What is the position of electrical switches & sockets in a new extension to comply with building regs?
Question:what distance from the floor must a new electrical socket and light switch be to comply with building regs in barnsley S70
Answers:
The building regulations ( Not Scotland) state that switches and sockets in houses should be installed in a way that persons with limited reach can use them easily.
The suggested heights are, for socket outlets, no lower than 450mm from the floor and for switches, TV points, telephone outlets, doorbells etc, no higher than 1200mm from the floor.
Unless the house is specifically designed for a person with limited reach these requirements do not apply in garages and kitchens.
Socket should not be on the ceiling and light switch should not be on the floor
Try www.diydata.com and click on electrics.
IEE regs can be flexible on this.
The "standard" is to fit wall socket back-boxes at a convenient 250mm from floor to hole centres, and light switches at 1.5m from the deck, but if you want the sockets at above desk level in an office, say, that is fine. Equally you can bung a light switch into the wall at any convenient height.
The main thing is to ensure that the associated cabling is fine, run always vertically or horizontally, never the diagonal short-cuts. Also of course every cable correctlly sized, and fed from a correctly sized circuit breaker.
There are things in the UK such as you can take a spur off a ring circuit, but not a spur from a spur.
You can take a lighting feed from the power, but not power from a lighting circuit. It is not too complex, just a case of common sense & keeping up to date with the latest big blue book from the Institute of Electrical Engineers. I design stuff from my 16th Edition, as the 17th edition is full of needless detail to do with motors etc.
Available to all members, or for a reasonable fee from the Institute. On the web, naturally.
The "bible" as it is called.
Barnsley or Basingstoke makes no odds in the UK.
Correct safe installation is the key, heights etc are more a matter of taste and convenience of use.
Oh, stay clear of existing plumbing !
All the best with it.
Bob, M.Sc, C.Eng. MIEE MIERE, for what is is worth.
I still manage to make things electrical go bang now & then !
In an extension the sockets and switches may be at whatever height you choose (usually in keeping with the rest of the house).
In a new build, then they should be compliant with part M of building regs. (roughly knee height to chest height) http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england...
More Related Questions & Answers...