POSITIONING ELECTRICAL SOCKETS AND SWITCHES

It is important to properly position sockets and switches in domestic buildings, in order to ensure the
safety of the occupants of the building, and also to allow the accessibility of people with limited reach as
stated in Approved Document P of the Building Regulation. All electrical installations in a domestic
building should be in alignment with the regulations found in BS7671.

In this article, we provided a brief guide showing the correct positioning of the electrical materials in a
building.

Socket Outlets:
Every building must have a socket outlet, and in order to ensure the safety of the occupants of the
building, you must ensure that you have a proper socket installation in London where the socket outlets
are strategically placed for safety and convenience. According to the regulations, socket outlets should be
placed close to telephone outlets and the TV aerial. This will allow the easy and safe connection of
electrical equipment like Televisions and DVD players. Following standard procedures, each room should
have the following number of outlets;

 Living room- 8 outlets

 Master Bedroom- 6 outlets
 Other bedrooms- 4 outlets
 Kitchen- 8 outlets
 Dining room- 4 outlets
 Landing- 2 outlets
 Hallway- 2 outlets

Electrical service and cabling

It is recommended that a suitable electrical service, with the right size for the normal domestic use should
be provided. Cables should not be placed diagonally. Also, when cabling, ensure that cables covered with
PVC are not in contact with polystyrene insulation.

Cooking
All cooking appliances placed around the cooker space must be switched suitably, and also must be
terminated with at least 30a electricity supply. In cases where a cooker panel is present, it should be
placed to the side of the cooker space. At the cooker space where a gas supply is provided, a 13a socket
outlet should be properly positioned.

Light Fittings
There should be at least one fixed light outlet in all rooms. For areas more than 25m2, at least two fixed
light outlets should be provided.

The hallway, staircase, and landings should have light outlets and two-way switches. For ceilings that
serve as acoustic insulation or provide some kind of fire resistance in a building, there should be no flush-
fittings attached through such ceilings. For ceilings that are below roof voids, if down lighters are
attached to them, extreme care should be taken to ensure that the closeness of other materials does not
lead to an outbreak of fire or fire related accidents.

Also, passive infrared should be used in common and external areas.

All the regulations relating to the positioning of your electrical appliances are put in place for safety
purposes. It is important to adhere to them completely. For your correct electrical positioning in London,
you can contact Electric Works London. Our expert electricians can conduct a wide range of installation
services including Switch installation in London. You can reach us by calling 020 71834006 and we
will respond to you ASAP.