hi i wonder if anyone out there can help,i am buying a 2 bed bungalow,1940's which needs a full rewire but at present all electrics are in surface conduit, i have just had a survey carried out and been informed it is made of concrete block and not traditional build,i am told it will cost twice as much as it will take twice as long to chase in the conduit is this correct? any information will be welcome thanks
concrete block walls
- Thread starter jangles33
- Start date
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The chases might not be the issue if the plaster is deep enough but digging out the concrete for the back boxes will be a job and a bit. Job might be a bit easier if you have wooden floors and the bungalow is a true bungalow.
But it is difficult to guess about prices from your brief description. Get three quotes for electricians for the job but make sure you compare like with like.
But it is difficult to guess about prices from your brief description. Get three quotes for electricians for the job but make sure you compare like with like.
Why are the general state of the walls?
If bad it may be an idea to dot and dab the walls with plasterboard. Then skim over. Cheaper to joint fill though. This could mean 25 mm boxes could be fixed directly to the old walls, or chased in a fraction, and cables run direct on the walls.
The main problem, besides a lot of work, is the skirting boards will have to come off, and door linings replaced.
Not such a good idea after all then.
All you can really do is try chasing a bit in to see what it's like.
If bad it may be an idea to dot and dab the walls with plasterboard. Then skim over. Cheaper to joint fill though. This could mean 25 mm boxes could be fixed directly to the old walls, or chased in a fraction, and cables run direct on the walls.
The main problem, besides a lot of work, is the skirting boards will have to come off, and door linings replaced.
Not such a good idea after all then.
All you can really do is try chasing a bit in to see what it's like.
Is the surface conduit original, or added later? If added later there may be old original light switch conduits buried in the wall, and assuming the doors have not been rehung to open the other way.
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Certainly were the most work has to be done it could well be worth dot and dabbing. No easy way round it, back to back a few sockets and light switches,the rest just plain hard work I'm afraid.
Depends how good the interior is it may be a bonus to dot and dab the lot.
Skirting trunking and pull switches may be the solution, but will look cack.
You don't say if the ceiling is concrete, or if there is a loft space accessible above it.
You don't say if the ceiling is concrete, or if there is a loft space accessible above it.
Its not actually as bad as youd imagine.
A chasing machine fitted with a good dust extractor will make easy work of concrete walls.
It does take a bit longer, but its not too bad.
A chasing machine fitted with a good dust extractor will make easy work of concrete walls.
It does take a bit longer, but its not too bad.
a good dust extractor but they still leave a lot of dust in the room so do this BEFORE moving in.
hi thanks for all the comments,i am still waiting for 100% confirmation from the surveyor this tuesday as i spoke with him after he carried out the survey and he was not entirely sure exactly what its made from so has sent the report to his head office for second opinion,but your comments have helped clear a few questions i had,the quote about the pullcords explains why they are in every room,and yeah they do look very poor so i will have to put them in the walls although time consuming. It is wood floors as we had the carpets up and must be wood ceiling so maybe i could get away with plasterboarding part of the wall as the power is coming from above, then going under the floor for the power and just chasing up a small way for the rest of the sockets,and as suggested going back to back in some of the rooms.Begining to wonder if its worth while maybe the 550 for the survey will work out cheap in the long run.
Are you sure it is concrete block and not concrete slab walls ?
In the interest of speed building in post war Britian some houses used a method of building that employed concrete slabs with re-inforcing steel in the slabs. ( this is not the more common "pre-fab"system. This method provided very sound construction with minimum labour costs but chasing or drilling into the concrete was not allowed as it might expose the metal re-inforcing to the air. If the metal was exposed then it would rust and over many years weaken the slabs. If that is the case then for the sake of 2 or 3 inches reduction in room lineing with plaster board on dabs would allow cables in the walls.
In the interest of speed building in post war Britian some houses used a method of building that employed concrete slabs with re-inforcing steel in the slabs. ( this is not the more common "pre-fab"system. This method provided very sound construction with minimum labour costs but chasing or drilling into the concrete was not allowed as it might expose the metal re-inforcing to the air. If the metal was exposed then it would rust and over many years weaken the slabs. If that is the case then for the sake of 2 or 3 inches reduction in room lineing with plaster board on dabs would allow cables in the walls.
I did one of these a few ago , but fortunately only the outside walls were concrete. I was not aware that it was a prefab as the outer walls had been bricked over and the insides had been plaster boarded. It was when I came to do the outside lighting I discovered it was solid reinforced concrete , and it was like bell metal to drill. About seventy years old and as good as new.
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