roadkill Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Just after some help on staying within the law on house electrics... Just decorated my daughter's room and need to reposition the ceiling light about a meter, however the cable in the loft isn't long enough so I was going to extend it using a junction box and a meter length cable. Is this allowed or do I need an electrician? House is a new build if that makes any difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyg1086 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) In your own home you can do whatever you want if you are the owner. If it's a rented property, council or if you are selling then it's better to get someone in as you may have to provide the owner of the property a test cert for works carried out. That said if you are in any way unsure get someone in The same colours don't all go together in a ceiling rose. I am an electrician and it's maybe an hours work providing the loft is clear and not boarded out Edited October 12, 2017 by mattyg1086 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 That's good to know, it's my house so will crack on with it tomorrow Cheers pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 What Matty said...but only if your confident / competent to do so. Re the ceiling rose, again like Matty says colour coding can be different colours so mark the wiring before disconnecting as its very easy to get confused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) Just remember red to blue and blew to you get the rest. You cant go all that wrong if you mark each wire and keep the same at other end. If you ever sell your house you would need a cert for everything anyway. Edited October 12, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matgriff Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) As stated above.... you can basically do what you want in your own house... more complex or bigger jobs can be notifiable under building regulations, but you're fine with this little job. If your light fitting has one single three core cable, then just extend it directly with a junction box... depending on the age you may have red/back + earth or blue/brown + earth.... new cable will be blue & brown. red=brown blue=black If your fitting has two/three cables, then it will also have the loop in for the switch and or the feed to the next fitting... if you're competent, then use a four terminal junction box to do the loop in and switch and then just run a single cable to the fitting, if you're not sure just extend all the wires individually either in one or two separate junction boxes. Remember to isolate & test dead before working on it and also make sure that no one in the house will accidentally re-energise the circuit while your'e working on it !!! Mat Edited October 12, 2017 by matgriff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Take pictures of how it is all connected up on your phone and just put it back together the same,, Just totally make sure it's off & secured off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) how Many wires do you have coming in to ceiling rose .is it 3 Edited October 12, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingnewport Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Just crack on if you think your more than capable. If not get a spark in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 They probably wont pick up on a light fitting being moved but next time I do a house up Ill be doing everything by the book ! Ive just sold my house and Im on with all the Paper work and they want to know everything ! They dont miss a trick ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatmuff Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 If you're having to ask advice then you need an electrician. I've been doing electrics for years and the regs change constantly and I'm not qualified but I was taught from a young age from my dad. Too many people attempt it and it's dangerous, not only for the individual but for who ever sleeps in that house. The amount of **** jobs I come across from homeowners doing their own wiring, just use a professional and cough up the cash as their worth their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 If you're having to ask advice then you need an electrician. I've been doing electrics for years and the regs change constantly and I'm not qualified but I was taught from a young age from my dad. Too many people attempt it and it's dangerous, not only for the individual but for who ever sleeps in that house. The amount of **** jobs I come across from homeowners doing their own wiring, just use a professional and cough up the cash as their worth their money. Good advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just as a slight aside regarding 'Tradesmen'. I am a time served Gasfitter and Pumber, however I recently had some building work and a new bathroom created. The builder supplied the 'Plumber/Gasfitter' to undertake the work within the total price. The first thing was to slag off my choice of heating boiler (Worcester, should have bought a Vaillant !), he then proceeded to drain the system under the floor (I already had the outside drain-off ready to use), he managed to get the hot/cold pipes crossed to the washbasin and bath and had to alter them. To top the lot though, he then ran TWO cold supplies to the shower thermo/mixer valve and wondered why it did not get hot ? (they give you a clue by fitting a BLUE and RED marker at each connection). This idiot had a van outside, advertising the fact that he was a 'Qualified Gasfitter/Plumber'. I ended up completing the job myself, including fixing the 2 water leaks and fitting isolation valves on the supplies to the shower ! So, using 'Tradesmen' does NOT always work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 As stated above.... you can basically do what you want in your own house... more complex or bigger jobs can be notifiable under building regulations, but you're fine with this little job. until you come to sell it, or the house is on fire, try explaining to your insurance company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just as a slight aside regarding 'Tradesmen'. I am a time served Gasfitter and Pumber, however I recently had some building work and a new bathroom created. The builder supplied the 'Plumber/Gasfitter' to undertake the work within the total price. The first thing was to slag off my choice of heating boiler (Worcester, should have bought a Vaillant !), he then proceeded to drain the system under the floor (I already had the outside drain-off ready to use), he managed to get the hot/cold pipes crossed to the washbasin and bath and had to alter them. To top the lot though, he then ran TWO cold supplies to the shower thermo/mixer valve and wondered why it did not get hot ? (they give you a clue by fitting a BLUE and RED marker at each connection). This idiot had a van outside, advertising the fact that he was a 'Qualified Gasfitter/Plumber'. I ended up completing the job myself, including fixing the 2 water leaks and fitting isolation valves on the supplies to the shower ! So, using 'Tradesmen' does NOT always work out. This !! My boiler stopped working so I got a plumber round, he said he wasnt 100% but he thinks it was the pump, I thought it was the thermostat so for £20 I thought Id give it a try, the heating is working great now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 There are very few real tradesmen these days.lots of people who have done a few weeks course but not many full time served qualified people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatmuff Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 There are very few real tradesmen these days.lots of people who have done a few weeks course but not many full time served qualified people. Couldn't agree more, kids go to college and get an NVQ and then start up their own companies. However an experienced tradesman are worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted October 14, 2017 Report Share Posted October 14, 2017 gas fitters are not plumbers, plumbers are not always gas fitters, plumbers are not boiler engineers even though they may have a qualification that allows them to fit boilers they are usually clueless when it comes to repairing them but are happy to charge you several times for several visits where they use trial and error to fit parts that you are charged for until the problem is sorted. use a proper junction box, take photos of the wiring to the fitting before you change it for reference, these little babies are excellent http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wago-222-Electrical-Connectors-Wire-Block-Clamp-Terminal-Cable-12V-240V-Reusable-/321977178926?var=&epid=1061323927&hash=item4af755db2e:m:m1QOIi8vOPtMzyKXEwKasZA and make the job very simple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted October 14, 2017 Report Share Posted October 14, 2017 gas fitters are not plumbers, plumbers are not always gas fitters, plumbers are not boiler engineers even though they may have a qualification that allows them to fit boilers they are usually clueless when it comes to repairing them but are happy to charge you several times for several visits where they use trial and error to fit parts that you are charged for until the problem is sorted. use a proper junction box, take photos of the wiring to the fitting before you change it for reference, these little babies are excellent http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wago-222-Electrical-Connectors-Wire-Block-Clamp-Terminal-Cable-12V-240V-Reusable-/321977178926?var=&epid=1061323927&hash=item4af755db2e:m:m1QOIi8vOPtMzyKXEwKasZA and make the job very simple Correct, many "gas fitters" and "service engineers" just throw parts at it until it works. Some of us "tradesmen" are highly qualified with decades of experience in specific trades so lets not paint all tradesmen with the same brush 😒 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted October 14, 2017 Report Share Posted October 14, 2017 Correct, many "gas fitters" and "service engineers" just throw parts at it until it works. Some of us "tradesmen" are highly qualified with decades of experience in specific trades so lets not paint all tradesmen with the same brush :good:well said. My chalet bungalow was rewired six yeas ago,we have transformed it over last four years,last weekend was removing sockets to plaster office walls,wife switched off circuit and radio died but i always test it was live, one socket was on upstairs circut so still live the other on ground floor and both had wires that were sticking out of back plate. Always check and never presume anything other than the other person was stupid,stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted October 14, 2017 Report Share Posted October 14, 2017 (edited) Yes, a qualified electrician should do a good job, well not if you get the idiots I got when the council put in a wet room (disabled facilities grant) the firm from Hartlepool they used I wouldn't trust to put batteries in a torch the right way round. Very basic job, already existing wiring in place for the light and extractor fan, so basically supply new feed to the shower drain pump transformer/controller (supposed to be in the wet room so we can use the button to drain any excess water after cleaning the floor etc.) So, given that the existing wiring in the loft was very neatly tacked to the joists, A-frames etc. out of the way of everything they ended up with this, The box in the red circle is the transformer/controller that's supposed to be in the wet room!, not screwed to an A-frame in a loft I can't get into!. And this is the quality wiring of the shower drain pump, the cables in the red circle are the water flow sensors, they shouldn't even be in there!. They made such a good job of it they had to break the housing to jam the cables in, so of course it's not sealed! Edited October 14, 2017 by phaedra1106 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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