UKC

One for the electricians on here (I know there are a few).

I've been told by an electrician (who I don't entirely trust having seen his other work in the house) that I have to place plug sockets between 450-1200 mm from the floor to comply with part M for accessibility by disabled people.
This is really quite irritating as:-
a) nobody using the property is disabled.
b) access to the property is up steps and some of the sockets will be up a narrow steep staircase so any disabled person wouldn't really have access to the property in the fist place.
c) It's my private house so surely I should be able to decide where I place a plug socket where safety is not an issue and having sockets half way up the blood wall will just look ridiculous.

I'm getting a bit confused about where these regs. actually apply as the 17th edition guide says that they apply everywhere in new and old premises but then has a caveat about having to match other sockets in the property and then many other websites by equipment manufacturers and regulatory bodies state that they are only applicable in new builds or visitor areas of commercial properties or give different minimum heights.

Is anyone able to clarify the situation?

Thanks all,

Gethin.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Only on new builds.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Part M paragraph 0.3

It does not apply to an extension to a dwelling unless formed by material change of use (e.g. Converting a pub to residential). However, you must not make the situation any worse in terms of accessibility than it was prior to the extension/refurbishment.

Sockets further up the wall are actually easier to use. If part M does apply (new build etc) then there are lots of other rules too. Sockets must be a minimum of 350mm from an internal wall corner and the faceplates must contrast in colour with the wall.

Steve

In reply to gethin_allen:

Thanks all, I had seen the distance from internal corner thing. I plan on having the sockets wiredup and tested by someone qualified but I want to run the wires myself as I renovate each room as can't really deal with having every room disrupted at the same time.

In reply to sbc23:

I'd agree - we rewired and electrician put sockets at the (bottom of the) new height - not noticeably silly looking and generally easier to use. But we were hacking plaster about anyway.

In reply to gethin_allen:

When I re-wired my house I put the sockets at the recommended height (450mm) (although didn't need to to comply). Agree with above - much easier to use. Once you've done it I think it looks better than very low sockets.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Probably of no use to you but I have just had my flat completely rewired (about 2 weeks ago) with the addition of several new sockets etc. All sockets are now about 450mm up the wall.

Like I say probably of no use to you but thought I would share.

In reply to MaxWilliam:

I hear a few people on here saying this but I rarely actually plug or unplug anything from a wall socket, all I can think of is the hoover, most things are left plugged in. I wasn't planning on having the plugs very close to the floor, probably at ~250 mm off the floor (~50 mm above the skirting boards). The regs show the 450 mm measurement to be from the finished floor level to the bottom of the socket faceplate which just seems too high.

In reply to gethin_allen:

It seems high to me too, could you make some kind of cover to go over them which is the same colour/pattern as the walls?

With a bit of thought I suppose you could make one with a hinged front which allows you to plug things in, you could make them removable for if you leave your current home?

In reply to gethin_allen:

Most electricians I work with now fit sockets at 500mm as standard .

Lights switches at 1100 (I think)

I used to think the heights were odd,but don't notice it now.

In reply to Timmd:

It seems high to me too, could you make some kind of cover to go over them which is the same colour/pattern as the walls?

Do you put a cover over your TV for when you have visitors around?

In reply to FactorXXX:




Do you show visitors your TV room?

In reply to Philip:

Do you show visitors your TV room?

Only if they've made the bed, applied fresh make-up and ensured that their wig is straight.

In reply to Timmd:


That made me smile

The aim of Part M is to make as much normal stuff as possible accessible to lots of people with various disabilities.

Whilst the height up the wall is important for people using wheelchairs and those who need to keep one arm on a crutch/stick to plug stuff in, Part M also makes accommodations for lots of disabilities. An important one is contrast in colour between the fitting and the wall. This makes it much easier for partially sighted people to find the socket. The major manufacturers (MK etc.) make sockets in colours other than white for this purpose.

Sure, it might not apply to you or your house (and regs-wise it doesn't), but by raising the standards generally at design stage with very little, if any extra cost, it makes the world a nicer place for everyone of all abilities to live in.

If we didn't have Part M, we wouldn't have amazing things like this :

youtube.com/watch?v=kjH_BbuDMmc&

Steve

In reply to FactorXXX:



Nope, and I'm untidy too...it was an 'If the plugs bother him a lot' kind of idea. ()

In reply to sbc23:




That's an amazing invention.

In reply to sbc23:

A very smart set of lifts but probably not at little extra cost as you mention.

I can see the point of designing things to be better for disabled users but you have to consider the overall picture and the end user ie the height of the plugs would be the least of the problems for a disabled person in my house and I don't appreciate being told what to do in my home where safety isn't an issue (although part P pisses me off a bit too), fortunately I now know part m is not an issue for me.

In reply to gethin_allen:

I totally see your point. Public buildings should be compliant but your home is for you.

In reply to gethin_allen:


Welcome to the free world. Don't forget to read the bit that says the consumer unit has to go 1.5M above floor level - that removes a usable piece of wall - I guess the people behind these regs don't see the modern shoe boxes that are being built. It might explain why some of the meters and trip switches are now being installed in inset boxes on the *outside* of new builds. So now a wheel chair user can reach the trip switch if it goes off in the middle of a late night thunderstorm, but only by going outside into the rain. Nanas.



I'm more pissed off by the number of people (largely employed in the trade) who mis-represent Part P and insist that individuals are not allowed to do work themselves. I've had several home owners insist to me that this is the law...

In reply to wintertree:

"Don't forget to read the bit that says the consumer unit has to go 1.5M above floor level"

When I bought the house the consumer unit was about that but I asked an electrician who was installing a new ring in the kitchen to move it up to a sensible place and he happily obliged.