An outdoor power point seems simple — a socket on an exterior wall, a cable run, done. In practice, the electrical requirements for outdoor sockets are significantly more stringent than for indoor ones, and the consequences of getting it wrong range from nuisance trips to electrocution. A correctly installed outdoor socket will serve you for decades with no issues. One bodged with an indoor socket and an extension lead fed through a window is a genuine hazard.
IP Ratings — What They Mean Outdoors
All outdoor electrical accessories must carry an appropriate IP (Ingress Protection) rating. The IP code has two digits: the first (0–6) indicates dust protection, the second (0–8) indicates water protection. For a standard covered outdoor socket, IP44 is the minimum. For sockets that may be directly rained on — on a post, for example, rather than under a soffit — IP55 or higher is more appropriate.
"Outdoor socket outlets should be at least IP44 for locations where water spray is unlikely and IP55 where direct water spray is possible. Location and mounting position affect the appropriate rating."— IET Guidance Note 7 — Special Locations
RCD Protection Is Non-Negotiable
Any socket outlet that could be used to supply portable equipment outdoors must be protected by a 30mA RCD. This has been a requirement under BS 7671 since 2008 and is an absolute requirement for any new outdoor socket installation. In most modern homes with a dual-RCD or RCBO consumer unit, outdoor sockets are already assigned to an RCD-protected circuit. If yours isn't, the electrician will need to address this — either by moving the circuit to an RCD-protected side or fitting a separate RCD or RCBO.
Cable Burial Requirements
Cable run underground in a garden must be buried at a minimum depth to protect against accidental damage from digging. BS 7671 and the IET Guidance Note 1 recommend at least 450mm for cables in gardens where mechanical damage is possible, with mechanical protection (steel conduit or cable cover tiles) where depth cannot be guaranteed. Armoured cable (SWA — Steel Wire Armoured) is the appropriate choice for underground garden runs — the mineral-insulated equivalent of domestic cable, designed to withstand soil movement and accidental contact with a spade.
This Is Also Notifiable Work
A new circuit to an outdoor socket is notifiable under Part P. Adding an outdoor socket as a spur from an existing indoor circuit may or may not be notifiable depending on the exact configuration — your electrician will advise. Either way, a registered electrician will issue the appropriate certificate on completion.
"New circuits in a garden or outbuilding are notifiable electrical work. Use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme to ensure self-certification and avoid the need for local authority building control involvement."— GOV.UK — Building Regulations Approved Documents
Garden Office and Outbuilding Supplies
A separate supply to a garden office, workshop, or outbuilding is a more substantial installation — it requires its own consumer unit (or distribution board) in the outbuilding, a separate metering arrangement in some cases, and appropriate cable sized for the distance and the load. The outbuilding installation is treated as a separate circuit from the house, with its own earthing arrangement. This work is more involved than a simple socket and should be discussed with the electrician in detail before quoting.
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