Category Archives: Electrical

Property News

A house in Hampstead has had its asking price slashed by a staggering £35 million and is now on the market for a mere £65 million!

As one of the most expensive houses in Britain, which was built in 1910 for Mr William Park Lyle of Tate and Lyle fame, it boasts 14 en-suite bedrooms, a huge wine cellar, pool, sauna, gym and even a panic room.

The house is also incredibly hi-tech, it features smart technology which enables you to switch on the lighting and heating from your ipad.

Home automation, which is already a big hit in the US, is set to become the next big “must have” item for the technology loving home owner with the ability to control many items around the house from your smartphone or tablet.

Electrical Earthing Requirements in Domestic Properties

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In the United Kingdom there are three main types of Earthing protection for domestic properties’

The first and most effective are called “PME” (Protective Multiple Earth) systems. These are also known as TNC-S systems.

These systems incorporate the earthing cable and the Neutral conductor to the substation in order to provide a path for any current in the event of a fault.

The second type of system is known as a TN-S. These systems rely on the outer sheathing of the electrical supply cable to carry fault currents to earth.

These systems are not a good as the PME systems as if the outer sheath of the electrical supply cable to the property becomes damaged, the fault current cannot flow to earth.

The third type of system is called a TT system. This type of system is not that effective in dealing with electrical faults. The system is connected to an earth rod generally located external to the property.

The problem with TT systems is that when the earth dries out over prolonged dry periods, the area surrounding the earth rod will crack and expand, therefore the rod is not always in good contact with earth.

The Three systems derive their name from the following:

T Being Earth

TT = Earth Earth, i.e. the earth cable connected to an earth rod.

TNC-S = Earth connected to neutral “N” combined in the ground “C” but separate in the property “S”

TNS = Earth and neutral separate

It is recommended that if you have a TT system in your property ie an earth rod outside,

You should have it upgraded to a TNC-S PME supply, as it will probably not carry the correct current in the event of a fault.

Building refurbishments

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Most property owners need various building refurbishments and repairs doing from time to time. These range from simple roof repairs through to electrical and building works. Many homeowners and in fact some building contractors are either unsure or unaware that even some repairs will trigger the need to inform the local authority building control department. This is usually done through a building regulations building notice. These vary in costs dependant on the value of the works being carried out, the building inspector will usually be required to conduct a site visit at various stages throughout the building works to check each element of the works as items are covered in. They will want to see drainage, insulation footings details and structural elements that fall under part “A” of the UK building regulations. Good building contractors will take care of managing the building notice as part of their service but ultimately the responsibility lies with the property owner. So make sure you check with your local building control department if your works will require a building regulations building notice application. Some works may not require a building regulations application when you start the works but a change to the works if an unforeseen issue arises can trigger the requirement for an application. Very often this is an issue under part “L”, of the UK building regulations. This is because if more than 25% of any external surface for examples roofs, floors or walls are being repaired it will require a building notice and site inspections.

Refurbishing and modernising houses

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Many first time property developers start by refurbishing or modernising houses before they move onto bigger and better development projects. So what work does add value to a refurbishment project? Well many houses that are in need of modernisation often require rewiring to bring them up to a modern standard and the latest NIC electrical regulations. This is something that a surveyor will check when carrying out a home buyer’s survey. If you are rewiring a house this by its nature will lead to damage to the plasterworks along with any other alterations to the layout or refitting of bathrooms and kitchens. Many first time property developers tend to try and skimp on plastering but clean crisp new plaster can really sell a house. The key is to either bit the bullet and do a full refurbishment to include these items or a very minor tidy up and then “flip”, the property simple put it back on the market and aim for a smaller profit. Once you have decided to re-wire a property and replaster you have to consider that it will probably be necessary to renew skirting boards, door architraves and new internal doors. Items like new internal doors can be purchased from as little as £20.00 and give the property a new feel. Although you need to be careful not to spend above the refurbishment budget spending a few thousand pounds extra to end up with a better property may well lead to a quicker sale. Properties that have been redeveloped cheaply can put buyers off, the type of buyer that will be looking for a house that is ready to move into without the hassle of refurbishment will want all the work complete. If you spend a little less your property can languish on the market and these savings are eaten up in interest payments. Knowing what to replace and what not to replace is a skill acquired from experience this coupled with knowing which properties “stack up for development and refurbishment”, is the skill that gives property developers their profit. The two main considerations are to get a property into a saleable condition without over spending and pricing the property out of the market while carrying out all the works that will give the property a good survey report. It is no good getting a property to look fantastic and get lots of offers if the wiring or structural defects mean that no surveyor will recommend it for a mortgage.

Property Development Sheffield

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Sheffield is an up and coming city of more than half a million people. It lies at the southern end of England’s Pennine hills, within the county of Yorkshire on its border with the forests of Nottinghamshire and the Derbyshire Dales.

The town has undergone a remarkable regeneration in the past 5 years. By 2010 Sheffield city centre will have some prestigious luxury apartments which will become the tallest building in Sheffield. Many other developments have seriously brought up to the standards expected of a modern European city.

Sheffield and its surrounding areas is a great place to live as it has some of the lowest living costs in the country. House prices are competitive and it has plenty of development opportunities.

If you have ambitious development plans and need a competent building company who specialise in Property Renovations or need an Electrician in Sheffield contact W4W Building today.

Solar panels and electric heating offer a greener solution and less maintenance

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With property developers and house builders increasingly looking to help the owners or occupiers of new homes lower their carbon foot print, and keep in tune with part ?L? of the building regulations electric heating is fast becoming a sensible alternative.
There are several systems now available on the market and the property developer or house builder has the ability to use a combination of electric heaters, electric water heaters, and solar panels to give effective heating, hot water, and help keep carbon emissions to a minimum.
The other benefit is that there is no need for a gas safety check if the property is designed to run with out and gas supply, and the property developer makes a large saving on the cost of getting a new gas supply to each property in the new development. This also has great advantages for social housing or the private rental sector where landlords benefit greatly from a reduced maintenance program.