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Safe Electric cert cost

kennM

Good afternoon all,

Hoping to get a gauge on this. Had some construction done in our home by a builder which included eletrical controlled works..... I.e. extra 2 circuits needed back to fuse board.

Builder now looking to charge a chunk extra to get Safe Electric cert. This normal? I have my own view but I'll hold off sharing. I was assured electrician is qualified etc.

Thx in advance guys! Appreciate it

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scwazrh

Should have been itemised in your quote.it’s definitely a chargeable item .How much is a different topic

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058298193/safe-electric-cert-cost

This is restricted works and if carried out by a rec then there shouldn’t be an additional cost

Regulations state that a certificate must be provided along with test records for this works.

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058298193/safe-electric-cert-cost

They could have priced in a cost for certification in the quote, but it's not an optional extra. Controlled Works (which are Restricted Works in a domestic setting) must be certified. The Registered Electrical Contractor must provide a certificate to the person ordering the works.

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120648376#Comment_120648376

Thx for reply! Not specifically quoted as separate line item in original quote and now appearing along with a number of unagreed extras despite advance agreement in extras being communicated and agreed in advance.

scwazrh

Of course there’s a cost.If you get sparks to your house to do a job , you’re paying for everything it costs him to do the job.The quote should include “ materials, labour and certification for the following works “ .if the quote was only for labour and cert then you pay extra for materials.If labour and materials then you pay extra for cert .

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120648401#Comment_120648401

Appreciate it,

Oh completely agree. I want to be 100% fair here. My understanding is that legally the builder must employ a RECI registered electrician for controlled works (which this is). As such the additional cert cost, if not itemised in original quote then whats reasonable here? I feel builder is trying the milk everything he possibly can even when there is zero cost incurred on their side.

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120648423#Comment_120648423

As I pointed out, they would be within their rights to have set a cost against this, but it's not something which they can exclude from the works. There is an obligation for them to certify the works. So if a cost wasn't included against it, this still doesn't allow the REC not to certify the works. So taking what you have said at face value, you are within your rights to demand the certificate or to report them if it's not forthcoming.

JL spark

Put it this way , are the new circuits energised ?

if so testing should of been done , press them on that , if that fails contact safe electric,

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649115#Comment_120649115

Yes. The work is complete and all seems working fine. Working out final payment and builder looking for a whack of extra cash for safe electric cert basically.

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649340#Comment_120649340

Up to €250 wouldn’t be extortion.If it’s more than that then he’s gouging .if that’s the case I’d suggest you pay nothing for it and go straight to the electrician and tell him you want the cert and if not provided you’re going to safe electric .Last resort but if he’s not being fair about it no reason you should be.

Ak84

Unless you need the cert for a grant or something, tell him you don't want the cert.

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649418#Comment_120649418

Appreciate it, he is looking for 4 times that so validating what I'm thinking!

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649437#Comment_120649437

Don't have a specific need in terms of grant etc. Just conscious of insurance implications or anything like that?

meercat

It’s mandatory that he issues a certificate (cert3) for this work

he should know that and have included it in the price. It’s not a major extra cost considering the work done

theres a page on the safe electric website dealing with this (can’t link it atm)

he has to provide test records for this also

the cost you say he’s requesting for a certificate is outrageous

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649437#Comment_120649437

I wouldn't do that , the cert could be a valuable document down the road and difficult to get later

Realistically the builder shouldn't be haggling for it as it's an integral part of the work

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120649497#Comment_120649497

Put the foot down so and pay nothing for it. If he doesn’t sort it safe electric should make the electrician provide it.

And if that’s an example of his attitude towards his variations account items I would play hard with him on every item.Can’t stand contractors or customers trying to take advantage of the other party.

antoinolachtnai

The cert isn’t an optional extra like Ethernet sockets or a wired fire alarm. it cannot be itemized. Without the cert the work is not really worth anything much. It’s like an uncalibrated weighing scale or a bootleg copy of Windows. If you are getting it cheap enough or fast enough and you can live with it that’s fine but if you are paying for a high quality, on the books job, then I don’t see why you would pay extra certainly not that sort of extra.

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120650091#Comment_120650091

Yep, high quality expected and it was priced as such. In fairness it finished out great but had to push on stuff I shouldn't have had to push on but thats irrelevant to topic at hand.

antoinolachtnai

In the end you don't actually know what the quality of the installation is like and no one is standing over it unless you have those certs. There is a horror story on here about a contractor who left functional but substandard work behind. I suppose you could look at it differently if you actually personally knew the electrician, you would have his word to go on.

kirk.

Fire up a picture of the main board and the meter cabinet

Might give some pointers to standard of work

kirk.

Worst case scenario maybe the REC doesn't want to pass a cert to the builder here

kennM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120650311#Comment_120650311

Ah main board looks fine. Our house is a reasonably new build and I'd be "somewhat" knowledgeable on eletrical stuff so all looks fine. Nevertheless I want Safe Eletric cert. My gut feeling is the sparks was not Safe Eletrics certified. I've told him I'm not paying another penny till he provides safe electric cert number and I can verify online myself. There was a second sparks who finished out second fix who I believe is Safe Electric qualified but can't be 100%.

Didn't pay for a cheap job and want it finished right with appreciate certificates.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120650360#Comment_120650360

You literally would have no idea that the main board is fine

Sparks not registered could mean any amount of issues possible or maybe none at all

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120650360#Comment_120650360

There was a second sparks who finished out second fix who I believe is Safe Electric qualified but can't be 100%.

You might be getting to the crux of the problem there. Few sparks want to cert something someone else 1st fixed and will certainly charge a premium to do so.

Builders problem though not yours

kirk.

Most of the main board photos posted here there's been loads of issues with them

Some problems serious. Installations with no main protective devices etc

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120650628#Comment_120650628

This could only be done with a Change of Contractor application.

meercat

Op you can check if your electrician is a rec here

https://safeelectric.ie/find-an-electrician/

here is the relevant link that states it’s mandatory to provide a certificate (and also test records)

https://safeelectric.ie/contractors/certificates-2/certificates/

A Cert 3 is what you require

your rec should already have tested their work

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651549#Comment_120651549

It should be noted that not every REC is listed on the website, so only contacting them would confirm for sure one way or the other.

CreadanLady

He might be only chancing his arm.

Now of course, any new electric installation must be certified. That goes without saying.

I'd suggest picking through the specification and bill of quantities for the job and see does it specifically mention anything about certification or payment in respect of it. You might be able to find something to catch him out on.

In my experience, you get contractors flipping in spruious claims by the dozen towards the end of a job in the hope that they will bamboozle you with so much crap that you will agree to settle and pay some percentage of it rather than fight them on the nitty gritty details of each claim.