Full Rewire?

[Swanny80]

Hi

I'm in the process of buying a pretty grotty ex-LA flat in North London. Having been back for a second look, the electrics are a bit of a mess. The sockets are a bit shabby and all the wiring has been done in typical council style - on the outside of the wall/ ceiling. There's also things like the oven control switch having a socket attached which I want to get away from and the fact I want to put in multiple low-wattage ceiling spots rather than the single bulb lights already in.

My main question is would it be worth a full rewire? I'm going to have to pull the ceilings down to do the lights (and they're all wood-chipped to submission anyway!), so should I just get the plaster off the walls and do the lot or would it be better to try and channel all the electrics one by one into the existing walls?

Also, does anyone know how much Buildings Control charge to come out and check electrics?

Cheers

 

[Adam_151]

You don't take all the plaster off to re-wire, you just channel in where you want to run cables, and yes, if the wireing is surface mounted, you may as well rewire as opposed to just chase in whats there already and get sockets where you want them, etc.

Speak to you local building control office... it differs so much around the country... my one (Lincoln) want 75+vat and they expect an EIC to be prodvided and don't test themselves (I consider that a reasonable expectation, but consider the cost a little on the high side for comming out once for a quick look over, and a quick glance at the EIC to make sure its not been filled out by somene with no clue)

 

[Swanny80]

Cheers Adam

Sounds like sense! I was planning to replaster walls anyway as they are a bit crumbly at the moment and I have a plasterer for a brother in law... but it looks like the complete rewire is the way to go.

 

[securespark]

I take it the ceilings are plasterboard battened onto concrete?

Make sure that all your lighting connections are accessible from below, ie from the downlighter holes.

 

[Swanny80]

The ceilings are plasterboard, although not sure what they are battened to - only looked round the place a couple of times and will have more idea when I get the keys! The replacement ones will certainly be plasterboard.

Since it is a flat, all work has to be done from below rather than above, so all connections will need to be accessible through the down lighter holes...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

A rewire before you move in and decorate is much better than piecemeal tweaking and much better than trying to do stuff after the place is occupied. For example, you can use a chasing tool without fear, which will speed things up a great deal.

Tip: Use oval conduit for the cables - much easier if you do need to make changes later.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Get a few sparks in, for different prices.

Prices normally start at around £2.5k, but may be increased to due recent price of cable, plastic accessories, everything really. Also having spots dotted around the house cost more, about £15 each normally.

 

[sparkybird]

watch out - underneath that plasterboard may lurk the hardest concrete ever known to man/woman kind. This may limit you/put the price up

Good luck

SB

 

[TheGaffersSon]

watch out - underneath that plasterboard may lurk the hardest concrete ever known to man/woman kind. This may limit you/put the price up

Good luck

SB

This is a longshot, but is there any chance you was Dave Jackson's apprentice?