I am currently wiring up my newly built large shed (see
http://www.gisburne.com/shed), or rather I was until I heard about the 1st January 2005 deadline where, as a non-qualified person, I will be unable to do this kind of work. However, I'd like some advice from a qualified person - if I do the 'donkey work', will I then be able to get a spark in to check it and complete the job for me?
I had always intended to employ an electrician to fit a second consumer unit in the shed, attach the underground cable, and connect it all up to the house supply. However, I consider myself a competent person and having digested (over a period of some weeks) the excellent 'Which? Book of Wiring and Lighting' I can certainly run the cables around the ceiling joists, and fit switches, plugs and lighting points. Is it worth me doing this, or will an electrician now respond that he can't touch it because of the new regulations (because it's not his work), or will he (as I hope) check the work I've done and then complete the job for me?
I could, if necessary, just run the cabling and leave it at that, letting the spark attach everything, but I would prefer to do as much as possible, partly to save labour costs, partly because I am confident that I can do the work.
While reading the Which book I put together a small circuit, just a bulb and 2 switches (2-way switching), and (I didn't tell you this!) attached a plug to the end. It all worked fine, and I have today done the same in the shed, just for one of the required lighting points, and that ran off a plug as well (I didn't tell you that either!), so I do understand what is involved. I don't want to do the whole thing if I'm going to be told that it can't be worked on, so... advice please?!
Thanks
Nick
PS to make it clear: I have no intention of doing the 'serious' jobs involving attaching anything to the consumer unit, just circuits for the lighting and power sockets.