by ericmark »
Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:20 am
You would need to notify the LABC before you start and pay their fee. Rules have changed and now they can charge for any third party people they employ so they can charge you if they test.
There are versions of the installation certificate with three signatures one for designer, one for installer, and one for tester. However since inspection and testing is on going this does not really help.
Really if you can't inspect and test you should not do the job but even large firms do employ electricians to do work and inspectors to sign it off and the main point is the inspector controls what the electrician does.
So if you can get an electrician to control the job it could work. He will tell you what to do and at what point he wants to inspect next. In theory the LABC should do that but in practice they don't and the big problem is they only issue a completion certificate not an installation certificate.
The rules are complex. The building regulations are split into parts and P controls electrics but also bits of M, J and L also come in and socket heights, ventilation, and heating all effect how the house is wired.
New regulations have also brought new considerations for example the use of Ali-tube cable. By using Ali-tube lights except for bathroom do not need RCD protection and also special sockets for fridge etc do not need RCD protection. However since you normally have to buy it by the role one has to consider if worth the cost? Silly rules like separating lighting and heating can really catch one out. Seems use of a tungsten bulb to heat and light a room is now not allowed.
And a new regulation book is due by next year so even more changes.
Speed is a problem and although in theory it is the regulation in force when the system is designed that counts in practice electricians don't keep old editions and work to current so if your too slow it can cause a problem getting items signed off.
