Sockets

[Geoffrey]

Just wondered what anyone's thoughts are on this:

We're about to have our new floor sanded and finished and a new skirting board fitted. The electrician is here next week and I don't know if it's better to have the new sockets above the skirting or mounted on it or even chipped into the wall above.

Is there a convention for where they should go?

There's going to be a fair bit of chipping in anyway for a new lighting system etc. and all the sockets could do with moving to more useful positions. Positions in the rest of the house vary so I just wondered if there's a standard approach.

 

[MdB]

If I remember what I have been told correctly, building regs state that the bottom of new sockets have to be 450mm from floor level to give disabled access.

This definately applies to new build houses and I guess to things like extensions. I am unsure as to whether this applies to rewiring or additional sockets.

In my rewiring effort I'm replacing all of the sockets so I'm putting them all at the required 450mm height. If I was going to leave some of the old sockets (at skirting board level) and fit new at 450mm then this would have looked rather strange.

 

[Geoffrey]

Oh no - a law rather than a convention!

I immediately feel compelled to break It!

 

[tony]

I,m not sure of the regulation for this down in England.

Myself i put mine on the skirting boards as they are high enough to have the bottom of the socket at least 1.5" above the finished floor level.

Is your electrician part p registered?

Why not take the oportunity to run data, alarm and aerial cables at the same time, thats what i did and looks better than running cables on skirting boards at a later date.

8 core alarm cable to but £ 15
305 metres of cat5e £50+
good quality ' sky type' cable ie ht100 £25 for 100 metres
these cable vary in cost but that should be a rough guide for you to buy the cable yourself.

regards

tony

 

[tony]

just checked, socket heights only need to comply when its a new build, however if owners are elderly it might be a good idea to put sockets high and switches lower.

regards

tony

 

[MdB]

Part M Regs
Part P Regs

Section 8 of Part M is what you need to look at. Part P is also useful.

tony - I'm not sure but I don't think you are allowed to run low voltage cables next to mains cables. They have to be separated.

 

[tony]

good, that confirms it only required for new builds.

as its a rewire put it at any height.

regards

tony

 

[Geoffrey]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
At least that sorts out the building reg. aspect.
As for data cables - I think they're obsolete already aren't they? Our alarm system is wireless, as is internet connection and music system (although I don't have it yet - too much money on builders). I even came across a wirless dimming system for the lights although we haven't used it. The only extra cabling I think I will need is good old speaker cable.

Am still interested if anyone has any aesthetic opinions.

 

[tony]

please use a wired alarm system wireless are not particulary good as most alarm installers will not recommend wireless unless it is the expensive brand names such as scantronic.

wired data is the way to go, for £30 stick the cables in, all high end developments nowdays have a wired home network, which can also be used for telephones, if not going to terminate put cable in a box and fit a blank plate.

speaker system, i have one in my house cost under £100.
Maplin speaker selector switch box
100metres 4core 2.5mm2 flex
speakers.
I can select speakers to switch on and off one at a time, good for parties.

you can buy a replacement dimmer (iq type) switch that operates from a spare button on your tv remote control for about £15 available from tlc, dont know how to post link. do a google and search catalogue.

regards

tony

regards

tony

 

[NT]

I'd put data cables in as it leaves all the options open for the future. I'd use or include cat5e as it can be used for networking as well as other LV uses. Wireless has significant downsides over cable. Technological changes might make it obsolete some day, or might not, but it sure isnt now.

Cables in is so cheap. Yes theyre meant to be separate to mains, that is an issue. From a purely safety POV, its putting terminations in separate boxes to mains that matters.

LV cables may or may not have lots of uses in future, such as computer controlled CH, burger alarm systems, phone extensions, non-ac energy efficient cooling systems, nightlighting, etc etc etc. Be mad not to slip them in.


NT

 

[biffvernon]

burger alarm systems,
NT

Hugh-Fernley Eatitall would approve.

 

[Geoffrey]

Am only doing entrance hall and sitting room - wouldn't be much of a network! Wireless already covers the whole house.

 

[worms]

Of course, coming from Wormit, Tony might be well qualified to comment on this topic:

Wormit, which claims to have been the first village in Scotland to install electricity...

http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/towns/townfirst136.html

 

[tony]

Yes, the builder/architect who built many of Wormit's fine homes even had the foresight to wire for that new fangled electricity.

regards

tony

 

[middi]

Just remember that when you get old and decrepid, and still living in the same house, you may have to ask for help when you want to plug in the "ticker" booster at skirting level height.

 

[NT]

Just remember that when you get old and decrepid, and still living in the same house, you may have to ask for help when you want to plug in the "ticker" booster at skirting level height.

If you do become decrepid, leaving things plugged in should work fairly well. If not, one could add more sockets. And those 4 way leads can easily simply and cheaply give outlets any height you want.

I've lived with high up sockets as well as low ones, and theyre a safety problem and a nuisance, as well as unsightly. I wouldnt have them again, not unless I was headed for such bad health that I couldnt ever bend down again.

IMHO the fitting is high sockets is in the great majority of cases not justified. Senile Nanny strikes again.


NT

 

[Geoffrey]

I couldn't believe it when I saw how high up the wall 45 cm was. There's no way I'd have them there. And in a new house with low ceilings they must seem even more intrusive.

 

[MdB]

I couldn't believe it when I saw how high up the wall 45 cm was. There's no way I'd have them there. And in a new house with low ceilings they must seem even more intrusive.

The socket height doesn't bother me. I actually prefer it. What I don't like is the maximum 1.2m for the light switches. That has taken some getting used to in my new office. It just seems too low.

 

[essexbearhunter]

As someone whose house (and furniture layout) is still in massive transition, I started to realise that most of my electrical equipment was on work surfaces. The recesses for my sockets are now 6 inches above std work surface height avoiding the problems of sockets being completely masked by mule chests etc.

I do still have the aethetic challenge of blending that in with the room decoration....so, if my neighbours report the noise of new socket recesses being drilled out, you may assume that I have failed...and am now on Plan C :lol:

 

[Craig]

I have been told that its not allowed to mount mains electrical sockets on a wooden skirting as they should not be mounted on a combustable surface?