It is important to understand the Part P of the Building Regulations when you are getting electrical work done in the kitchen. When getting this kind of work done, a homeowner must comply with Part P. They can do this either by using a Competent Persons Scheme electrician, or they can submit a Building Regulations application to the Local Authority. The government prefers the first method, and in fact the most economical and easiest method is to have this type of work performed by an electricial registered with an authorized Part P Competent Person Scheme. Using this method, you will be able to have the electrician not only perform the installation, but they will also test the work and notify the appropriate authorities for you. You can choose the second method, but since you still have to pay to have the work inspected, it's often much less expensive and certainly safer to just use a Competent Person for all electrical work and installations in the kitchen.
A "Competent Person" is a firm which has been approved by one of the Part P schemes approved by the government as being competent to self-certify that any work performed complies with the Building Regulations. The reason the Part P was introduced was to protect homeowners, and to reduce the number of injuries, fires and deaths caused by faulty electrical installations. When using a "Competent Person", you will have several advantages over having the work done in another fashion. You will be able to take out an insurance-backed guarantee if desired, you won't have to pay Building Control charges, and if not satisfied with the work that was performed, you have access to a formal complain procedure.
For the purpose of Part P of the Building Regulations, the term "kitchen" refers to a room, or part of a room, which contains a sink and food preparation facilities. A kitchen contains a number of electrical appliance in addition to water, often within close proximinity to each other, so it's very important that any electrical installations that take place in the kitchen are carried out in a correct and safe fashion. If you are installing a new kitchen or having electrical work done in an existing kitchen, you should use a registered electrician or kitchen installer to do the electrical work. By doing so, you will know that you are in compliance with Part P and will be assured that the work is being done correctly.
If you are planning any electrical installations in the kitchen, such as the installation of an appliance requiring its own electricity supply, it is advisable to have this work done by an electrician registered with an authorized Part P Competent Person Scheme. There are regulations to be considered when electrical installations are performed in the kitchen that are best handled by an electrician. The installation for these various electrical units varies, depending on what is being installed, so an electrician will not only be aware of the proper method, but will also beknowledgeable concerning the regulations and installation procedures.