Can I do my own Electrics?

In short the answer is yes.
In reality I'd say you're better off leaving it to the professionals, certain works are okay such as replacing a socket, but when you get up to installing new circuits, replacing fuse boards for consumer units then the work needs to be tested, certified and registered with building control under part p of the building regulations.


So unfortunately you can do any work you want and I say unfortunately because I've had to go and sort out DIY electrics gone wrong many times with simple things such as a light being installed wrongly.


The issue with electrics is work can be done badly and it will still work, but can be dangerous, It's a pretty good sign that if someone has to ask a question such as 'what cable should I use' then they shouldn't be doing that work.


On top of this most DIYers don't have a van full of tools, the test equipment needed, the insurance if it goes wrong or the experience if they encounter a situation and don't know what to do.


Many DIYer grossly underestimate how long a job will take and then take short cuts they think will be okay in order to finish the job. Also look at it this way an Electrician could do a job a lot quicker because of experience, so where it may take an electrician 1 hour a DIYer may take 2,3,4 hours. Wouldn't that time be better spent with the kids or on a day out with friends and save 'Work' for Mon-Fri.


Just remember that electricity is dangerous and about 11 people each year are killed from shocks, 7501 are injured from electric shocks and there are around 8074 fires caused by faulty electrics. It can be easy to take electricity for granted but as I always say 'just because it works, doesn't mean it's right'.


Be safe

Electrical Safety Inspection

Many people don't realise that just like their car they should have their electrical installation of their property checked out by a qualified electrician to make sure it's electrically safe, the good news is that unlike your car this doesn't have to be done every year but (providing it's in a good condition) every 10 years.
The electrical installation check is known under a few different names such as;

• Electrical Safety certificates.
• Landlords safety report.
• Landlords safety certificate.
• Electrical safety test.
• Periodic Inspection & Test

However It's real name is a Periodic Inspection Report or PIR.


Periodic Inspection Reports

What is a Periodic Inspection Report? PIR

A periodic inspection report is a report on the condition of an electrical installation, it is not as sometimes mistakenly known a safety certificate but a report on how safe the electrics are. It is essentially an MOT for your properties electrics. The report is usually a six page document (depending on the size of the property to be inspected & tested) and consists of
• Details of the electrical installation,
• Items inspected and tested and
• Observations & recommendations.

Why Have a Periodic Inspection Report?

As with cars the electrics within a property degrade due to general wear and tear and age or what was safe working practice 40 years ago is not today, therefore it is advisable to have a PIR completed on a property to check to make sure it’s ‘road worthy’. There are many things that are either are not seen or known about the general state of an electrical installation and these should not be overlooked, Just because a light comes on when a switch is flicked does not mean that it is 100% safe. A wire may be loose, a fuse or MCB (Miniture Circuit Breaker) may be over rated and not protect the cable which may overheat (this especially happens when too many adaptors are used in one socket) or it could be a DIY attempt gone wrong, all of these could start a fire. After having a PIR you may find it would be better and safer to have a house rewire, take a look here for having your house rewired

What is involved in a Periodic Inspection?

Firstly and most importantly an inspection of the electrics is carried out. Are there signs of damage, wear and tear or ageing components? The consumer unit or fuse board, main supply, earthing, sockets, switches and light fittings are checked to make sure the cables supplying them are installed properly and are suitable for the intended purpose and continued use. Cables that are concealed in walls under floors or in conduit or trunking however are not inspected, as this would not be practical. Any observations that are made during the inspection are noted and given a code, listed below:
• Code 1 Requires urgent attention
• Code 2 Requires improvement
• Code 3 Requires further investigation
• Code 4 Does not comply with British Standard 7671 this does not mean it is dangerous
After the inspection a test of the installation is carried out and the results noted on the report.

When Should I have a Periodic Inspection Report?

If you don’t have a PIR for your property then it would be advisable to have one done sooner rather than later. But generally a Domestic property should have a PIR every 10 years or change of occupancy. The frequency that a PIR should be carried out on other types of properties varies dependant on use and can be anything from 1 –5 years.


I hope you found this post useful

Paul Jennings