Dimmer switch

Can anyone tell me how you install a dinner switch...ive seen a brass dimmer switch in Argos that i like and would like to put it in the sitting room, our house is a new build and when we tried to put up a new light fitting in the kitchen it was all over the place with 6 wires coming from the celing...all spray painted so we couldnt see the colours and the light fitting onl had 3 wire holes anyway! Apperantly its a new build regulation! So just wondering if putting a dimmer switch onto the wall will be a problem! Thanks again!

installed a "dinner" switch myself bout 3 years ago, no diy skills previously! dont know about the wiring regs you refer to but dimmer switch installed ok - no extra wires knocking about!!!! There are instruction in the packet, got mine in homebase! make sure you turn off the lekky first!!

Oops...just seen the spelling mistake..thanks! Cheers for the info, might take the switch off the wall first to have a look at it!

the reason there were 6 wires is because they probably looped through that fitting onto the next one - common enough practise - i wouldn't say the electrics are all over the place because of that !

also if the wires are painted just trim a little of the plastic (grey?) sheath off and you should see the colours underneath - either brown/blue or earth (green/yellow).

fitting the dimmer switch should be simple - there will only be a live (and maybe earth) running through the switch and contacts are probably labeled L1 + L2 - just mark the wires as you disconnect and reconnect as they were on the new switch. - don't forget to turn off power before hand.