Fitting UFH? Tiler or Sparky?

[2020Tiling]

Hi, Just like to know who's job it is to fit UFH?
Tiler or Sparky or Both?

 

[Ian]

I always lay the mat, probe etc, then get the spark to do the final hook up. I have worked for sparks who do the whole lot, they don't like getting dirty though so won't do the sticking of the insulation boards, that's why the tilers usually get to do it.

 

[2020Tiling]

Seems to be a lot of things that could go wrong and different methods of fitting them.
I'd rather the sparky fitted the whole UFH so they get the call back if any problems arise. Would you charge the customer extra to lay the mats etc?

 

[Ian]

It's one of those jobs that's charged on a day rate, like prep.

 

[Chalker]

Wouldn't you rather fit the Mat and thermostat yourself and know its done properly? As you wil be tiling over it and if there are any probs it will be you replacing the floor.

 

[J Sid]

I'm with Bri. I lay wires and stat, take readings, photos and get sparks to connect up.

 

[Qwerty]

I always do everything except final hook up of course.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I always lay it out, channel conduit and put thermostat in place, the rest is up to the sparky.

 

[Gazzer]

As Doug for me.

 

[CJ]

As much as a pain in the bum it is, fiddling with mats/cable/sticky paper and the like.......at least if you fit it yourself........you know they are down. Sparks will only lay it out.....and then you end up going over it, because it's 3" of the bloody floor in places.

Annoyed a sparky last week.

3 rooms with UFH, he left pull cables in each. 2 where ok and worked. 1 didn't

 

[DHTiling]

Tiler : he/she lays the mat nice and flat and slc's ready for tiling.

Sparky: throws the mat down with more kinks than wivers pubes, then says the tiler will get over that.

 

[Stef]

I have let a spark lay a heat mat once!!
I refuse to slc & tile over it unless I have laid it myself because I let a spark lay a heat mat once.
Enough said!!

 

[Ajax123]

Installation of electric underfloor heating constitutes an addition or alteration to the fixed wiring systems in the house. This work has to be certified compliant under part p. It is illegal for a non competent person to self certify this under part p. if as I suspect it is in a special area ie kitchen or bathroom it is illegal for a non qualified person to even carry out the installation. Failure to comply will mean the necessary documentation is not in place meaning difficulty selling the house. Worst case if something goes wrong you pi or pl insurance would not pay out and you could end up with a hefty fine or even custodial sentence depending on the extent of the problem...

as as underfloor heating is a heat emitting device there are also regulations under part L to comply with...these include heat loss and insulation type stuff...

my opinion therefore is that as a professional tradesman working for a paying client whilst it may be ok to lay the cables it would be best to make sure you work to a specification for insulation then let the sparky test it and connect it to the mains...

 

[DHTiling]

The connection is under code Alan , not the rolling out of it.

 

[Stef]

I lay it Alan then the spark wires it up after I have been out in the garden gathering bricks to hold the cables down as he's not bothered to stick the mat to the substrate properly.
I then have to go outside to clean my work boots as I've had to tip toe through the slc to put the bricks down on the cables to stop them floating to the surface.

 

[Ajax123]

The connection is under code Alan , not the rolling out of it.

Took me two paragraphs to say that....

 

[DHTiling]

Took me two paragraphs to say that....

Lol.

 

[Chalker]

Took me two paragraphs to say that....

3 lol

 

[beanz]

Same as Bri. I do the hard bit, the Sparx connects it up.

 

[John Benton]

As Brian but I get the spark to fit copex and draw wires, hate doing that. Always tell them they have to do it for regs and they have never asked why, so I shall continue to do so :smilewinkgrin:

 

[thompsonbrown]

Agree with most of the replys. Tiler should do prep work and fit the mat. I would also say tiler should carry out a resistance test before & after installing.
Make a note and show customer readings, just to cover your backs.

 

[Ken Bruty]

Agree with most of the replys. Tiler should do prep work and fit the mat. I would also say tiler should carry out a resistance test before & after installing.
Make a note and show customer readings, just to cover your backs.

100% agree with this, sparkys don't understand the hassle involved of re-sticking a mat where all the loops are 5mm off the floor, you have no hope of laying slc successfully on that, I insist to my customers that I do this because the mats only stay tacky for a short time anyway, and leaving it exposed for more than a day or so is not an option unless you love using a glue gun for a couple of hours every time to stick the loops back down, because there is always one monkey who will catch and pull it with their foot and you may not see a break in the cable or the insulation scuffed off before you put the slc on. I have also had builders in the past try to be helpful and slc with some of the loops not stuck properly, and I've had to carefully chisel round the cable, then pull it out of the screed a bit more so that I can clean out a channel very carefully under the cable and relay it to sit as flush as possible, then re-tape it so as not to catch the top with the trowel when tile fixing and breathe a sigh of relief when it all eventually tests ok. It all comes down to what you will be happily liable for, because you'll be the first call and you'll need to know exactly how it was laid to be totally confident in what you're saying if there are any issues :smilewinkgrin: