Owning your own home

This cable chat has reminded me... I'm going to run an extension cable from my outdoor socket to my shed. It's about three four metres or so.

I've never worked with armoured cable. Does it have to be armoured to run that extension? Or will any 'outdoor' suitable cable work?

If it does have to be armoured I can't see many armoured extension leads available. There's nothing special about that cable is there? I imagine it's difficult to cut, but otherwise I should be able to get a length and put a pair of plugs on the end to make my own extension lead?

.... just going to delete this post as I didn't read yours properly.

is this just a temporary thing or are you planning on leaving the extension lead connected all the time?

You also need the metal armour to be earthed which is difficult if you want to stick it straight onto a plug. I think (although I'm no expert) you are allowed to just earth it at one end (e.g. the socket) but you're still going to need something that allows you to terminate it in that way.

Feels like there needs to be a dedicated “I Want to Run Power to My Shed” thread, like the tubeless thread, with all the info in post #1

^ +1

Stevo has lots of posts on his set up in the diy thread eg. https://www.lfgss.com/comments/17510095/

Fwiw my situation is:
an armoured cable plugged in a socket in a brick shed > out a hole > under the patio > properly wired into an outdoor socket

I only use it for Xmas lights for Halloween and Xmas, with potential for use in the summer for a hifi or something. So the majority of the time it's physically unplugged, then switched off out of hours.

Here is a video I saved for the outdoor socket as I found it very hard to find a good guide on
https://youtu.be/jH5LcjqPr7A?si=ZP_F8Ta-­xqIFSEje

If you already have an outdoor socket and it's a semi perm thing, I'd be tempted to do a proper job with a permanent socket in the shed. Either diy with the proper research or paying an electrician.

Is there a mineral insulated porn thread?

Thanks for all this - that video looks comprehensive. At least comprehensive enough to suggest that I want to get an electrician in to do it for me.

I'll run an extension cable for a few months while I work on the shed, then once all my benches and storage are in their final place I'll get a chap in.

Cheers all

The commercial property next-door is doing major building works. They don't have planning permission, no party wall award (works are definitely notifiable, they've modified the foundations) and against building regulations (installing a soakaway within 2m from my building, causing major concerns for subsidence.) When I ask for plans, they lie, brush me off or intimidate me, including in front of my young child. I need a shark party wall surveyor. Any tips? I'm in SE16.

Sounds like you need a lawyer more than a surveyor.

What kind of ‘commercial property’? What sort of works does it look like they’re doing?

Grass them up to the council, sounds shady as fuck. Sorry that you’re experiencing this…

Building control, they will shut the site down.

I’m assuming I can’t afford a lawyer

last time I tried contacting building control, it took them 2 months to reply and nothing happened…

Your local councillors are probably a better route to getting them engaged rather than dealing with them directly.

That sounds like email? In my experience with (German) council people phone is the way to go. Might take a while, but you’ll be able to make clear that it’s rather urgent, and you’ll have a name.

Building control, they will shut the site down.

Also planning enforcement. Building control covers building regulations, which as meneer says are probably at issue here, but so is building without planning permission.

Planning enforcement should take this seriously. It sounds like quite the list of offences. As aggi says, councillors will be able to get on to the services from the inside, and obviously will be interested if it's in their ward. Good luck.

Thnx all, that’s v helpful, will chase planning and building control. In case the council is too slow (my experience hasn’t been great): can a party wall surveyor also stop building works if they’re notifiable? As they’re paid for by the other/building party, seems there’s not much to lose also engaging a party wall surveyor?

local councillors

Definitely worth a go - I emailed my councilors about something associated with a house move recently. Problem was solved within hours (we'd been waiting two months till then).

They just forward the email and ask the right person to get involved straight away.

HSE are the ones that can get a site shut down really quickly - not to do with enforcement or permissions, but if there are any health and safety issues.

Straight to the planning and enforcement officer

can a party wall surveyor also stop building works if they’re notifiable?

I'd say no, as I think that's a completely different process. I have no relevant experience, though. Please do report back on whether the council takes any meaningful action.

HSE will be come and take a look at any unsafe methods of work, and they probably won’t hang about.

That might be a good way of getting it on the radar.

If they don't have the permissions to build I'd be surprised if they have all the safe systems of work in place.