets for you. There were new regulations bought out last year (17th edition). So any work or additions done to the circuit would most probably mean more work than really needed and re testing. Which for such a small simple job would cost quite a bit. Adding three double sockets, re testing and certification. Prob about 500-750 quid. 2. Get a sparky to add the sockets unofficially without notifying anyone. Surface mounted. 150-200 quid. 3 buy extension leads and run them round the room yourself. 20 quid

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

Also with route 1. If you have a old board which takes cartridge fuses then you will need a complete board change to bring it up to date with the 17th edition

McLovin

[cite]Posted By: C.Walsh'sLoveChild[/cite]Also with route 1. If you have a old board which takes cartridge fuses then you will need a complete board change to bring it up to date with the 17th edition

How much would you estimate that would add to such a job? I got quoted £500 for an RCD board and testing, which I thought sounded a bit pricey, but not according to what you said above. Always useful to get a pro's perspective.

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

500 quid is the going rate for a board change and certs

WSS

What about CL rates?

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]What about CL rates?

£700 to you then mate, just leave the name on the cheque blank like.

JohnBoyUK

[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]Sounds to me that it's a flat conversion within an older house, and it's an old ring main - perhaps dating from the 60s or whenever.
In which case all the electrics will need replacing...No plethora of gadgets in those days.......!

Hopefully not, as the rest of the house is absolutely innundated with sockets. Both bedrooms have a double in each corner, there's even one in the main storage cupboard, as the previous vendor has been using it as a hideaway mini-office style computer desk etc.

McLovin

[cite]Posted By: C.Walsh'sLoveChild[/cite]500 quid is the going rate for a board change and certs

Cheers Walshie.

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

In relation to the whole lot need re doing. No worries about that. Only circuits that are added to, altered or changed in anyway need to conform with current regulations. If the circuit isn't touched then it can stay exactly as it is. Even if the wiring is 75 years old. A board change doesn't constitute as a change or alteration in the circuit.

cafc999

Gents,

Can I just point out that 'Part P' only applies to 'Special Locatons' in ones house. Special locations are kitchens, gardens,etc,etc. Part P will not effect your extra couple of sockets. Please go for a fully qualified sparks as cheap is not always best, a few extension leads neatly clipped to the skirting board is the cheapest option though.

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

Cafc999, that is not exactly correct. Part p relates to any domestic dwelling. So any electrical work done in a domestic dwelling must be carried out by a person who has the part p cert. But if you are a fully qualified approved electrician you can notify the local building Authority people and they give the go ahead. It is a load of old tosh

cafc999

There is no Part P qualification as it is a building Reg. If you can prove to your local building control that you are competent then you just pay the fee.

Anyway, there is a list of items in tables 1 and 2 that address everything that needs to be notified or not.

The one thing that I have got from reading these standards is that they all mean shit! Take your heights of sockets outlined in Part M. They state that must be fixed between 450mm and 1250mm, yet the key word in that reg is 'recommended'. In other words, do what you like!

This sort of conflict is always going to exist while you have Building Regs and our very own Electrical Regs!

Now, where are those extension leads :)

buckshee

jeez as if it aint enough I have to deal with this all day I then log onto CL when I get home and it's like a busmans holiday

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

marvellous aint it ha

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

.

Goonerhater

warning re this, alot of gaffs that only still have one power point are wired in what is called VIR (usually built around 1930z) mucking about (sorry adding a socket) opens a whole can of worms.

VIR is a cotton/cloth insulation and it perishes -- best left well alone or take it all out.

buckshee

I once re-wired a place in Swanley and it was wired in VIR , lead and an assortment of orange lawn mower flex and doorbell wire. It also had the mains coming in upstairs.

Got to admit I see alsorts , we do maintenance for Anchor housing old peoples places and last week I had to replace an old style bar heater in the bathroom with a fan heater , whilst doing this I looked to the side of the sink where there was a socket! Trying to explain to the west indian lady who's room it was why I had to take it out wasn't easy

buckshee

nah , they got rid of a few over the last few months but somehow I manage to avoid the cull. I've worked for these for five years now cos I couldn't take being self employed anymore and all the uncertainty it brings .

I may not earn as much as I did on the sites but I go from a warm van to a warm place of work 90% of the time and get my holidays paid .

_MrDick

[cite]Posted By: buckshee[/cite]nah , they got rid of a few over the last few months but somehow I manage to avoid the cull. I've worked for these for five years now cos I couldn't take being self employed anymore and all the uncertainty it brings .

I may not earn as much as I did on the sites but I go from a warm van to a warm place of work 90% of the time and get my holidays paid .

When whispers go wrong #34562

buckshee

No probs , will keep my ear to the ground in case

aliwibble

JohnBoy, you've not got any built in cupboards in there that might be hiding sockets inside? Not an electrician, but coming from a family of gadget fiends, I would suggest going for a couple of surge protected extension cables to start with, although depending on the size of your living room you might need to daisy chain one of them with a cheap 10m or 20m 2-way to get it in the right place.

These aren't cheap, but are supposed to be really good for home cinema set ups as they act like filters on the input, so switching one thing on or off shouldn't affect the picture or sound. Having had to replace our video once when the TV aerial got struck by lightning, it's worth having the co-ax going through the surge protection even if you're not going for the full filtering thing. If the other extension is going to be used for a computer and peripherals, then you might want to consider an intelligent adaptor that switches off the peripherals when the computer is shut down, or if it'll be in an awkward place then a remote controlled extension might be a good idea.