Help understanding NICEIC certificate

[834843]

Hi all,

Before I put out for quotes on electrical work, I'm keen to better understand the work that is needed on my newly purchased home.

It's an old 2-bedroom flat (950 sq ft) which hasn't been renovated in 50+ years.

It does have an NICEIC certificate for the installation of 'new ccu new feeds for heaters gas bond' from 2019. 
I've attached a copy of the certificate with the names/address blacked out.
I've attached a photo of the CCU.

 

The flat currently has electric radiators which I'm ripping out (putting in gas central heating).

The flat has very old-fashioned sockets and light switches in every room which need replacing.

The rooms have quite poor socket coverage - I want to increase this, too.

• Living room - add 2/3 sockets
• Bedroom - add 2 socket
• Bedroom - add 1 socket
• Bathroom - add shaving socket (bathroom also being ripped out)
• Kitchen/diner - add 4 sockets (kitchen also being ripped out)

 

Is it possible to tell from the above whether or not a whole re-wire is required, or whether I can just replace the sockets/switches and branch off some new sockets?

 

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the sockets/switches - they look 'OK' to me, just very old fashioned style.

I appreciate this question makes me seem like a muppet - any information to make me less of a muppet would be massively appreciated! 

 

NICEIC Electrical Cert (REDACTED).pdf

[ProDave]

Flats are especially awkward as you can't just go taking up floorboards without thought and you can't nip up into the loft (unless you happen to be a top floor flat but you don't always even then have access to the loft)

 

So I would be advising work with what you have, replace all switches and sockets for new, and add new sockets to the original circuits where you need them.

 

The fact someone thought it good enough to fit a new CU and certify it should be adequate demonstration that the existing wiring s still in good condition.

 

If you are removing the panel heaters, a handy tip is the cable feeding them can be re purposed as a radial double socket, so that might help with getting extra sockets where you want them, and usually anywhere you have single sockets should be able to be changed for double.

[TonyT]

So they issued a certificate for their work, which was the consumer unit ( fuse board) change and a new heater circuit.

 

at the same time it was found that the main bond to the gas wasn’t there so they installed this, they couldn’t have added a new circuit without this.

 

you have a metal consumer unit ( I think) so that’s good, you have RCD’s so that good, if you are modernising rooms, maybe worth rewiring and upgrading old cabling and sockets as you go.

 

I wouldn’t be worrying about the consumer unit.

[834843]

Quote

Flats are especially awkward as you can't just go taking up floorboards without thought and you can't nip up into the loft (unless you happen to be a top floor flat but you don't always even then have access to the loft)

What's the relevance of the loft here? As it happens, I am the top (first) floor flat, and I have full demise of the loft. Would be curious to know what you were thinking about the loft - I do have longer-term plans to do a loft extension. Should I get the sparky to include loft power supply now? I wonder if they can feed wiring up there so it's ready for a loft extension in a few years.

 

Quote

If you are removing the panel heaters, a handy tip is the cable feeding them can be re purposed as a radial double socket, so that might help with getting extra sockets where you want them, and usually anywhere you have single sockets should be able to be changed for double.

That's good to know - thanks! Cheers for the reply Dave. Reassuring to know I might be able to work with what I have - presumably that will be a bit cheaper than a whole re-wire.

 

Quote

you have a metal consumer unit ( I think) so that’s good, you have RCD’s so that good, if you are modernising rooms, maybe worth rewiring and upgrading old cabling and sockets as you go.

Cheers Tony. Just so I understand what you mean... if I have a socket in the bedroom, how will I know whether to
a) replace the socket with a shiny new socket
b) replace the socket AND wiring from the socket back to the main circuit?

I'm trying to get my head around how these decisions are made - so I can at least know what I'm chatting to the sparky about and feel a bit more prepared.
 

[ProDave]

If the existing sockets are in the right place or nearly the right place I don't think you have to worry about replacing the cable.  If it's condition was in any doubt the electrician would not have done the CU change.

 

The thing about the loft, was say you want a new circuit right in the opposite corner of the flat to the CU, it would probably be easier going up from the CU, across the loft, then down the wall to the new circuit.

 

Loft wiring can be left until you convert that.  Assuming the CU is in a cupboard that goes all the way up to the ceiling, it really is easy to add new circuits up into the loft at any time.