When to call an electrician

Published on: 10:57 22nd February 2012

Did you know that since new regulations were introduced in 2005, it has been mandatory for an approved electrician to carry out all domestic electrical work.It is no longer permissible for home owners to do their own electrical work, even if they are technically able.

If you are doing a self build house, you will need to call in an electrician to plan and install the wiring, power points and lighting.The wiring will need to adhere to building regulations and they will need to be signed off by the local council in line with your planning permission.The electricity board is responsible for bringing power to the property, and any electrical work inside the house is your responsibility.The size of fuse box will depend on the appliances you have in the house, and the electrician will advise on this, as well as the circuitry.Once installed, the maintenance is up to you, and if you need more sockets or light points added, you will need to call out the electrician.

When undertaking a renovation project, the wiring may need renewing and you will need to employ a registered electrician to carry this out. Again, if it is a full rewiring it must meet building regulations, and your electrician will advise.You can draw out the circuitry yourself and decide where you want sockets and lights so that the electrician can fit the fuse box if necessary and wire up the system according to your diagram.

After a fire, whether it is electrical or not, you may want to get the wiring checked out.An electrician can give you a report for the insurance company which you can send with your insurance claim.If the cause of the fire was caused by an electrical fault, you may need to show that any electrical work was carried out by an approved electrician, though this is at the discretion of the insurance company.An electrical report from a registered electrician such as us will certainly help your case.

You may need to call out an electrician in an emergency, for example if the fuse box malfunctions leaving you without power.Other reasons for calling an electrician is if the power supply to your heating system fails, or planned jobs such as installing additional sockets or lights when redecorating or building an extension to your property. Don’t get caught out though.

  Back to blog