Glasgow westend Electrical Contractor

ELECTRICIANS IN WESTEND GLASGOW

2014 has been a busy year so far, as we approach the end of august i have seen many more clients coming to us for our expertise in electrical rewiring commercial and domestic both are equally as busy at the moment and long may it continue. Some of out larger customers include businesses with Glasgow airport and larger shopping centres in and around Glasgow.



Another massive change to the electrical industry this year in the installation of commercial LED lighting in buildings and shopping centres, not only does it reduce the cost of the electricity bills for the client but the lamps last up to 10 x as long as regular lamps that have previously been installed.



also on the rise for our business is the installation of custom tv installation around the home, from simply putting the tv on the wall to a complete wall make over with various points av ports and speaker installations, we are a professional installation company for audio visual equipment and are the best in Glasgow at what we do feel free to get in touch if you have a query or if you require a quotation.

EICR Glasgow

Electrical contracting in Glasgow 2014

I have been wondering for a while now why our industry has been cutting itself down and not staying true to business. What do I mean by that well I look at the  bass fitters and the plumbers in my marketplace and they all have the same mentality and price structure. No one veers far from the standard price in the Glasgow and Mosspark area whether you are a one man show or a 50 man shop. HVAC companies have good structure and the standards for the technicians are set higher. They wear uniforms, don’t complain about working on call shifts and just seem to have a better grip on customer service than electricians.

Electricians and electrical contractors have been trying to play catch up with the other industries and trades and I have to say it is about time. We make our living doing a highly skilled trade and still don’t know how to do simple things in business and in marketing. There is no doubt that we are great electrical  technicians but we definitely have some work to do on the business side of things.

I created this blog so we can all try to make our electrical industry a better place to earn a living. Let’s face it, this is what we do to feed our families and if we can not do that then why do it. I see electrical contractors everyday that go out of business not because they were bad electricians but they just don't understand how in todays market place new thinking and new approaches need to be taken to be a success. Believe me I was one of those guys. I searched and looked for business resources on running an electrical business approached business gateway in glasgow but never found anything. It was the school of hard knocks for me. I realized that our industry thinks it is some secret that should not be told on how to run a business. I think different, I think that if we all have better training and resources that we all will prosper.

For me learning about business has been a full time occupation since i was 20 and could get a job in the electrical industry after my time as an apprentice electrician was done and to be honest i diet want to go out and work for someone, i have always had a business mind and an attitude to making my own money. so thats exactly what i did, and i dominated my local area, but as time goes on without proper knowledge of where marketing and the industry was heading, the work started to slow down, until i released that i need to work hard at keeping my business at the top. There are multiple ways of doing this and i will digress in my other blogs but running a business in todays market in west end glasgow takes much more than placing an add in a news paper.

Lets make a change the electrical contracting game for the better in Glasgow  because our industry is not like a shelf at asda. We cant look for the cheapest disposable electricians forever and it will catch up to all of us eventually. Let me know if you have anything you would like to learn or know about so we cant discuss it further.

Consumer unit / fuse board changing Glasgow 01418405236

The electrical wire board is the hub that controls all the wiring in your property with each circuit convey electrical present in your building heading again to this one single spot. Numerous properties are even now working on circuit sheets and electrical wiring that were introduced in the 1960s. These maturing establishments are practical, yet miss the mark concerning cutting edge wellbeing principles. In the event that your wires continue breaking it may be the case that this is the ideal opportunity to contemplate changing your old breaker board for a current one that offers better insurance.

electrical experts westend glasgow are a group of expert and qualified circuit repairmen working all over west end glasgow, along these lines, in the event that you are searching for a circuit tester in west end Glasgow, Lambeth or Croydon for instance, then we are splendidly set to offer assistance. Notwithstanding breaker board changes, our administrations spread anything electrical from essentially including an additional attachment, to a full-scale rewire. Each occupation we do attempts to make the electrical hardware in your property more secure, and takes after the strict rules set around the Bs7671 Wiring Regulations (seventeenth Amendment 1, 2011). Changing your circuit board is a noteworthy step towards getting electrical security your home closer to gathering these norms.

Current breaker sheets are fitted with Rcds, or Residual Current Devices, and Mcbs, or Micro Circuit Breakers. These productive gadgets are intended to catch blames in your circuits, and cut the present in a moment ought to anything uncommon be recognized. Fundamentally lessening the danger of electric stun and the flashes or overheating that can result in electrical blazes, these current circuit breakers offer incredible genuine feelings of serenity.

Otherwise called a fuse box or a consumer unit, power box unit or electrical board, the wire board in your property needs to be furnished to adapt to the requests of advanced family machines. Taken together, things like coolers, electric pots, clothes washers and dishwashers are significantly more eager for power than anything that was around when the old circuit sheets were initially introduced. Your new breaker board will be fitted with sufficient breakers to adapt to these raised force requests inside your property, with each one circuit being ensured more viably than at any time in the past.

Wire board changing is a generally direct assignment that can for the most part be carried out inside a couple of hours relying upon the amount of circuits in your property, and the unpredictability of the wiring as of now set up. The change can just lawfully be effected by a qualified electrical expert who is Part P enrolled. It is vital when changing a breaker board to guarantee that the earth-holding game plans in your property meet current benchmarks, and are overhauled if needed. The circuit board trade expense will fluctuate as stated by your prerequisites, yet is not as exorbitant as you may envision, and its a little cost to pay for your security. fuse board replacement

electricians westend glasgow 

we have been giving electrical administrations to provincial and business customers in South London in excess of 20 years. Clients searching for an Emergency Electrician in partick, a circuit prepare to leave change in Bromley, or another plug attachment in glasgow realize that captivating the administrations of our group of masters will convey quick, productive and expert comes about, without a doubt.

DIY Kitchen fitters or get a professional?

 occurring your quarters by fitting a appendage kitchen can be a earsplitting pretentiousness of revitalising and bringing added cartoon into your home. A proficiently intended, futuristic kitchen serves as an impressive feature in any dwelling; keeping familiar following than recent styles and trends shows off your eye for interior design and is certain to impress any visiting cronies and associates. A kitchen renovation is no little task by any means and there are many things to find by now spending any of your hard earned cash. So, tolerates see at a few lecture to thinking ideas that could learn how to fit a kitchen in the west end of glasgow.

Design

Before you attain any appliances, fittings or decorative appurtenances for you kitchen be unadulterated you have finalised your ideas for the style of the room.  The first step as well as learning how to fit a kitchen is easy; know what you sorrowful. There are in view of that many every second styles understandable to you and it can be a little overwhelming behind bothersome to source ideas for your house. Thing just about what style would member in crime your home and your personality; are you looking of a more avowed kitchen behind a vintage kettle, oven and toaster? Or are you a speculator of the 21st century who needs coffee about the go and very developed colours and textures? Get an idea of the features, colours and design you nonexistence for your kitchen, mean it out and write it the length of.

Planning

The second step taking into account learning how to fit a kitchen is more obscure; when than we have decided for a design and style for our kitchen, its era to begin planning out the look we have and where each of our count features is going to be. Large fixtures and features are going to child maintenance a lot of freshen; ovens, dining tables and late buildup large items are compulsion to be usefully placed to maximise style and air efficiency. Be sure to take measurements of all the rooms dimensions; youa propos going to craving to decree the peak of the room (floor to ceiling) if youa propos planning to install an oven following an descent unit above. Measuring the room is afterward useful behind you are shopping for larger features or fixtures; you can compare late addition measurements to those of your kitchen to determine how customary each subsidiary feature or item is.

Fitting

The third step once researching how to fit a kitchen is the fitting and decorating. Firstly, certain your kitchen out every portion of; surgically surgically remove whatever that is mammal replaced and anything that could make a attain of damaged. Turn off all water and electricity supplies to the room and disconnect completely pipes that gain to/from sinks and drains (if invasion).

When removing pass cabinets, be sure to unscrew and detach any fitting that union them in place; this can prevent you damaging any walls or similar beams subsequent to removing cabinet and draw units. The same scrutinize applies as soon as discharge duty surfaces; ease the worktops off after unscrewing fittings underneath. This is the unqualified time to make repairs to walls or repaint walls, as there are no auxiliary cabinets and draws to accidentally make mixed in addition to free paint.

As you stockpile any cabinet or wall mounted cupboards, be sure to check they are straight in the by now a liveliness level. Leave doors and draws out of each unit until they are fitted properly, this makes for an easier becoming accustomed if you mannerism to remove units and a propos insert. Ensure any added worktops are scratch to the precise measurements in the in front taking them into your kitchen, operate this outdoors is strongly recommended. Cut out sections of your worktops according to the measurements of any new sinks or hobs. Once your worktop is of the right size and shape also you are ready to mass its installation by bolting it or calculation supports.

Once every new features and fittings have been completed, mount occurring finishing touches to your kitchen by accessorising subsequent to matching appliances and ornamentation. Kettles, toasters and caf tiers can be bought as a set and if matched neatly taking into consideration the colour of your kitchen, they can truly avow bring the cumulative design together. Add within enough limits blinds or ended that membership the room to emphasize your kitchen window and to any natural roomy entering your room.

Remember, turn off electrical and water supplies to the kitchen in the previously comport yourself any DIY. Apply common wisdom and always be safe taking into consideration taking upon house DIY jobs.

Electricians westend glasgow

New solar power plans in India

www.wesuk.co.uk/westend_glasgow_electricians.html‎

India's plan for world's largest solar farm may stumble over wetlands

Mega solar power project in Rajasthan may touch on protected Sambhar Lake wetlands

A map of the proposed boundaries for installation of a nearly 20,000-acre solar generating facility near Sambhar Lake in India's Rajasthan state, taken from plans submitted to India's government Photograph: /AlertNet

India has announced plans to build the world’s biggest solar-power generating facility on a salt-producing plain in Rajasthan, but experts say the massive project may still face ecological hurdles.

The facility, to be located on 20,000 acres (30 square miles) of land owned by Rajasthan’s government and a salt-producing firm, would have a capacity of 4,000 megawatts of electricity, and cost $1.2 billion in the first phase. India today uses an average of 772,000 gigawatt hours of power annually.

A.N. Srivastava, director of the country’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said in an interview the project should have a lifespan of 25 years, and would reduce the country’s carbon footprint by over 4 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. Currently 67% of India’s energy requirements are met by rapidly depleting coal deposits, he said, and “to offset this dependency, India needs a clean energy revolution”.

Backers say the project will sit on dried-up land no longer required for salt production.

“There is almost 30 square miles of barren land surrounding the (Sambhar Lake) site which could be well-utilised for green energy production,” R.K. Tandon, chairman and managing director of Hindustan Salts Limited, one of the partners in the solar plant, said in an interview with Thomson Reuters Foundation. The project fits under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, which calls for greater use of renewable energy, and would be environmentally friendly, he added.

The project aims to cut prices for solar energy and close a huge gap between power production and power demand in rural areas as per capita consumption of power grows in India, from about 780 kilowatt hours per person in 2009-10 to more than 880 kilowatt hours per person in 2011-12, according to the country’s 12th five-year plan.

But the government has not yet announced the project’s boundaries, and environmental experts fear it may touch on Sambhar Lake wetlands protected under the international Ramsar Convention, and that it could also affect nearby villages and illegal settlements encroaching on the wetlands.

The company providing the land for the project controls 58,000 acres (90 square miles) in the area, and the catchment of Sambhar Lake covers 60 square miles, according to the Sambhar Master Plan prepared by the state government.

Sambhar Lake is one of the largest salt-producing areas in India, and has been used for salt production since the 1870s. The lake basin is spread at the confluence of three districts of Rajasthan – Jaipur, Nagaur and Ajmer – and is close to the fringes of the desert.

The lake depends on rainwater supplies, which have been declining in the area as a result of changing weather patterns and greater use of water by the growing town of Sambhar, with 24,000 people, and by close to 100 small illegal settlements in the catchment area.

Over the past several decades, large areas of land surrounding the lake have dried out and no longer flood regularly. This is the land the government now hopes to use to build the solar farm, Tandon said.

Sambhar Lake, an important habitat for birds, particularly flamingos, is among 25 wetlands of international importance in India.

India’s Wetlands Conservation and Management Rules 2010 prohibit the setting up of industries in flood areas or industrial activity likely to have an adverse impact on wetland ecosystems, according to a Ministry of Environment and Forests official. Such rules may drive the final footprint of the solar project.

Such a project would have to be approved by 12 members of the Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority including seven officials from key ministries such as Environment and Forests, Water, and Agriculture, as well as five environmentalists or other leading experts, the official said.

Some experts also fear that the proposed 20,000-acre footprint of the project may need to be reduced to meet wetland rules, reducing the target for power generation. Under government policies, about 5,000 acres of land is required for each 1,000 megawatts of solar energy produced.

“It is likely that the solar power project may face a space crunch due to existing encroachments around the catchment area of the lake, hence reducing the area for the project site,” said Abhishek Goyal, a New Delhi-based energy consultant for solar energy companies in India.

The government is expected over the next few months to invite bids to carry out the project. Hindustan Salts Ltd. recently invited bids for detailed feasibility studies and analysis of the project, according to its website.

India plans to seek $500 million in loans for the project from the World Bank for the first 750 megawatt phase of the project, which would cost $1.2 billion, Minister of Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said in a statement.

In the coming months, the government is expected to sign agreements to set up similar solar facilities in Kharagoda (Gujarat), Kargil and Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) under the country’sJawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, which aims to produce 20 gigawatts of solar power each year by 2022.

Sunny India receives solar energy each year equivalent to nearly 5,000 trillion kilowatt hours per year, experts say – . So far, however, India has only about 2,000 megawatts of grid-connected solar.

A memorandum to establish the Sambhar Lake project was signed in late January by six Indian public-sector companies, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of Power

electricians westend glasgow

The Future of Power

SOLAR POWER 

It took just 10 minutes for Kevin Arthur to be persuaded that the tiny square of red glass on his fingertips was the future of solar power.

He had only recently been involved in a solar energy start-up company and was keen to try his hand at something new.

We would still be in the lab if it wasn't for the Technology Strategy Board – they listened to us when nobody else would – and their faith in our technology is seeing fruition right now – we are world leaders in our field - Kevin Arthur, CEO of Oxford Photovoltaics

 

But that was before he met the charismatic Oxford Universityphysicist Dr Henry Snaith and saw his remarkable solar cells.

 

‘I went into the room a sceptic and came out a believer,' says Kevin, the Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Photovoltaics.

We have been on the most amazing journey with them [Technology Strategy Board] - Kevin Arthur

 

Four years later – with a range of Technology Strategy Board fundings under their belt the two of them were heading up one of the UK's most promising young green electrical companies.

The incredible journey

‘We would still be in the lab if it wasn't for the Technology Strategy Board – they listened to us when nobody else would – and their faith in our technology is seeing fruition right now – we are world leaders in our field,' added Kevin.

 

‘We have been on the most amazing journey with them. In the beginning – on that day in that room just four years ago – Henry showed me a solar cell technology that was low-cost, easy to produce and which could be printed on the surface of glass. 

 

‘The idea gripped me straight away. You mixed up the stuff and printed it on glass. That meant it could be used in the glass skins of commercial buildings - a massive market. I was really excited by the opportunity!'

Unlike conventional silicon solar panels which use rare earth metals and toxic materials, Henry's photovoltaic cells, developed at the Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Device Group in Oxford University's Physics Department, use cheap, abundant and environmentally friendly materials - Kevin Arthur

 

By November 2009, Kevin already had more than 20 years' experience in the semi-conductor industry and two promising university spin-outs under his belt. He wanted a new challenge. 

 

‘I was entrepreneur in residence at Imperial College when I was phoned by Isis Innovation – Oxford University's technology transfer arm - who asked if I wanted to be chief executive officer of another solar start up.

 

‘I'd already done solar with a university spin-out called QuantaSol so I told them ‘no thanks,' but by the end of that meeting with Henry  I had changed my mind,' explained Kevin. 

 

Low cost solutions for the environment

‘Unlike conventional silicon solar panels which use rare earth metals and toxic materials, Henry's photovoltaic cells, developed at the Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Device Group in Oxford University's Physics Department, use cheap, abundant and environmentally friendly materials.

 

‘The technology works by printing a microscopic layer of ‘solid-state dye sensitised solar cells' on ordinary glass. The cells are sealed with a thin layer of glass.

 

‘A layer of cells is just one or two thousandths of a millimetre thick (one or two microns) and can be made in a range of colours and transparencies,' said Kevin.

 

‘In contrast, the equivalent traditional product – amorphous silicon solar cells often found in calculators – are black or brown and the process of making them transparent severely reduces their already low efficiency. 

 

‘These new solar cells are more efficient, more stable, thinner and use lower cost materials,' says Kevin. ‘They make beautifully clear coloured glass,' he added.

 

‘They work at much higher temperatures than existing technology which tends to lose efficiency above 25ºC. They also work well with diffuse light – making them suitable for building facades.

 

Harnessing the power of the sun

‘In 2009, the cells were working at five per cent efficiency, which meant it was converting five per cent of sunlight into electricity.

 

‘That isn't enough for a commercial product which typically works at 15 to 20 per cent efficiency but it was more than enough to show me that the invention had potential. I was hooked,' said Kevin.

All we could think was ‘Amazing! In one step, the Technology Strategy Board has got our company up and running! We could hardly believe it was true! - Kevin Arthur

 

He spent 11 months working on a business plan to allow Oxford Photovoltaics to licence the technology to glass manufacturers and processors. But money was hard to find and the company needed cash before Isis would release the patents.

 

Then in September 2010, Kevin learnt about Innovate 10 Launch Pad – a business competition run by the Technology Strategy Board for ‘disruptive' inventions and business ideas.

 

The prize was £25k and the chance to pitch for an additional £75k in front of 2,000 people at the Design Centre, Glasgow.

 

There was one catch. Kevin discovered this potential funding source late in the day and the deadline for submitting his video entry was noon the next day.

 

‘To make it worse I had a board meeting at 10am. The whole thing is a bit of a blur now. But on that fateful day, I got up at 4.30am, found my video camera, got a tripod from the loft and wrote a two minute script which I stuck to the back of the office door at home.

 

‘Time was ticking, I was on my own and I'd never edited a video before. But I did it and it's still on YouTube. It looks pretty reasonable.

 

‘We got the initial £25k prize in the Energy category and then we had this chance to increase it to £100k at the event itself where we did a short presentation. We beat three other guys and suddenly we had the money to build the company.

 

One step to success with the Technology Strategy Board

If we hadn't got the £100k from the Technology Strategy Board we wouldn't have been able to licence the patents and we wouldn't be here now. But we did. They did - Kevin Arthur

 

‘All we could think was ‘Amazing! In one step The Technology Strategy Board has got our company up and running! We could hardly believe it was true!

 

‘If we hadn't got the £100k from the Technology Strategy Board we wouldn't have been able to licence the patents and we wouldn't be here now. But we did. They did.

 

‘The next day we hit the road and we started pitching to anybody who would listen,' said Kevin.

Once again, the Technology Strategy Board helped us realise our dreams, this time with a £250k grant under the Smart scheme - Kevin Arthur

 

The company took control of the patents, landed £700k from the clean technology investment specialists MTI Ventures and a syndicate of Angel investors and moved to Begbroke Science Park near Oxford in April 2011.

 

Now they faced a new challenge - to go from creating small prototypes to A4 panes of solar power glazing.

That £250k was extremely important because it extended the range of the funding we brought in, and kept us focused on tight timescales and milestones. It gave us more runway - Kevin Arthur

To do that they needed to build the company's research and development capacity. ‘Once again, the Technology Strategy Board helped us realise our dreams, this time with a £250k grant under the Smart scheme.

 

‘That £250k was extremely important because it extended the range of the funding we brought in, and kept us focused on tight timescales and milestones. It gave us more runway,' explained Kevin.

It is yet another British company that is at the forefront of technologies that just a few years ago we would have thought impossible -Kevin Arthur

 

Since then the investment has kept coming. By July 2013, Oxford PV and its 14 employers had secured £4.2m in funding, including an award from the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme for Research.

 

By summer 2013, an improved version of the cell achieved more than 15 per cent efficiency, a level similar to commercial products.

 

‘The technology at our fingertips to change the world'

It's taken less than four years for Oxford PV to go from the lab to one of the UK's most promising green companies, and we did it with the Technology Strategy Board behind us who not only helped us financially but gave us the credibility for other, future investments - Kevin Arthur

 

The first revenues are expected by 2016 while the first office blocks that generate electricity from their windows could follow a few years after that. ‘Imagine that. And it is yet another British company that is at the forefront of technologies that just a few years ago we would have thought impossible,' said Kevin.

 

‘We think the added cost of doing this is 10 per cent on top of the cost of the glass. But this technology pays for itself in less than 10 years,' he added.

 

‘It's taken less than four years for Oxford PV to go from the lab to one of the UK's most promising green companies, and we did it with the Technology Strategy Board behind us who not only helped us financially but gave us the credibility for other, future investments." 

 

‘Henry believes that we have the technology at our fingertips to change the world – and we're determined to prove that he's right.'

 

ELECTRICAL APPRENTICESHIP UK

I’ve just enrolled on a three-year course to become an electrician. It’s a complete career change, but after being made redundant four times from the engineering sector, I want a job that is “recession-proof”. However, because I now attend college during the week, I’m only available to work part-time. I’m worried this could put recruiters off from hiring me. Am I doing the right thing? Steven, 58, via email

You’ve certainly taken a bold step, Steven. Throwing your own money and time into a three-year course is not easy and demonstrates your commitment to changing careers. To some extent, your reasons for wanting to become an electrician are sound: businesses and home owners will always need electricians.

A word of caution though. The industry is far from “recession proof”. As construction and manufacturing projects have been scaled back over the last few years, so too has the need for all the trades associated with them – and electricians have suffered. David Marshall, of Electrical Recruitment Specialists, says he receives up to 150 applications for jobs. And all of them are from qualified electricians, with endless contact books and experience. When you qualify, you’ll be competing against them.

Which is why, if you’re serious about a career as an electrician, you must spend the next three years learning the trade, working in the trade, and building contacts in the trade. There is absolutely no point getting your course while working in a totally unrelated job – even if it’s something technical like engineering, Marshall says. Employers will want to see you’ve learned the ropes during your three years. That means rolling your sleeves up and getting out on site, just as much as it does turning up to class.

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First things first though, Steven. Make sure your course is industry-recognised. I’ve done a bit of digging around for you, and to be taken seriously you must be on a City & Guilds course. If you’re not, change this now. If you are, you should be aiming – eventually – for an Electrotechnical Certification Scheme competence card, a “pass” which allows you to work at any industrial or domestic site. Check the sector’s skills council, Summit Skills, to make sure you’re on the right course at www.summitskills.org.uk.

Your next step is to try and secure work in the field. But as Matt Darville, an engineer at electrical contractors’ body the NICEIC, says: “Offering to do jobs for virtually nothing is a good start.” Electricians start as “labourers”, or “mates”, for about £10 an hour. The next level is called an “improver”, at about £11. They work with electricians, handing him or her cables, knocking down walls, talking to clients – everything except the actual wiring. Without these skills, employers are unlikely to consider you when you become qualified. You have to prove you can get stuck in, stomach long periods outside in the rain, or up a pole if need be. The contacts and job opportunities you’ll get from doing this are potentially huge. The Electrical Contractors’ Association website, www.eca.co.uk, lists the employers with these types of jobs available. Iain Macdonald, of the ECA, urges you to get your pitch right before approaching them, though. If you’re willing, state that you can work at a beginners’ rates, or firms may assume someone like you is too expensive.

WES Electrical Westend Glasgow

Westend Glasgow Electricians employ three full-time electricians.

Between them they have over 50 years experience in all aspects of electrical works including Domestic Housing, Commercial and Industrial.

Each of our electricians are:

Fully qualified to 17^th edition Regulations

Fully qualified to City and Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing and Certification

 At Westend Glasgow Electricians we have a well deserved reputation for being dependable, professional, reliable, and for carrying out all works to a high standard of quality at a very reasonable price.

DOMESTIC HOUSING

In order to give a top quality service we make sure to carry a stock of the most commonly requested items on our vans. This ensures that if the work we are asked to carry out is one of the most common things, for example changing a light fitting, or a light switch or socket, or adding additional sockets, we do not have to spend time going away to an electrical supplier to collect these items. This keeps the cost of the work down and enables us to provide an excellent service at a very reasonable price.For smaller works we are usually able to attend your home at a time of your choosing and advise on the best way of carrying out the work in the most cost effective manner. We will be able to give you a price there and then, and if you are happy with the price we can carry out the work straight away. This saves having to make a second visit and helps to keep the cost to a minimum.

Our electricians always make sure to keep disruption to a minimum while carrying out the works, and on completion carry out a thorough clean-up.

Westend Glasgow Electricians carry out all aspects of electrical works to Domestic Housing ranging from a Full Rewire to changing Plug Sockets and Lights.

  

At Wes electrical all quotes are given free of charge and at no obligation.

FUSE BOARD INSTALLATIONS GLASGOW

FUSE BOARD CHANGING call 01418405236

Westend glasgow electricians

Fuse Board Changing by Westend Glasgow Electricians

The electrical fuse board is the brain that controls all the wiring in your property with every circuit carrying electrical current in your building leading back to this one single place. Many properties are still operating on fuse boards and electrical wiring that were installed in the 1960s. These ageing installations are functional, but fall far short of modern safety standards. If your fuses keep breaking it could be that now is the time to think about changing your old fuse board for a modern one that offers better protection.

Westend Glasgow Electricians are a team of professional and qualified electricians operating all over west end glasgow, so, if you are looking for an electrician in Glasgow, Lambeth or Croydon for example, then we are perfectly placed to help. In addition to fuse board changes, our services cover anything electrical from simply adding an extra plug socket, to a full-scale rewire. Every job we do works to make the electrical circuitry in your property safer, and follows the strict guidelines laid down by the BS7671 Wiring Regulations (17th Amendment 1, 2011). Changing your fuse board is a significant step towards bringing electrical safety in your home closer to meeting these standards.

Modern fuse boards are fitted with RCDs, or Residual Current Devices, and MCBs, or Micro Circuit Breakers. These efficient devices are designed to detect faults in your circuits, and cut the current in an instant should anything unusual be identified. Significantly reducing the risk of electric shock and the sparks or overheating that can cause electrical fires, these modern circuit breakers offer great peace of mind.

Also known as a fuse box, consumer unit or consumer board, the fuse board in your property needs to be equipped to cope with the demands of modern household appliances. Taken together, things like fridges, electric kettles, washing machines and dishwashers are much more power-hungry than anything that was around when the old fuse boards were first installed. Your new fuse board will be fitted with sufficient breakers to cope with these elevated power demands within your property, with each circuit being protected more effectively than ever before.

Fuse board changing is a relatively straightforward task that can generally be done within a few hours depending on the number of circuits in your property, and the complexity of the wiring currently in place. The change can only legally be effected by a qualified electrician who is Part P registered.  It is necessary when changing a fuse board to ensure that the earth-bonding arrangements in your property meet current standards, and are upgraded if required. The fuse board replacement cost will vary according to your requirements, but is not as expensive as you may imagine, and it’s a small price to pay for your security.

At Westend glasgow Electricians we have been providing electrical services to domestic and commercial clients in South London for over 20 years. Customers looking for an Emergency Electrician in partick, a fuse board change in Bromley, or a new plug socket in glasgow know that engaging the services of our team of experts will deliver fast, efficient and professional results, every time.

DIY DANGERS

There are so many programmes and articles on how to D.I.Y and sometimes, it is easier to watch a YouTube video and have a go yourself. Some jobs however are better left to the professionals. Especially with electrics where you can be seriously harmed if something goes wrong.

One of the biggest dangers of doing DIY electrical work is the electricity itself. We are so used to pressing buttons or flipping a switch we forget how powerful it can be. The slightest mistake like using the wrong tools, brushing a wire against another or forgetting to turn of the power, can lead to anything from electric burns to death. While you may be fine Googling how to change a fuse, it is always better to contact reliable and cost effective professionals like Westend Glasgow Electricians, to ensure no avoidable accidents occur.

Professionals at Westend Glasgow Electricians know exactly how to test circuits and find out where problems are coming from. This can be more difficult in older houses with dodgy wiring and the labelling on the fuse box has faded. Not only are you creating hazards when you carry out electric work yourself, you may not be meeting regulations. This could lead to a lot more problems like invalidating any home insurance if the problem was caused by work not following standards. By using a qualified and registered electrician, you can rest assured they are covered by their insurance and will carry out the job professionally and can be held accountable.

If you’re in doubt, it is always better to use a professional so call west end glasgow Electricians today to get free advice.

Kitchen fitter in Westend Glasgow

WESTFIELD KITCHENS BRINGS TO YOU AN OVERVIEW OF FITTING A KITCHEN IN WESTEND GLASGOW.

WE ARE PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN FITTERS FEEL FREE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO www.westfieldkitchens.co.uk

If you are planning to fit your own kitchen then just follow our step-by-step guides and instructions to help you on your way. We have included photos to assist the DIYer and to give you a better understanding on how your stunning new kitchen can be built.

Not only will you save hundreds of pounds by fitting a kitchen yourself, but you will also have a great sense of pride once it has been fitted.

Fitting a New Kitchen

FITTING A NEW KITCHEN – 1 What you need

To completely fit a new kitchen you need to be a competent DIYer, with good skills in carpentry and a good knowledge of electrical and plumbing work. If some of the work needs to be carried out by a plumber, (Gas Safe registered for gas work) joiner or an electrician then these are costs that need to be considered. Even with these costs you can save a lot of money fitting the kitchen units yourself. I was recently quoted around £1500 to fit a basic kitchen and the quote excluded plumbing and electrical work so there are great savings to be made with DIY.

Fitting a new kitchen isn’t a ‘two minute job’ and requires a lot of tools :-

Battery drill / driver plus wood and masonry drill bits, electricians screwdrivers, power / pipe detector, claw / lump hammers, bolster chisel, spirit level, pliers, side cutters, pump pliers, saw, Jigsaw, tape measure, sealant gun, square, marker pens.

Don’t forget safety equipment such as goggles, face mask and gloves. If you are using 240volt power tools use an RCD protection device.

Always remember Safety comes First, check before starting work where the services are in the kitchen, use a power / pipe detector to check for hidden live cables and water / gas pipes before removing the old kitchen units, drilling holes or chasing out walls.

FITTING A NEW KITCHEN WESTEND GLASGOW – 2 Plan the layout

To plan your new kitchen layout start by taking measurements of the kitchen area, when you have finished it is worthwhile double checking your measurements to save a lot of future problems.

These are some points to consider with your layout :-

The sink unit is usually positioned under a window.

Sink units and hobs should not be positioned too near or on a joint in a worktop.

Washing machines and dishwashers should ideally be positioned near the sink as this will reduce the amount of plumbing required.

Hobs require space on either side for pan handles.

Extraction units should be installed either near, or preferably on, an outside wall.

Don’t ‘box in’ any gas appliances as they require good airflow for correct operation and safety.

Are the existing services in suitable positions for your new kitchen layout, i.e. sockets and switches should not be positioned above hobs or cookers.

Will the new kitchen be user friendly and practical.

Wall units and the base units below them, should where possible, be the same width, so doors and handles line up.

Sockets should be around 150mm from the finished worktop to allow room for the plug top flex, they can of course go higher, if you know the size of tiles you are going to use, it is in my opinion easier to tile if the socket(s) are on the tile line.

Before you carry out any electrical work in the home check out the building regulations on the Government or local authority website specifically the Part P regulations  and Electrical safety in the home. Although I am aware of the current rules it is worth reading the latest regulations as they have been updated in the past.

Any gas work will require a Gas Safe registered  plumber / engineer.

When you have made a list of the units required for the kitchen don’t forget all the extras such as cornice, pelmet, plinth, corner post, jointing kit with coloured jointing compound, water waste kit, decorative clad end panels to match the doors, including maybe an extra one to use for filling any gaps, any appliance doors, etc.

FITTING A NEW KITCHEN WESTEND GLASGOW – 3 Preparation

The first step towards fitting your new kitchen is removing the old one. Wear the appropriate safety equipment, gloves, goggles, etc.

Remove all the doors, drawers and shelves first, then remove any screws that are fixing the worktop(s) to the base units. If the worktop edges are under tiles you may have to remove some, if not all of them to ‘free up’ the worktop. Some old kitchens have the worktop glued to the base units so the only removal solution may be a lump hammer and crowbar.

The units themselves should be relatively easy to remove and come apart fairly easily, especially with ones trusty lump hammer, but watch out for hidden cables and pipes, an indoor pool is not always appreciated. Once the water is turned off, the pipes cut and the sink unit removed, it is a good idea to fit in-line / gate valves to the remaining pipes, at least this enables the water to be turned back on, and fitting new pipework should hopefully not have to interrupt the water supply. Try and get some assistance when removing the wall units as they may be heavy or simply awkward to handle by yourself.

If you are disconnecting any electrical supplies, switch off the consumer unit and remove the fuse / miniature circuit breaker as well, this reduces the chance of the circuit becoming ‘live’ if the consumer unit is switched back on by accident, double check the supply is ‘dead’ at the point of disconnection, if in doubt use the services of a qualified electrician as electric shocks can be fatal. Don’t attempt to disconnect any gas supplies, the law says this can only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered  plumber / engineer.

So now the kitchen area is cleared, any repairs to existing walls and floors can be carried out. Holes in walls for air extraction and waste pipes can drilled / knocked through, electrics and plumbing can be installed to suit your new kitchen, don’t forget electrical supplies for wall unit lighting and the extract fan if they aren’t already in position, usually when an oven and separate hob is installed the oven comes fitted with a 13amp plug top and may require the installation of an extra socket outlet, the electric hob is then connected to the cooker switch, as this can have a much higher current demand.

FITTING A NEW KITCHEN WESTEND GLASGOW – 4 Where to start

Your new kitchen units have been delivered and the kitchen area is ready for the install, but where do you start ?. The first job to do is check the level of the floor, wherever the highest point is measure up 870mm and mark the wall, this measurement allows 720mm for the base unit and 150mm for the plinth. From your mark draw a level line using your spirit level across the wall(s), this is the guideline for all your base units, now measure up from the 870mm mark to the bottom of your wall units (this measurement is down to personal preference) , I would suggest 400 – 440mm, from this mark draw a level line across the wall(s), and finally measure up from the mark to the top of the wall units i.e. 720mm, and once more draw a level line across the wall(s). Now double check your lines are all level.

Create a space where the units can be assembled, some of the unit flat-packs can be very heavy, so get assistance when lifting them, use the cardboard packaging to cover the floor to stop the units from getting scratched, and keep all the hinges and coloured blanks in a box for later. Assembling the first unit using the instructions can take a while, but once you have an assembly method the rest will go together quite quickly. If you are using a battery drill / driver without torque control take care not to over tighten screws, it is sometimes safer to use a screwdriver for the last one or two turns.

If your kitchen is in a ‘L’ or ‘U’ shape start fitting the units from the corner working out in both directions. Before fixing the wall units I prefer to place the first base unit levelled up and in position, then I mark the wall with a vertical line from its edge so I have guideline for the wall units so they will line up with the base units. Wall units usually come with two fixing brackets each, when you have assembled the wall unit, measure where the fixing brackets need to be in order for it to ‘hook on’, transfer the measurements to your wall and fix the brackets securely, I normally drill the fixing(s) at a slightly downward angle as this reduces the chance of the fixing ‘pulling out’. Use good quality fixings and in the case of plasterboard, use cavity fixings where the brackets don’t land on a wall stud. For peace of mind on a plasterboard wall I always fit additional angle brackets between the wall studs and the top of the wall unit so I know I have a good fixing, they may be a little unsightly but they are usually out of sight and can be painted or papered over, at least you know the wall unit won’t become a base unit overnight !. Mount each wall unit checking them with a spirit level and making sure the edges are flush as you go along, they are adjustable via two screws inside either top corner of the wall unit, one screw raises or lowers the unit, the other pulls the unit tight against the fixing bracket and locks it in position. At this stage don’t worry about any small gaps between the wall unit end and the wall itself.

As I explained earlier in this post, start installing the base units from the corner ( if you have one ), make sure each unit is level before moving onto the next one, use your 870mm level line as the guide, The sink base unit will of course require holes drilling to allow the water / waste pipes through to the bottom of the sink unit, Don’t fix the units to the wall until they are all in position and you are sure they are all level. Most flat-pack kitchen units come with two male / female bolts that can be fitted between each unit, these usually require a hole drilling of approximately 5mm dia through the sides of the units, but when fitted hold the units together and keep the edges flush ( drill new holes for the bolts, don’t be tempted to use existing ones as they may be for drawer runners, etc ).

FITTING A NEW KITCHEN WESTEND GLASGOW – 5 Worktops

I am assuming for the purpose of this post that you will be using joint strips between the worktop edges, you can of course cut a mitre joint using a router and jig but this is a task where I would use the services of a skilled joiner, these cuts have to be precise and the cost, not forgetting the wait for a replacement worktop, has in the past put me off having a go. If you are skilled and confident enough to cut a mitre joint, check first that your router has a collet big enough to take an half inch (13mm) router bit, as the ‘bits’ which cut to worktop depth usually as far as I am aware have an half inch (13mm) shank, whereas most DIY routers will only take up to an 8mm shank. Butt joints (worktops joining edge to edge) are easier but have to be cut accurately, on the reverse side of the worktop(s), slots have to be cut-out using a router and jig, clamping brackets which sit in these slots are then tightened from below when the worktop is in position on top of the kitchen units.

Worktop jointing clamps

Coloured joint sealant and solvent

Try not to have the joint too near any of  the ends of the base units as the clamps may be difficult to gain access to and tighten up. Coloured jointing sealant should be put onto one edge of the two sections of worktop and as you tighten the clamps check constantly how flush the worktop edges are simply by touch, take care not to over-tighten the clamps as the finished edge of the worktop might start to ‘lift’ . When you are satisfied with the quality of the joint, clean away surplus joint sealant with the solvent that should be supplied with it. Incidentally the coloured sealant is very handy to mask any small chips or scratches that may unfortunately occur during the fitting of the worktop(s).

• Fitting kitchen worktops requires assistance, not only for cutting them to length, but also because of their size and weight, the last thing you want to do is to damage one when placing it on top of the new kitchen units. If you have a ‘U’ or ‘L’ shaped kitchen start with the centre or ‘back’ worktop. Before you cut the worktop to length measure along both the back and front edges of your base units just in case the walls are not quite square and transfer these measurements to your worktop. Double check your measurements and remember you can allow a few millimetres for any end that will have wall tiles overlapping the worktop edge, then do the cut, this can be done using a woodsaw, but a jigsaw certainly makes the task easier, just remember to use goggles and a face mask, if you can’t see your cutting mark on the worktop use masking tape and re-mark the cutting line. When positioning the worktops on the base units you may have to chase out a bit of plaster along the wall to allow the worktop front edge to line up with the base units, ideally the worktop should extend over the base units front edge by an equal amount along its whole length.
• Now measure the other worktop(s) again, across both the front and back edges of the base units and cut to size allowing for the joint strip. Seal the end of the worktop with either pva glue or clear sealant before fitting the joint strip to stop any future liquid spillage from damaging the worktop. When you are satisfied the worktop(s) are sitting on the base units correctly you can mark out your cuts for the sink unit and hob, once again use masking tape if you cannot see your marking out clearly. If you are fortunate the sink unit and hob will come with templates to mark the worktop for cutting out. Generally the hole to be cut is around 5 – 10mm less than the circumference of the sink unit or the hob. The sink unit can be placed face down on the worktop, the circumference can be marked out, then reduce this cut by the appropriate measurement all round. The hob may have no template but should have the cut out dimensions supplied with it, these dimensions need to be marked out very accurately and make sure the hob is in the position you want it . Double check your measurements before making any cuts in the worktop (I fitted a hob recently which only had a 5mm edge that rested on the worktop so I must have checked my marking out at least several times). These cuts can then be made using a jigsaw. When you have completed the cuts and the worktop(s) are back in position they can be fixed using the screws supplied with the base units. Again seal the cut-outs of the worktops with pva glue or clear sealant prior to fitting the sink unit and hob.
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• FITTING A NEW KITCHEN – 6 Finishing the project
• Fitting the hob and sink unit is fairly straightforward, both come with clips that hold them down tightly to the worktop. Hobs usually have a thin foam or rubber seal around the edge and this is sufficient to keep any liquids out. Only you know whether you are competent enough to reconnect the hob to the electrical supply. I would recommend you use a qualified electrician who will use the correct size / type of cable and connect the hob correctly for safe use. With gas hobs you should use a Gas safe registered  plumber / engineer to connect the hob to the gas supply.
• Before fitting the sink unit, if possible fit the tap(s) with two flexible water pipes to it, each around 30cm long (which will save a lot of time when reconnecting the pipework) and also run a bead of clear sealant approximately 6 – 8mm thick under the edge of the sink unit which should be more than adequate to keep out any liquid, then position the sink unit in place and tighten the clips until it is secure. Be careful not to over-tighten the clips as they tend to ping off and are difficult to refit. Remove any excess sealant from the outer edge of the sink unit. Now you can fit the waste pipework and finish plumbing in the water pipes to the tap. Now the plinths can be cut to length and fitted, they usually attach to the base unit legs via plastic clips that are fixed to the reverse side of the plinth. The cornice and pelmet can also be cut to length. Using a mitre saw power tool can give a very
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• Fixing blocks
• good quality, clean cut and therefore a better finish, especially if any angled cuts are required. Don’t forget the goggles and face mask. You may want to wait before cutting the pelmet to length as any tiled walls could alter its required length. Both the cornice and pelmet can be fitted to the wall units using fixing blocks with of course the correct size screws. Wall unit lights can be fitted, but again you may wish to wait until any tiling has been completed.
• So finally the drawers and doors can be fitted, drawers are relatively easy to assemble following the instructions. Attach one door at a time to the units, hinges are normally in two parts, one for the unit and one for the door. Fit the unit one(s) first so they are ready to accept the door. Now fit the other parts to the door.
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• Two part hinge
• Handles both for the doors and drawers may require two fixing holes being drilled, there are dimple marks on the reverse of the doors to indicate where to drill the holes, these holes should be drilled as straight as possible and with the correct size drillbit to suit the fixing screws for the handles. When fitting the doors make sure the two parts of hinge mate together correctly otherwise it will be difficult to adjust the door. As you look at the hinge, the screw at the back holds the door in place, the other one enables you to adjust the door later for alignment. When all the doors are fitted they can be adjusted so gaps between them are even and all doors are level.
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• Chrome door handles
• When finishing off the new kitchen its worth sealing any gaps at the back of the worktops with clear sealant so there is less risk of water damage before the wall(s) are tiled. Any small gaps between the kitchen units and the wall(s) can be filled using cuts of decorative clad end panel, doing this gives the kitchen a more professional finish. As shown in one of the images below I partly filled a gap between a washing machine and a wall using a piece of 75 x 15mm timber with cabinet magnets on the reverse for ease of removal, then simply tiled the timber using liquid nails as an adhesive, it was simple to do and  leaves a small gap for washing machine movement. The last job aside cleaning up and telling everyone how hard you have had to work like I do, is to blank any pre-drilled holes in the units with the plastic blanks / caps that come with the units.
• Below are a selection of thumbnail images from a recent new kitchen install. They show before and after, etc.
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