Bathroom, electrics problem, builders and combi boilers !!

[MarkE]

Project:
Move bathroom upstairs in to the corner of a bedroom. Wall off new bathroom. Convert downstairs bathroom to dining room.

Issues:
How on earth do you get a good builder to do this as we have not had a good response so far. One gave quotes for bits he wanted to do and was not interested in the rest. The other could not get out of the pub to quote!
To top this off I have just found out there are no earths on the lighting circuit and the local sparky want £2000 to correct this.

Now I am no DIY man but heres the question -
Surely there is a reasonably easy (not £2k) way to sort the Earth problem??

The builder will do drains and stench pipe for £1300, so is it easy to put up a stud wall and build a bathroom. If I get a plumber in to put in a combi boiler and remove the hot water tank - how much will I be looking at?

Thanks.
Mark

 

[masona]

If you don't know anyone for recommendation,ring your local planning office who will give you a lists of builder/plumbers which been approved by them,so you will not get cowboys who will rip you off.This way if you're not happy with the work being done the local planning will cross them of their lists and they know it ! Sadly I've done loads of jobs to be corrected by cowboys , which cost the owner more.

 

[breezer]

as for the earthing problem, it should really be rewired, which is why it costs so much (labour, not cable)

 

[MarkE]

Well I looked at the quote. Now I am looking at £1600 ish. Now all of the upstairs wiring seems easy to get to as you can get to it easily above the lights by going in to the loft. The walls in all upstairs rooms are to be redecorated so I dont mind ripping the wall paper off. In fact downstairs all of the plaster can be ripped off as the whole house bar one room is in need of decorating. So given this is it easy enough to do oneself given a good book and a large dose of caution!

I am not that keen on the price as I just cant view the labour - I mean the guy was saying aboout three days which I just cant get my head round.

Mark

 

[breezer]

when i first moved in wher i am now the second thing was to rewire the whole house (except kitchen, as at the time we were having a new one, we have now, 2 weeks ago)

I did it all on my own and i think it did take about 2 1/2 days.

Actually if you wanted to you could do it your self since for you it will be easy, because all the wiring is done for you, all you would have to do is use 1.5mm t & e for lights 2.5 t & e for sockets and run them where the existing cables go from / to mark them up then connect them up

 

[mmcmahon]

I moved house in December and got a few quotes for rewiring (2 bedroom flat) ranging from £600 to £2000. Some said I only needed the lights rewired, some said the whole flat needed it. I could just about wire a plug at the time but I bought a couple of books and did a lot of planning (and asked a lot of questions) and was surprised how easy it was to do. It did take me a lot longer than it would have taken the electrician but I had complete control over everything, learned a lot and saved some money

 

[breezer]

just out of curiosity, how long did it take?

 

[mmcmahon]

I'm actually just finished so about 4 months

I didn't do it continually though, lot's of stopping and starting as I worked on other things. I would say that if I was back at the beginning again and had to do it all at once it would still take me the best part of a week.

 

[jamesy]

Just a few questions on this subject.

When rewiring light switches, etc, can new wire usually be fed into the existiong conduit or do the walls need to be tracked?

Should the fuse box always be replaced? Mine is a pretty old one, but as far as I can see there is very little that can go wrong with them.

If I am putting in wall lights to replace all the ceiling lights is it ok to take a spur off a ring circuit in each room and just add a fused connection unit? This will mean that I will have no light circuits in the flat except for the kitchen and two bathrooms.

If I wire everything into the old fuse box will I need to get a electrician to check all the wiring and give me a certificate. Will I need to do this if I fit a new fusebox?

I know that there is a lot there but I would appreciate any help.

cheers.

 

[breezer]

Just a few questions on this subject.

When rewiring light switches, etc, can new wire usually be fed into the existiong conduit or do the walls need to be tracked?
if there is conduit then yes you can use it

Should the fuse box always be replaced? Mine is a pretty old one, but as far as I can see there is very little that can go wrong with them.
you do not HAVE to change the consumers unit, its just that new ones have mcb's and an RCD

If I am putting in wall lights to replace all the ceiling lights is it ok to take a spur off a ring circuit in each room and just add a fused connection unit? This will mean that I will have no light circuits in the flat except for the kitchen and two bathrooms. not a good idea, and as the light switch run is there why not use that it would be easier and safer

If I wire everything into the old fuse box will I need to get a electrician to check all the wiring and give me a certificate. Will I need to do this if I fit a new fusebox? not unless you change it

I know that there is a lot there but I would appreciate any help.

cheers.