How much clearance do I need to give electrical cables when drilling?

3 years ago

I am planning to put up shelves in an alcove using battens attached to the walls on three sides. One side is a chimney breast with a plug socket at the bottom and some redundant switches half way up. I have a cable detecter but want to know how much clearance I should give where the alarm on the detector indicated cables. Also if it isn’t wise to drill into this wall at all what are my other alternatives for holding up that end of the shelf? The house was built in the 1860s so usual advice re building regs is no help in this instance.

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How much clearance do I need to give electrical cables when drilling?

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