Rewire or not to rewire?

[Taylortwocities]

So if I set £3500-£4000 aside that should cover it right?
!

It depends on if your are going to live in it while the rewire is being done.

Its much more expensive to rewire an occupied house where furniture has to be constantly moved and where the residents expect there to be power and light every night when they come home..

 

[iCraig]

Yeah, we are going to live in it. Unless it can be done within a week and we could stay in a hotel for that week.

 

[ivixor]

So if I set £3500-£4000 aside that should cover it right?

Good grief, whatever you do don't mention those sorts of figures to any sparks who come round to quote, or the job will suprisingly end up to be exactly that much.

First thing to do is establish what needs to be done, not how much you need to spend.

What I would do is lift some floorboards and look for old rubber cables. If you find any that means that your house has been rewired since it was built and does not need rewiring now. Personally if the wiring was PVC and in good condition I would not consider replacing it.

Ripping out good wiring is madness.

If I was you I'd do the following:

Get a PIR done for £150 or so, which will tell you what is wrong with your current setup, if anything.

And/or:

Change the CU for a modern one with RCD protection. This will involve a full test of all circuits too.

Get odd jobs done around the house like replacing sockets, adding some spurs here and there.

Total cost should be no more than £500.

 

[dingbat]

Total cost should be no more than £500.

 

[Adam_151]

If hes planning on renovating the house and its on original 1958 wiring then its a daft idea to start fitting new kitchens, bathrooms, carpeting or wall paper without at least some work

Chnaces are the wiring will be on its last legs, there will be a poor number of points, inadeauate numbers of circuits etc, DIY bodges carried out over the years, etc

I did a PIR on a 1958 domestic installation a couple of months back, I knew the result within 10 minutes! but I had to produce a full PIR as that was what was requested in order to be considered for a grant for electrical update work. The OP should get someone on site to assess the job, there is little point in requesting a PIR if the result would be a forgone conclusion!

 

[iCraig]

Ripping out good wiring is madness.

But its atleast 25 years since it was last done and to what standard we don't know without ripping up the floorboards.

So with me having the money to do it now, I am thinking I may aswell have it done...

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Get a PIR done and go from there.

In my experience if you are have a load of building work/ modernisation done then this is probably the time to get a rewire done too. I agree that up grading the consumer unit would be a good way of making the PIR pay for itself (assuming you use a registered, recommended electrician who will agree to do a full pir as part of the job)

The only reservation I have is the fact that you wish to live in the house while it is done. I hate to say this but you may be better off using a bigger firm than a one man band who can throw numbers at the job and do it in a week. But be warned it is a messy business. Mind you ElectricianDirect is up your way and according to his blurb he can do it for a snip with no mess either.

Martin

 

[iCraig]

I'm actually planning something on that front, might be able rent somewhere for a month.

The only problem is then where to put the dog...

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Leave it as a guard dog

 

[Adam_151]

I'm actually planning something on that front, might be able rent somewhere for a month.

Got any relatives your could move in with for a few days? and put your clutter in boxes in the garage etc

As long as you don't go for a company that is one man working on his own, then a re-wire on a standard 3 bed emptyish property shouldn't take too long

 

[ColJack]

man and a mate for a rewire is about 5-7 days.. or less if it's unoccupied as a good hour - hour and a half each day is taken up lifting boards and moving furniture and then putting it all back again at night as well as having to put at least some power and lights back on each night..

you can go somewhere else for a week ( a holiday at butlins )

most of the time you WILL need to redecorate most of the rooms so it's a good idea to get it done if they're due soon..

 

[iCraig]

When is the best time to do rewiring then? Is there any part of the year sparks are quieter? Like heating engineers are quieter in the summer and double glazing fitters in the winter etc?

I am also trying to arrange to stay in an empty property owned by a relative but I am unsure if they'll allow the dog to live there too. :-/

 

[martinxxxxxx]

man and a mate for a rewire is about 5-7 days.. or less

Oi, it sometimes takes three times that depending on the size layout and construction of the property. Either that or I am dead slow or lazy or careful or weak.

Anyway anyone reading this please don't use that estimate to hang your poor electrician out to dry with.

It all depends...OK


More wine please.

Martin

 

[martinxxxxxx]

When is the best time to do rewiring then? Is there any part of the year sparks are quieter? Like heating engineers are quieter in the summer and double glazing fitters in the winter etc?

I am also trying to arrange to stay in an empty property owned by a relative but I am unsure if they'll allow the dog to live there too. :-/

Yes January is good and remember electricians love having a dog around to lick their ears when they are working and drink their tea, plus guard their tools.

Martin

 

[seasickstevie]

man and a mate for a rewire is about 5-7 days.. or less if it's unoccupied.

Just done a small dormer bungalow.
In round figures, two days hacking out, two days plastering, two days second fix.

And on top of that there's the wiring!