DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I live in a flat but with reinforced concrete floors and ceilings, into which the original wiring has been embedded and not fed through conduit. Also, the solid brick walls have a very thin layer of plaster and as a result, the cables that run down from the ceiling to the light switches, and from the sockets to the floor make the plaster bulge as the plaster depth is just too shallow to hide them adequately. As a consequence, I have resigned myself to the fact that surface trunking will be required for the majority of a pending rewire. I am not an electrician, but my main interest is that the cable runs can look as neat as possible/practicable. I am looking a skirting trunking (domestic looking, low profile and not the commercial items) and coving trunking for ceiling/wall edge runs.)
Now I have a couple of questions:
1) I wish to utilise the original flush light switch/socket cut-outs in the wall, but can additional sockets be kept at the same height which is about 300mm? Or has every socket location need to be 450mm height?
2) Does skirting trunking contravene that fact that the safe zone does not include a run across the wall at floor level, or is it ok because it is classed as trunking?
3) Is it ok to chase the wall from the back of the skirting trunking up to the socket so that no cables are visible? Or has the cable up to the socket also be in trunking as well? This involves channelling into the brick itself however.

As I say, I am not an electrician, so won’t be touching anything myself. I would just like an insight into some of the problems I could face before getting quotes etc. Any help or advice will be appreciated, especially when dealing with obstacles like solid ceilings and floors. Thanks.

Hi,
A) sockets in private dwelling; only have to be @ 450 in 'new build', or 'substantial refurbishment' as long as replacements are "No worse than before" ie not lower than your existing 300mm.
B) safe zone is 150 mm from corners of walls, ceiling, floor & sides of door frames so skirting OK, also vert.up/down from any fittng or horizontally between fittings so chasing up from skirting to outlets OK,
think that covers it,
regards SPARX

Trunking or skirting designed to take cables is permitted. Although in the main we use twin and earth as cheap, Ali-tube or mineral insulated can also be used. Mineral insulated often called Pyro is not a DIY job, but a ring final in 1.5mm is permitted using it, so it can be hidden much better, but expensive. The Ali-tube looks like the mineral insulated and like it can be made to look OK without need for trunking.

It is seen a lot in churches, and used for fire alarms a lot. Even twin and earth does not need to be in trunking, and capping is to stop the plasterer damaging cable but nothing says it must be used.

This post is going in 5, 4,...............







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Seen this with other forums but this one has been good at not putting old posts on top of list. So sorry was not looking.