Full Rewire vs Partial

[LindsayO]

This is my first post and I am looking for rewiring advice.
I have a 1950s 3 bed semi that has had very little work done on it -- but some of the electrics have been changed -- the upstairs electrics are older than the downstairs. I am planning on fixing it up and putting it up for sale. So I decided to start with the electrics as the way they are now might put some potential buyers off.

I asked a local electrician to take a look at it and tell me if it needs rewiring -- without testing, he said he could update the upstairs, put in a new main unit, fix a broken socket, put in some new double sockets, and replace the light switches for more modern ones all for a very reasonable price.

My main interest is getting the house sold -- so I want to keep costs down and not have it look like it needs rewiring

-- so the electricians suggestions would fit the bill

However I'm concerned that it might be false economy -- if he hasn't tested anything how can he tell that it doesn't really need rewiring and if there are problems with the wiring might they show up on a survey

--- sorry if these are very niave questions --- i'm not planning on doing any of the rewiring myself

Thanks

 

[Spark123]

It is probably going to be best to get a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) from an electrician who is a member of a competent person scheme done. This should give you a set of test results in black and white and what needs done.

 

[mst]

navie no not at all,

I say do the rewire ,i understand about the cost but if you dont then it will be cutting corners and if you had a viewing from a tradesman then it wouldnt look good!

Theres only one way to do up a property and unfortanately its not cheap

 

[JohnD]

I imagine he has taken a look at it and formed an opinion from the age and quality of work he can see. He probably has experience of similar properties in your area.

If you want it properly tested, this will take work and time that you should expect to pay for. It might be half a day's works if the newer parts are in generally good condition and he does not spend time testing parts which he has already identified as being in poor condition and needing replacement. If it was old and included lots of amateurish changes it might take longer and it might be less trouble to rip out and replace the old stuff than to test and document it.

In England and Wales you would need such an electrician to be a member of an approved self-certification scheme to do the sort of work you describe, and provide a Certificate that a buyer will wish to see. I don't know what the rules are in Scotland. I hope your electrician is a member of one of the trade bodies and not a jobbing handyman.

The main earths and Supplementary Bonding will probably need to be upgraded as well but this is not usually a major job.

 

[crystal ball]

I imagine he has taken a look at it and formed an opinion from the age and quality of work he can see. He probably has experience of similar properties in your area.

If you want it properly tested, this will take work and time that you should expect to pay for. It might be half a day's works if the newer parts are in generally good condition and he does not spend time testing parts which he has already identified as being in poor condition and needing replacement. If it was old and included lots of amateurish changes it might take longer and it might be less trouble to rip out and replace the old stuff than to test and document it.

In England and Wales you would need such an electrician to be a member of an approved self-certification scheme to do the sort of work you describe, and provide a Certificate that a buyer will wish to see. I don't know what the rules are in Scotland. I hope your electrician is a member of one of the trade bodies and not a jobbing handyman.

The main earths and Supplementary Bonding will probably need to be upgraded as well but this is not usually a major job.

I agree with JohnD, just one thing though, your electrician does not have to be a member of a self cert scheme, he can register the work via buiding control

 

[LindsayO]

Thanks for the advice -- I am contacting the first electrician and asking him how much he would charge for a PIR --- and contacting another electrician with the same question ----- it worries me a little that you all agreed I should get a PIR but electrician number 1 didn't

--- to be fair its not a patchy looking job at the moment -- it looks like the first owners had the downstairs rewired and not the upstairs -- sI definitely want upstairs redone --

 

[crystal ball]

Thanks for the advice -- I am contacting the first electrician and asking him how much he would charge for a PIR --- and contacting another electrician with the same question ----- it worries me a little that you all agreed I should get a PIR but electrician number 1 didn't
--

We did not all agree on a PIR, I agreed with johnD who said "if you want it properly tested....."

A good spark will get a good idea if a rewire is needed after a 10 minute walk round

 

[breezer]

----- it worries me a little that you all agreed I should get a PIR but electrician number 1 didn't

simple.

he is there, we are not.

you can type what a pir says, you cant type what he is thinking.

go for the whole rewire regardless.

mste had a "buyers report?" done on the house he is now in, he refused to buy the house unless it was basicaly rewired, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

point is, buyers now want this and that in writing, get it done properly then its one thing less to worry about

 

[mst]

nop my house needed a rewire and i wasnt to worried about it cus i knew how,but other people that dont know i would advise a rewire.

When its done its done and to the develper its good piece of mind

 

[baldelectrician]

I don't suggest a PIR, if the wiring is so bad it needs it- what's the point paying for an inspection telling you something is rubbish when you already know that?

A PIR should cost £150 max. I have been in the position of a customer asking for a PIR, for a job that obviously required a rewire. I did give a discount on the resulting rewire, as I had work from the job.

A couple of points regarding Scotland,
There IS a competent person scheme in Scotland,
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/SearchCo.asp?T=Construction&ID=2

This type of work probably doesn't require permission from the council (called a building warrant in Scotland)
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/pdfs/Electrical Guidance for Verifiers 29Mar06.pdf
If you are in doubt, call your council BEFORE you do any work. This is more important if you are doing any other alterations requiring a warrant, such as an extension, conversion or changing tha internal layout (walls etc)


There is something happening regarding the selling of houses in Scotland, during 2007.
The Sellers Pack is coming (this was called the home information pack, south of the border but was ditched).
The sellers pack is still going ahead in Scotland.
YOU WILL require paperwork for electrical works carried out when you sell the house.

The cost of such a rewire may be as low as £1600, dependant on ease of the job and condition of the house.
With a rewire you get a clean slate- and paperwork to back it up. This benefits both the seller and the buyer.

One final point. with the work you mentioned this may open up a can of worms (other things may crop up that need done). With a rewire, this is a fixed price, and peace of mind at a fixed cost.

 

[baldelectrician]

I agree with JohnD, just one thing though, your electrician does not have to be a member of a self cert scheme, he can register the work via buiding control

The Scottish regs are different from the English regs and require the HOME OWNER to pay for any inspection, testing and remedial work regarding any works requiring a warrant (see above for explination of warrant)