A relative has a small outbuilding that needs a general overhaul of
its electrical wiring, and I'm wondering if it could be DIY'd without
coming under Part P.

It's basically a small steel-framed barn that houses a couple of cars
and a couple of horses. There's no wiring in the horses' part. It's
fed by a short buried cable from the consumer unit in the house,
which feeds a smaller consumer unit in the barn. Things which need to
be addressed include: - Most of the sockets and switches are old,
some are cracked. Some may be exposed to rain during severe weather.
- A family of swifts has built a nest on top of the barn's consumer
unit, which needs to be replaced.
- Presumably the earthing requirements need to be looked at,
particularly in view of the amount of earthed steel around.
- I want to fix whatever needs fixing, but this would just be a repair
operation, not a sneaky extension or enhancement.

I have done lesser electrical tasks before, I have a
physics/electronics background, and am prepared to buy specialised
testing kit. If I read up on all the regulations and best practice,
is this legitimately DIYable without falling foul of Part P?



It clearly needs doing in a competent manner by someone fully familiar with
Part P. The cost of getting done professionally will be much less than
buying test gear for a one off job particularly when you add the cost of
certification.. When the building comes up for sale your relative will be
asked if all work has had the proper authorisation.

Peter Crosland