What Does Part P Certified Electricians Mean?
When choosing an electrician, the certifications and emblems displayed on business cards, letterheads and advertisements can become a little overwhelming.
With so many certifications, how do you know if you should be choosing a tradesperson who is Part P certified?
So, here we’ll explore Part P Certification in a little more detail, so you can understand what is involved and whether it applies to your project.
The Part P Basics
Part P forms a part of the current Building Regulations.
The overall principle of Building Regulations is ensuring the application of consistent standards in the construction of all buildings including fire safety, drainage, sound insulation, electrical safety, and its overall structure.
The Part P requirement insists that “reasonable provision” is made to the design and installation of electrical equipment to protect any persons maintaining, operating or altering the installation against injury or fire.
In simple terms, this means that electrical installations need to be safe.
The Building Regulations Part P applies to all fixed electrical installations in domestic homes including any shared amenities inside blocks of flats, gardens or any building that shares an electricity supply with a domestic dwelling.
Is Your Project Affected by Part P?
Many of the standard jobs undertaken by our recommended electricians are affected by the Part P regulations. Under Part P regulations, building control bodies should be notified and allowed to inspect such works.
The inspection by local authority Building Control departments is necessary to ensure that the work complies with the latest Building Regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines or other consequences that could compromise your home.
You may find that failure to comply with Part P could invalidate an insurance claim in the event of a fire or injury or land you with a hefty penalty.
How to Comply with Part P
The most straightforward and easiest way to meet the Part P requirements is to hire a registered contractor.
A contractor registered with the NICEIC, NAPIT or another competent person scheme can guide you through the requirements and ensure that the work is compliant.
Competent Person Schemes are set up with government approval to assess all contractors to a set, common standard. When contractors are registered with a scheme, they can self certify work as compliant with Building Regulations to save you time and stress.
Self certification avoids the need to arrange for local authorities inspectors to visit the job site and check the work. This can be a timeconsuming and potentially costly process that could impede completion of your electrical installation.
Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about Part P certified work. All our recommended electricians are Part P Certified and can provide you with the correct certification for any jobs covered by the Part P regulations.
This removes the need for you to spend hours researching the qualifications and certifications of any potential contractors. You can rely on our recommended electricians to understand the latest regulations and ensure that the work on your project is compliant and Part P certified.