underfloor heating / bathroom electrics

[Vron]

Hi
Can anyone advise on the following. To fit some spotlights and underfloor heating I understand you have to either get a qualified electrician in and get a completion cert or notify building control at the local council (£190) who will inspect and give you a certificate??

Secondly, the thermostat for the underfloor heating measures the air temperature so should be inside the bathroom - there is a probe that goes into the floor to stop it getting too hot. However, I am getting conflicting info that yes its ok to fit in the bathroom if you have an RCD on the circuit or no it definitely has to go outside (so how do you measure the air temp in the bathroom then? I thought if the control is more than 60cm from the edge of the shower cubicle or 1.2m away from the shower head its ok inside the bathroom?

We know how to do the work in principle its just how to comply with the regs for when the house is sold and you have to fill in the forms for the solicitor?

Thanks

[Ganglandboss]

Vron said:

Hi
Can anyone advise on the following. To fit some spotlights and underfloor heating I understand you have to either get a qualified electrician in and get a completion cert or notify building control at the local council (£190) who will inspect and give you a certificate??

Work in a bathroom is notifiable under Part P of the building regs. To comply, you must either use an approved domestic installer who can self certify or have it inspected by Building Control. The second option is not really practical in most cases - they will not inspect and test your work; they will only visit site to satisfy themselves you are complying with Part P. You still have to present a minor works/installation certificate. Building control will only accept a certificate from someone who can prove they are competent so you would most likely have to pay a spark on top of Building Control's fees.

Vron said:

Secondly, the thermostat for the underfloor heating measures the air temperature so should be inside the bathroom - there is a probe that goes into the floor to stop it getting too hot. However, I am getting conflicting info that yes its ok to fit in the bathroom if you have an RCD on the circuit or no it definitely has to go outside (so how do you measure the air temp in the bathroom then? I thought if the control is more than 60cm from the edge of the shower cubicle or 1.2m away from the shower head its ok inside the bathroom?

We know how to do the work in principle its just how to comply with the regs for when the house is sold and you have to fill in the forms for the solicitor?

Thanks

The circuit must be RCD protected. The thermostat can go in the bathroom however, it must be of a design that is suitable for the conditions likely to be encountered. There are specific requirements for electrical accessories in particular zones - some guidance can be found here:

http://lights4bathrooms.co.uk/ipratings.html

[K77 CTR]

If the wiring is already in place and you are just swapping the light fitting itself, does this need to have an RCD fitted and does it have to be done by a Part P qualified person? Nothing is being done to the wiring.