Table of Contents
Any new build comprises of 4 main systems – electrical, plumbing, air, and heating. To have a properly functioning property, these systems need to work effectively.
Proper installation and maintenance are very important in both residential and commercial properties, since faults arising due to inadequacy and incompetence may result in greater dangers and damages.
When it comes to the electrical installations, faults in the system may lead to accidents, injuries, damages and, in serious cases, electrical fires.
When you plan on having the electrics installed in a new build, the work needs to comply with the rules in the Building Regulations, also known as Part P.
There are certain risky jobs when doing the electrical installations, which are identified as “notifiable” in the Building Regulations, that need to be signed off by a building control authority.
Since all the installations need to be done to a safe, set standard, it is recommended to use a registered electrician to carry out the work.
Read on to find out what needs to be signed off for an electrical installation in a new build, how to choose the best electrician to do the job, and more on the legalities of the matter:
Due to the safety risk associated with electrical installations, the following jobs count as notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations:
Most of the installations, repairs, alterations, and additions to existing circuits in “special locations”, such as the spaces around baths and showers, fall under the notifiable category. Work done outside special locations mostly doesn’t need to be signed off.
All electrical work must follow the safety standards in the BS 7671 wiring regulations and Part P of the Building Regulations to ensure the safety of the electrical installations and reduce the number of electricity-related accidents, injuries, and deaths.
The Part P regulations were first introduced by the government in 2005, and updated in April 2013, to set out a standard for electrical installations, ensuring their safety.
They provide practical guidance for undertaking electrical work in dwellings (houses, flats, etc), and any work carried out within the property must comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations.
For work carried out in commercial or industrial buildings, it should comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The Building Regulations do not restrict who may carry out the installations, and neither do they set standards for the safety of electrical appliances. They do, however, require that the fixed connections of the appliances are safe and do not pose a hazard.
Also, if you wish to carry out the work yourself, you may do that, but it is highly advised that you opt for professional services.
An unregistered electrician might do a good job, but there’s no guarantee to their standard of work. Also, no matter how well they perform, they won’t be able to provide you with an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC).
An EIC is a compliance document that is completed by a certified electrician at the end of an inspection. It is required for all major installations including new consumer units, circuits, additional sockets, switches, and light fixtures in special areas of the property such as bathrooms and kitchens.
EICs are a way to show that all your electrical installations are up-to-date and in place which guarantees that the property is safe to be used and inhabited by people.
Failure to obtain an EIC can result in issues when you plan on selling your house and cause delays in the conveyancing process.
In the case of not having an EIC when selling your house, you have to incur additional costs by:
The easiest and most convenient way to ensure that you have all the required certifications at the end of your electrical inspection is to use a registered electrician by one of the certifying organisations including NICEIC, ELECSA, Stroma, and Napit.
Not only will they have up-to-date qualifications and provide you with the best services, but they will also be able to self-certify their work.
This means that a registered electrician will:
An EIC is important for several reasons that include:
The owner of a property needs to provide safety to the people inhabiting it, in addition to protecting the property itself against all sorts of accidents and incidents.
They have a legal obligation to do so and having an EIC means that the required electrical inspections were carried out and the house electrics are properly installed and maintained.
It is recommended by the UK wiring regulations BS 7671 that you get your electrical installations tested every couple of years to ensure your house is safe from the risks associated with faulty wiring.
Knowing that your property is low-risk also helps make claims with your insurance provider in the event of a mishap and may result in lower premiums. Some insurance providers specifically ask for your EIC before deciding if you are liable for a claim or not.
A detailed inspection of the electrical system helps identify faults, such as overloaded circuits or equipment overheating, that might be costing you huge amounts of money in wasted energy, much more than what you are consuming.
It also helps with two other major faults, power surges and outages, that cause long-term damage to expensive equipment such as computers, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances. It can cause them to either malfunction or stop working completely. Periodic inspections help keep such issues in check, resulting in substantial savings.
Faulty electrical installations may cause major damage to both life and property, and the inability to get them inspected on time may result in incidents and accidents that may also lead to electrical fires – one of the biggest contributors to house fires in the country.
When electrical certificates are properly issued and maintained, it provides proof that the owners have played their part in protecting the people and property against potential damage.
Therefore, in the event of a mishap, such as an electrical fire, the owners can provide a paper trail that shows compliance with regulations, consequentially limiting liability-related issues.
An EIC is an integral part of a property’s complete documentation. In addition to providing proof of the electric system’s good health, it also helps in certain situations such as when selling the house.
Although it is not legally required to provide the buyers with the EIC, not having one certainly slows down the process and might even result in some buyers backing out of the deal since a change of ownership means the buyers inheriting the responsibility and obligation of getting an inspection done.
Regular inspections and maintenance checks also help improve efficiency, and in turn, your energy consumption by regulating and monitoring your usage.
By keeping a close eye on the performance of your electrical installations, you will have the ability to foresee and rectify any problem areas and try to reduce your carbon footprint for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Electrical faults can be a serious safety hazard causing injuries, accidents, and in serious cases, electric fires. According to statistics, around 4000 domestic fires were caused by faulty wiring and equipment last year.
The best way to ensure that the wiring in your house is not faulty or prone to developing faults is to have a reliable electrical contractor regularly test it out.
A thorough inspection will check the condition of all existing electrical installations in your house against the UK safety standard BS 7671 and assess and identify any defective electrical work, shock risks, overloading, and fire hazards, along with highlighting any earthing and bonding issues.
Here is how often you should get your house electrics tested, according to the type of property you own:
It is recommended in the wiring regulations BS 7671 that a domestic property must be regularly inspected and tested after an electrical installation every 5 to 10 years, or if you are buying/selling the property.
A Landlords Safety Certificate, which provides an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to identify any issues and to make sure the property is safe for use and up to electrical standards and regulations, must be carried out every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
Portable Appliance Testing tests items that are not part of the fixed wiring and so do not fall under the electrical testing of the premises. It is recommended that they are tested between 3 to 12 months depending on their usage and type.
In addition to the aforementioned times, you must get the electrics tested after major renovations or if your property is too old.
Major home renovations have the potential to change the layout of existing electrical installations and their components, which is why it is a good idea to get the house electrics tested after any such changes. These inspections can be especially beneficial if you are looking to sell your house after the renovations.
If you are living in a really old house, such as one constructed in the ’40s, it is advised to get the current installations checked to see if they are safe to use with modern-day equipment.
The skill, expertise, and service that a registered electrician provides are unparalleled when compared to an uncertified one.
Here are a few factors to consider when hiring someone for the electrical installations in a new build or an existing property:
If you are looking for a reliable electrical contractor for the designing, planning, and installation of the electrics on your property, look no further.
We offer a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients which include all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations.
All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the standards set to us by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
We have been undertaking electrical work since 1976, have plenty of experience, and are specialists in all aspects of electrical work.
Our installation services include:
If you are looking to undertake a refurb of a kitchen or bathroom, build an extension, or a new build property, we can help design, install, and commission it. We will also notify any work to the relevant authorities and departments to make sure you are fully covered in meeting the wiring regulations.
The consumer unit and distribution board are designed as a means of fault protection to not only protect the wiring and circuit but also prevent the user or machinery from shock or overload.
We can survey any existing installations and advise on the best way to increase their safety and use by upgrading the consumer unit/distribution board or the protective devices inside them.
We can help in all aspects of commercial electrical installations and offer a wide range of skills to help achieve whatever your commercial property may need, whether it is to design and plan a new install or add in extra data and socket points.
Under the new 18th edition wiring regulations BS7671, it is now recommended that surge protection must be incorporated into domestic dwellings, as before it was only commonplace in commercial and industrial installations.
It is a device that is installed in line with a circuit or installation to protect electronic equipment sensitive to surges such as an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS), laptops and computers, TVs, consoles, phones etc, saving hundreds or thousands in damages in homes and businesses.
We also offer services for:
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 for all your electrical installation needs. Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you!
Any new build comprises of 4 main systems – electrical, plumbing, air, and heating. To have a properly functioning property, these systems need to work effectively.
Proper installation and maintenance are very important in both residential and commercial properties, since faults arising due to inadequacy and incompetence may result in greater dangers and damages.
When it comes to the electrical installations, faults in the system may lead to accidents, injuries, damages and, in serious cases, electrical fires.
When you plan on having the electrics installed in a new build, the work needs to comply with the rules in the Building Regulations, also known as Part P.
There are certain risky jobs when doing the electrical installations, which are identified as “notifiable” in the Building Regulations, that need to be signed off by a building control authority.
Since all the installations need to be done to a safe, set standard, it is recommended to use a registered electrician to carry out the work.
Read on to find out what needs to be signed off for an electrical installation in a new build, how to choose the best electrician to do the job, and more on the legalities of the matter:
Due to the safety risk associated with electrical installations, the following jobs count as notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations:
Most of the installations, repairs, alterations, and additions to existing circuits in “special locations”, such as the spaces around baths and showers, fall under the notifiable category. Work done outside special locations mostly doesn’t need to be signed off.
All electrical work must follow the safety standards in the BS 7671 wiring regulations and Part P of the Building Regulations to ensure the safety of the electrical installations and reduce the number of electricity-related accidents, injuries, and deaths.
The Part P regulations were first introduced by the government in 2005, and updated in April 2013, to set out a standard for electrical installations, ensuring their safety.
They provide practical guidance for undertaking electrical work in dwellings (houses, flats, etc), and any work carried out within the property must comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations.
For work carried out in commercial or industrial buildings, it should comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The Building Regulations do not restrict who may carry out the installations, and neither do they set standards for the safety of electrical appliances. They do, however, require that the fixed connections of the appliances are safe and do not pose a hazard.
Also, if you wish to carry out the work yourself, you may do that, but it is highly advised that you opt for professional services.
An unregistered electrician might do a good job, but there’s no guarantee to their standard of work. Also, no matter how well they perform, they won’t be able to provide you with an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC).
An EIC is a compliance document that is completed by a certified electrician at the end of an inspection. It is required for all major installations including new consumer units, circuits, additional sockets, switches, and light fixtures in special areas of the property such as bathrooms and kitchens.
EICs are a way to show that all your electrical installations are up-to-date and in place which guarantees that the property is safe to be used and inhabited by people.
Failure to obtain an EIC can result in issues when you plan on selling your house and cause delays in the conveyancing process.
In the case of not having an EIC when selling your house, you have to incur additional costs by:
The easiest and most convenient way to ensure that you have all the required certifications at the end of your electrical inspection is to use a registered electrician by one of the certifying organisations including NICEIC, ELECSA, Stroma, and Napit.
Not only will they have up-to-date qualifications and provide you with the best services, but they will also be able to self-certify their work.
This means that a registered electrician will:
An EIC is important for several reasons that include:
The owner of a property needs to provide safety to the people inhabiting it, in addition to protecting the property itself against all sorts of accidents and incidents.
They have a legal obligation to do so and having an EIC means that the required electrical inspections were carried out and the house electrics are properly installed and maintained.
It is recommended by the UK wiring regulations BS 7671 that you get your electrical installations tested every couple of years to ensure your house is safe from the risks associated with faulty wiring.
Knowing that your property is low-risk also helps make claims with your insurance provider in the event of a mishap and may result in lower premiums. Some insurance providers specifically ask for your EIC before deciding if you are liable for a claim or not.
A detailed inspection of the electrical system helps identify faults, such as overloaded circuits or equipment overheating, that might be costing you huge amounts of money in wasted energy, much more than what you are consuming.
It also helps with two other major faults, power surges and outages, that cause long-term damage to expensive equipment such as computers, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances. It can cause them to either malfunction or stop working completely. Periodic inspections help keep such issues in check, resulting in substantial savings.
Faulty electrical installations may cause major damage to both life and property, and the inability to get them inspected on time may result in incidents and accidents that may also lead to electrical fires – one of the biggest contributors to house fires in the country.
When electrical certificates are properly issued and maintained, it provides proof that the owners have played their part in protecting the people and property against potential damage.
Therefore, in the event of a mishap, such as an electrical fire, the owners can provide a paper trail that shows compliance with regulations, consequentially limiting liability-related issues.
An EIC is an integral part of a property’s complete documentation. In addition to providing proof of the electric system’s good health, it also helps in certain situations such as when selling the house.
Although it is not legally required to provide the buyers with the EIC, not having one certainly slows down the process and might even result in some buyers backing out of the deal since a change of ownership means the buyers inheriting the responsibility and obligation of getting an inspection done.
Regular inspections and maintenance checks also help improve efficiency, and in turn, your energy consumption by regulating and monitoring your usage.
By keeping a close eye on the performance of your electrical installations, you will have the ability to foresee and rectify any problem areas and try to reduce your carbon footprint for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Electrical faults can be a serious safety hazard causing injuries, accidents, and in serious cases, electric fires. According to statistics, around 4000 domestic fires were caused by faulty wiring and equipment last year.
The best way to ensure that the wiring in your house is not faulty or prone to developing faults is to have a reliable electrical contractor regularly test it out.
A thorough inspection will check the condition of all existing electrical installations in your house against the UK safety standard BS 7671 and assess and identify any defective electrical work, shock risks, overloading, and fire hazards, along with highlighting any earthing and bonding issues.
Here is how often you should get your house electrics tested, according to the type of property you own:
It is recommended in the wiring regulations BS 7671 that a domestic property must be regularly inspected and tested after an electrical installation every 5 to 10 years, or if you are buying/selling the property.
A Landlords Safety Certificate, which provides an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to identify any issues and to make sure the property is safe for use and up to electrical standards and regulations, must be carried out every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
Portable Appliance Testing tests items that are not part of the fixed wiring and so do not fall under the electrical testing of the premises. It is recommended that they are tested between 3 to 12 months depending on their usage and type.
In addition to the aforementioned times, you must get the electrics tested after major renovations or if your property is too old.
Major home renovations have the potential to change the layout of existing electrical installations and their components, which is why it is a good idea to get the house electrics tested after any such changes. These inspections can be especially beneficial if you are looking to sell your house after the renovations.
If you are living in a really old house, such as one constructed in the ’40s, it is advised to get the current installations checked to see if they are safe to use with modern-day equipment.
The skill, expertise, and service that a registered electrician provides are unparalleled when compared to an uncertified one.
Here are a few factors to consider when hiring someone for the electrical installations in a new build or an existing property:
If you are looking for a reliable electrical contractor for the designing, planning, and installation of the electrics on your property, look no further.
We offer a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients which include all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations.
All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the standards set to us by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
We have been undertaking electrical work since 1976, have plenty of experience, and are specialists in all aspects of electrical work.
Our installation services include:
If you are looking to undertake a refurb of a kitchen or bathroom, build an extension, or a new build property, we can help design, install, and commission it. We will also notify any work to the relevant authorities and departments to make sure you are fully covered in meeting the wiring regulations.
The consumer unit and distribution board are designed as a means of fault protection to not only protect the wiring and circuit but also prevent the user or machinery from shock or overload.
We can survey any existing installations and advise on the best way to increase their safety and use by upgrading the consumer unit/distribution board or the protective devices inside them.
We can help in all aspects of commercial electrical installations and offer a wide range of skills to help achieve whatever your commercial property may need, whether it is to design and plan a new install or add in extra data and socket points.
Under the new 18th edition wiring regulations BS7671, it is now recommended that surge protection must be incorporated into domestic dwellings, as before it was only commonplace in commercial and industrial installations.
It is a device that is installed in line with a circuit or installation to protect electronic equipment sensitive to surges such as an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS), laptops and computers, TVs, consoles, phones etc, saving hundreds or thousands in damages in homes and businesses.
We also offer services for:
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 for all your electrical installation needs. Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you!
