Domestic Wiring

[shropshirelass]

Is there anyone that could recommend a good resource (internet site or book) to help understand the French domestic electrical wiring system please?

Many thanks

[Alcazar]

There are the two I use:

Maitriser l'Electricite, and

L'Electricite Pas a Pas.

Both available from Leclerc for about €6, loads of sel-explanatory diagrams, dictionary needed for technical terms, but the rest is easy. They are pocket sized (A5??) softbacks.

The main rule of thumb seems to be: forget UK compnents and cables, use only French sourced stuff.

And my own rule: buy decent quality fittings and distribution boards, and you won't go far wrong. I use Legrand, but there are others.

[shropshirelass]

Thanks so much for the exceptionally fast reply and the useful information.  It is much appreciated.

[La Guerriere]

I would also recommend:

"L'installation electrique" by Gallauziaux and Fedullo, edition Eyrolles, which is bang up to date on NF-C-15-100

also the litle red Promotelec booklet "Locaux d'Habitation: Installation Electrique" which can be bought on-line:

http://www.promotelec.com

Strongly agree that you need to use all French equipment: it is all different to UK stuff

Jim @ La Guerriere

 

[ljmc]

Further question on Domestic wiring ......

We are in  the process of renovating our property in south west France.On a recent trip there we had a local artisan out to give a quote for rewiring part of it.This came in at a hefty 4.300+ euros.

We have been looking into buying the parts ourselves and friends and family chipping in with labour.Is this illegal as they will not be registered in France.               ( No money will exchange hands.)

The French electrician supplied us with a DEVIS.Is this simply a quote or a legally binding contract?

Any feedback greatly appreciated.

 

[Anton Redman]

On a recent trip there we had a local artisan out to give a quote for rewiring part of it.This came in at a hefty 4.300+ euros.  - Without number of rooms,sockets ,areas type of making good etc impossible to comment. French cotisation, TVA and income tax leave a contractor with a big gap between what they charge and the amount they actually take home

We have been looking into buying the parts ourselves and friends and family chipping in with labour.Is this illegal as they will not be registered in France.  ( No money will exchange hands.)  -  It is legal but if it were me I would want one person taking ownership of the whole thing

The French electrician supplied us with a DEVIS.Is this simply a quote or a legally binding contract?   A Devis once signed and accepted is a legally binding quotation ot do the work for the fixed fee.

 

[ljmc]

Thanks for clearing that up Anton.

There are 4 rooms in question,one of which is a bathroom.Although I appreciate the cost implications on French tax payers I did not expect it to be so expensive.As it is we have not signed anything.

With it involving electricity I wanted to make sure we were not compromising our home insurance by carrying out the work ourselves.We will only be using the one person to carry out the work but depends who can get time off work first !

Thanks for your input.Appreciated.

Lisa

 

[Anton Redman]

I have heard Euros 1,000 a room being mooted as a norm.

The insurance issue is that if the house burns down as a result of an electrical fire then the insurance company may seek to avoid paying on the groups that you were the cause of your own misfortune.  They might want to sue the electricien if it had been rewired professionally. 

[Catalpa]

++ I have heard Euros 1,000 a room being mooted as a norm ++

Yep. We're getting quotes for a total wiring job at the moment and that figure seems a very accurate rule of thumb - though it's probably worth saying that the work we're specifying is more complex than a light switch and say 4 sockets per room. If our quotes are coming out at 1000E per room I think it would be a very fancy configuration to be more than that. Or very fancy fittings - which ours are not.