[Judge]

Was wondering if anybody knew how easy it was for an electrician to install new sockets within a house??

[ApeHands]

Judge, on Feb 11 2008, 12:44, said:

Was wondering if anybody knew how easy it was for an electrician to install new sockets within a house??

It's easy for electricians to do it but I would probably kill myself if I attempted it. I couldn't put a shelf up straight.

[Judge]

Me too mate, Will have to look into this further.

[diamonds2002]

Judge, on Feb 11 2008, 12:44, said:

Was wondering if anybody knew how easy it was for an electrician to install new sockets within a house??

it depends on where you want it (as the the vicar said to the nun)

[Judge]

In a bedroom. There is two sockets there already but not on the wall I would like??

[diamonds2002]

Judge, on Feb 11 2008, 13:15, said:

In a bedroom. There is two sockets there already but not on the wall I would like??

Then they will probably have to knock a big hole in the wall in order to run the cable to the point on the new wall. The type of room is irrelevant but thanks for the additional info

[the snudge]

extension? much cheaper and safer?

[H Wragg]

As diamonds2002 says, it will be a piss easy job for a spark to fit new sockets but you'll have to redecorate once he's finished.

[Judge]

Cheers for the advice. Think an extension may be the solution without causing alot more work.

[bluetooner]

If all you have to do is raise the socket up a bit, then as people have said it is piss easy. It will take about 20 minutes to do, once you know where it is supposed to be. If you painted the room instead of papering it, all you will have to do is fill in the gaps that was left. (infact if your new socket has overhang edges, there probably wont even be that). All they will do is cut around where the socket goes in, and it wont need a big hole as others have said.

[diamonds2002]

bluetooner, on Feb 11 2008, 13:44, said:

If all you have to do is raise the socket up a bit, then as people have said it is piss easy. It will take about 20 minutes to do, once you know where it is supposed to be. If you painted the room instead of papering it, all you will have to do is fill in the gaps that was left. (infact if your new socket has overhang edges, there probably wont even be that). All they will do is cut around where the socket goes in, and it wont need a big hole as others have said.

he is wanting it on a wall where there is currently no electrical socket. How does he do that without a big hole? eh?- science I suppose!

[young_bairn]

What kind of wall is it?

If it's plaster board then it's a piece of piss. Anything else will involve A hammer and a bolster(SP).

[thejailender]

I had some new sockets put in a few years back, I got an electrician to do as a homer as I wasn't too confident - although knew basically what to do.

I had 4 put into this cupboard which is now my computer room, and an extra double socket put into an upstairs bedroom.

Neither took much work, the ones down stairs were tied into a socket on the opposite side of the wall (in the living room). The only hole cut was for the socket itself, and a little bit of work with string and a coat hanger he managed to hook the new cable and fit it all together.

The upstairs was a bit more complex, in that he needed to put a junction box in an existing wire in the atic, and then run a new cable down the cavity between the brick and plasterboard wall. Again the coathanger came in handy to hook the wire that was dangling down in the cavity.

But all six sockets took him less than three hours to install.

[Mrs M]

Judge, on Feb 11 2008, 13:22, said:

Cheers for the advice. Think an extension may be the solution without causing alot more work.

Will that leave a cable trailing across the floor for the rest of time, though? I don't know about you, but that would piss me off no end, plus I'm a clumsy mare and would trip over it all the time (I could trip over air) and I'd sooner pay for someone to put another socket in for me. If it's for something you'll not use that often, or if it's not causing an obstruction, then you're as well going with the extension, but if it's going to be there all the time, is it worth it?

[donaldo]

Mrs Wee, on Feb 11 2008, 17:31, said:

Will that leave a cable trailing across the floor for the rest of time, though? I don't know about you, but that would piss me off no end, plus I'm a clumsy mare and would trip over it all the time (I could trip over air) and I'd sooner pay for someone to put another socket in for me. If it's for something you'll not use that often, or if it's not causing an obstruction, then you're as well going with the extension, but if it's going to be there all the time, is it worth it?

Get some of those cable clips (something like this just make sure to get the right size) and "pin" the extension cord to the wall just above (or at the bottom of) the skirting.

[bluetooner]

diamonds2002, on Feb 11 2008, 09:54, said:

he is wanting it on a wall where there is currently no electrical socket. How does he do that without a big hole? eh?- science I suppose!

No. The socket box covers the hole. You cut a hole the size of the box, usually there is an inch or so overhang outside the size of the hole. Since there is already a socket at that location, just along the floor, all you need to do is cut into the wires that are feeding those sockets already there. Put the socket in, the overhangs cover the hole, and you can just leave the original socket without live wires, or keep it live. Simple.

[Mrs M]

donaldo, on Feb 11 2008, 17:51, said:

Get some of those cable clips (something like this just make sure to get the right size) and "pin" the extension cord to the wall just above (or at the bottom of) the skirting.

It looks bloody awful though. That's what's been done in this flat and I hate it. My Dad's an alarm engineer and has to deal with cabling all the time. He always, always chases cables into walls. When my parents moved into the house they're in now, he did the same thing there. He wouldn't have it in his house, so he wouldn't do that in someone else's house either, provided that they haven't specifically requested that he would not do that. It might take a bit more time and effort, but it's just lazy to do it any other way.

bluetooner, on Feb 11 2008, 17:53, said:

No. The socket box covers the hole. You cut a hole the size of the box, usually there is an inch or so overhang outside the size of the hole. Since there is already a socket at that location, just along the floor, all you need to do is cut into the wires that are feeding those sockets already there. Put the socket in, the overhangs cover the hole, and you can just leave the original socket without live wires, or keep it live. Simple.

He wants the socket in a wall that currently has no electrical outlets. There will need to be an electricity supply behind the wall that the sockets will go into. For this, there needs to be a hole to run the cabling along.

[bluetooner]

Mrs Wee, on Feb 11 2008, 13:02, said:

He wants the socket in a wall that currently has no electrical outlets. There will need to be an electricity supply behind the wall that the sockets will go into. For this, there needs to be a hole to run the cabling along.

Fair enough, i had mis-read that part. However everything will be done from the loft, and all the electrician will need to do is put in a connector in the loft, and then drop the wire down. The only "hole" you need is still going to be the hole that the socket fits into, and you will still cover up the hole completely.

[savagecabbage]

It all depends on various things. Can you get access under the floor to run the cable? As young bairn says is it a plasterboard wall? If there is a socket on the other side of the wall you can bore through and take a spur off the ring circuit.A good spark would give you a minor works certificate for the work and also test the new circuit. That would be suitable should you ever be asked for competancy over the work done.

Otherwise move the room around to suit the sockets Without seeing it it is very difficult to know what advice to give.Theres no harm in getting a couple of sparks in to give you a "free" estimate.That way it would give you an idea.

[proud2beabuddy]

Raithsaltire, on Feb 11 2008, 18:02, said:

Get a spark to do it. It's the law that you MUST get a spark to check your work is to the 16th edition (soon to be 17th) standards by testing using a megger, earth loop tester and if applicable, an rcd tester. You may as well get a proper spark to do the whole lot, cause the majority won't even look at testing bodgit and scarper work. What do you think I served a 4 year apprenticeship for? I've seen some scary attempts by nutters playing sparks! Death, fire, and devaluation of your property are all risks if you f**k it up! GET A SPARK!

Is there any penalties if you do work when you aren't a qualified electrician?? If I wanted to put in a socket or two I'd be very tempted to do it myself, I have a good idea of what to do.

[The Phoenix]

There's electricity in Montrose?

[savagecabbage]

proud2beabuddy, on Feb 11 2008, 21:06, said:

Is there any penalties if you do work when you aren't a qualified electrician?? If I wanted to put in a socket or two I'd be very tempted to do it myself, I have a good idea of what to do.

The big hairy electricity monster will come and get you when your seeping and you will never be seen or heard of again.

[The Phoenix]

savagecabbage, on Feb 11 2008, 21:12, said:

The big hairy electricity monster will come and get you when your seeping and you will never be hard again.

[savagecabbage]

The Phoenix, on Feb 11 2008, 21:14, said:

i meant to say sleeping not seeping.

Actually the worst you'll probably get is an electric shock. The only other way is if a surveyor spots it (very rare) when your selling your house.

Its why B&Q etc sell the stuff and have leaflets on how to wire sockets. I personally think the DIYshops should be banned from selling electrical stuff to joe public. I have seen some real howlers from folks bodged diy jobs. You always tell a botched b&q home job as the stuff fitted is generally MK gear.