Electrics

[Orphanblackfan]

Hello.

I had an extension done and lost the electric cert, and still need to get the works signed off by building control. I have everything signed off except for the electrics.

I'm now moving and need to get the cert quickly. However building control sent out their contract worker to sign it off but came up with a minor works requirement.

This is where I get confused. Basically there is one plug that cannot get a reading, although it works. All plugs have been tested and it's likely under the floor somewhere is a junction box.

Sparky came out and suggested changing the breaker from a 32 to a 20 so that it stops any overload. Contractor for council has said it needs to go onto two radials.

My question is this. To comply with building regs is it necessary to go with the contractors way or the way the sparky has suggested to get it passed building regs?

Please could anyone who is sparky qualified who knows the building regs well enough to this answer this please?

Thank you

Council is wrong, sparky is right. But if there's a fault personally i wouldn't want to leave it like that, who knows what else is wrong.

Nothing else is wrong as it was all tested. This was the only fault.

Yes the only fault detectable by testing, but without inspecting every cable is impossible to find everything that's not to regulations. There shouldn't be any concealed junction boxes unless they are classed as maintenance free connections. Any cables must be in designated zones. Has someone put a nail through a live conductor thus breaking it and it's going to be energised with the circuit and waiting for someone to touch it?

Well the sparky is coming back to test each leg (that probably makes more sense to you) apparently time consuming but it's what has to be I guess. I'd rather know the house is safe albeit we've been here 25 years without an issue.

Also any cables pre 2002 would they need to be updated then? Otherwise I assume it's everything thereafter?

You don't need to update anything if it complied when it was installed.
You're supposed to get a condition report done every 10 years for domestic properties which would come back unsatisfactory for anything which has become faulty with respect to the regulations it was installed to.
The testing each leg shouldn't be time consuming at all, assuming it's just normal sockets where they are accessible and everything can be unplugged. However maybe the electrician is budgeting for searching out any hidden junction boxes etc.

"Basically there is one plug that cannot get a reading, although it works."

I don't know what that means. Perhaps it has no earth, which is dangerous. Perhaps it does not have continuity. Perhaps a rodent has gnawed the cable.

There should not be hidden junction boxes, under the floor or elsewhere.

They did say something about continuity......they both said it's classified as many nor works. Either way it will be fixed correctly. I certainly don't cut corners.

Thanks guys for your help :)

"minor works"

means a trivial job that can be documented differently. I used to have a colleague who did them and made fun of him for not doing anything important.