How to wire a consumer unit in a garage

Want to know how to wire a consumer unit in a garage? If you’re not a qualified electrician, please be aware this is not a job you are permitted to carry out yourself.

To protect homeowners from unsafe electrical installation work in domestic dwellings the government introduced Part P into the building regulations.

Part P applies to all notifiable electrical work. This includes the wiring of a consumer unit.

What is classed as notifiable electrical work?

Electrical installations are either classed as ‘minor’ or ‘notifiable’.

Notifiable works can only be carried out by a qualified, registered electrician. Examples include:

• Rewiring a property
• Providing electricity to a garage or outhouse
• Replacing a main fuse box (consumer unit) in a house
• New electrical installations on a new build home
• Any electrical work in special locations, i.e. a kitchen, bath/shower room, or an area containing a swimming pool, hot tub, or sauna

Unless you’re a registered electrician you should not attempt to wire a consumer unit in a garage yourself. Faulty electrics can lead to injuries and fatalities.

What is Part P certification?

An electrician who is Part P certified is registered with an electrical Competent Person Scheme operator.

This means they have been authorised by the Government to self-certify that their work is compliant with building regulations.

They must meet strict entry requirements, have their work regularly assessed, demonstrate their ability and ongoing competence, and meet correct standards.

The benefits of using a Competent Registered Electrician

Using an electrician registered with a Competent Person Scheme not only gives you assurance as to the standard of their work, but it’s also much more straightforward.

• Registered electricians must have valid insurance
• They will provide a BS7671 certificate to confirm their work meets BS7671 electrical safety standards
• If the work is notifiable, they will arrange a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate for you on completion of the installation
• As they are able to self-certify against building regs, you will not need to notify the work with the local authority building control

Find an electrician to wire a consumer unit in a garage

If you want to wire a consumer unit in a garage, you’ll need to find a qualified, registered electrician to get started. Just enter your postcode below to search our leading directory of approved tradespeople now.