HELP!!! new single oven Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[lemonyumyum]

Hi there everybody,

Firstly congratulations on a fantastic site - being a new home owner with little or no previous knowledge on most diy subjects, I have found the projects and info on this site invaluble, when struggling to find just basic information about the simplest of things!
Haven't actually done anything yet but knowing where to start and what things are called!!! is a start and will hopefully stop me sounding like a complete *blank* when I need to speak to anybody about any of it in the future!
Secondly - fairly simple (see above!) query regarding installing new oven
We are looking to gut and replace kitchen (ourselves) in near future but recently we've had problem with mice - big part being that they've used the wires in the back of our cooker as dental floss and that along with the dozens of little "presents" they've deposited has meant we are about to purchase a new oven.
As we intend to do kitchen as soon as financially able, and will want a built under single electric oven and electric hob then, we've decided to buy now rather than another freestanding (what we currently have).

What I need to know is how can I connect this to power supply. We are only buying oven for now so will worry about hob at later date, just can't bear many more microwave/slow cooker meals!
I'm not great with terminology (yet) so apologies but basically our ex-cooker had the thick cable supplied with it running out of back and was wired into wall behind a plate (sorry can't remember proper name) just as we've always had with freestanding cookers, and this is directly behind the cooker.
On the wall at shelf level there is a plate the size of double plug socket - one half has a big red cooker switch (for cooker I know! 8) and next to that is a plug socket and smaller red switch for that.
What I want to know is am I right in thinking that the plate behind cooker is too powerful for oven but will eventually be ok for hob (I will find out more then) but that I could fix a 13A plug to oven and plug that into the above mentioned wall socket?
I don't intend to kill myself just to install oven so have no fear! I know about '....might not get a second chance etc.' but I also can't afford to get an electrician in esp for a simple diy job. I'm not as thick as I might sound i'm just not up on the lingo but I can and have done basic jobs like changing ceiling roses, lights, light switches,plugs!!, and connecting cooker.
I'm also a girl so be kind! (and don't use big words on lil' old me!! :lol:

Many thanks for any help

[sparx]

Hi, welcome to forum,
most ovens will run quite happily from a 13A socket so as a temp measure 2.5mm2 heat resistant flex from oven to plug ok.
Hobs are much heavier load as you realise and come the day you will need to contact a leckie as any wiring alterations in a kitchen are reportable.
If you have been 'reading the mail' on here for a while i'm sure you will be aware of 'Part-P',
just to be sure what you are legally allowed to do in your own home see
PROJECTS at top of screen and look for building regs P.
good luck with house, Sparx

[lemonyumyum]

Thankyou Sparx! I was hoping to hear that.

Sometimes despite all the info out there it is very hard to get the answer you are looking for - every situation slightly different and when unfamiliar language I don't like to try to read between the lines too much and guess what might be right for me - esp with electrics!

I will hopefully be more informed by time of hob and will def use electrician where needed.
I'm vaguely familiar with part-p from begining of year when needed some storage heaters removed (used electrician) so was trying to read up then.
But I do find it very difficult to get information - not that will tell me what to do necessarily but rather to know what needs to be done so I know what is what.
I just like to be informed as to what my options are and roughly how big or pricey a job is before calling anyone out - you know for when you're sitting in the place you just bought wondering which job to tackle next!

So with that in mind can anyone recommend any books out there worth reading to help clue up a home owner on how house systems work plumbing, elec and what can be diy etc.? As great as the internet is, I find it sometimes very job specific and quite often I just need the diy guide for dummies - I mean newbies! We all have to start somewhere!
I got a diy manual last xmas but it's very limited info half page per topic so not much the wiser for reading it, makes a great door stop though!! :lol:

Many thanks again! - only problem I've got now is deciding which dry meal to eat first!