concreate ceiling problem

[sb81]

Hi

Please can you help me?

I have recently bought my first flat and have been told by the mortgage people that I have to rewire it.

I have been told that the ceiling is concrete and therefore have been told to have trunking put across the ceiling to hide the cables which I really don't like at all.

Is there any other way of rewiring without having to have the trunking across the ceiling?

I have heard of false ceilings but am unsure if this is a viable option and have also heard it is expensive??

Thanks for any help
Sian

 

[regsmyth]

I assume you've got to include new lighting circuits, and new cabling to sockets, maybe additional sockets, perhaps add new circuits?
And can any of the socket circuits run under the floor, or is that solid concrete too?

How many rooms? How big? How high are the ceilings at the moment?

Options for a false ceiling could be to either fix battens directly to the ceiling, then plasterboard and plaster, you would lose around 2 inches of ceiling height. Or if you have enough height, and the rooms aren't too big, you could fix timbers around the walls, and nail cross beams (joists) to these, then plasterboard them but you'll lose at least 3 or 4 inches overall, possibly a lot more.

If you're handy with a chop saw and drill, either option is fairly simple, but will you have to do this for every ceiling? And although it's fairly simple, by the time the wirings in, the plasterboard is up, and skimmed, and painted, it'll be quite expensive, say allow £200 per ceiling?? Plus materials say £50??

Ideally the powerpoint circuit cables would run under the floorboards, but if it's concrete, you could use plastic trunking around the top of the skirting board.

How will you get cables from the fuse box to the various rooms?

You will need to get an electrician in to give you a quote, and they'll help you develop an overall plan for the rewiring, but hopefully the above info will make your options a bit clearer.

 

[333rocky333]

Regarding the old ceiling lights ,I would have thought the wires were in metal conduits, within the concrete and providing the new lights are in the same places,them conduits can be reused.

 

[securespark]

My thought too, rocky. Re-use existing conduit as much as possible.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Always assuming the junction boxes are still accessible. Its more tricky if they've been buried.

 

[tarmacadam]

Sorry to jump in here guys, sb81 i am currently rewiring my house which is a 2bed end terrace, of brick and concrete construction, built in the 50's.
The house was artex from top to bottom when i bought it and so have stripped down to plater. The joint boxes being under the artex on the walls.
I have chased out walls (where existing plaster and new plaster to be applied has left only a little raggling of deeper boxes) and will be putting a false ceiling up throughout the house. (2x2 treated timber @70p p/meter, 220M!!) to run cables in. It is more expensive in materials(cable, wood, plasterboard, plasterer etc) and a bit of a logistical nightmare however there really ain't alot of options here, obviously other than conduit which I'm assuming, like myself you simply do not want running round your house and a false floor which in itself presents problems with door heights etc.
The big problem, where you would normally, logically and practically place joint boxes, becomes impossible as they need to be accessible so i think I'll be placing mine, labeled at the CU (cable, cable, cable).
Conduit at skirting level, which can even match your skirting boards and also if you have coving, placed just below it is really not that noticeable, however when it's running up and around doors etc, to be fair it's a bit of an eye sore.

 

[TCDIY]

Down stairs flat to me had similar problem Ceiling concrete cast slabs lime plastered, too low to under clad. Flats originally wired such that doorstairs cables run through (under) upstairs wooden floor (a different flat!), no conduit - what a mess! (Even if you have the height be wary cast slabs can be a real pig - sometimes need a diamond tipped drill to touch them. )

The way they solved it down stairs was to fit wall lights and under unit lights in kitchen. Other flats settled for trunking but agree with you - don't look too clever. Main wiring put under floor boards downstairs (athough nor easy since joists only 50mm resting on concrete!) Either way sparkies only ones to tell you have best to do this - question to sparkes - is there a safe zone along wall near concrete ceiling in which cables can be run - thus avoiding trucking along skirting?

 

[JohnD]

yes

 

[JohnD]

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=8

look for "Please see if the answer to your query is already covered by the Wiki"

electrics - Installation techniques - walls

 

[DESL]

I have recently bought my first flat and have been told by the mortgage people that I have to rewire it.

Wow a mortgage provider with electrical installation expertise!!!

I guess it was a survey report - but perhaps you need to get an electician in to confirm that a rewire is really required.

I have been told that the ceiling is concrete and therefore have been told to have trunking put across the ceiling to hide the cables which I really don't like at all.

By whom?

 

[333rocky333]

If the flat wiring is bad, it is likely the other flats are the same, or been rewired, if the flats are alike, it might be worth asking the neighbours,if you know them, how they got round the situation.