Need/want new sockets - what to do first?

[VegemiteSandwich]

Hi all,

I've been using this site for a while for all sorts of handy info, but I can't find an answer for this question (perhaps because it's obvious??). I know nothing about electrics!

We've just got the keys for our new place, and now that it is empty can see that there are hardly any power sockets (one in the sitting room, none in the dining room . . .). Obviously we'll be wanting some more, but I don't want to get the electrician in until we've lived in the house for a little while.

In the mean time I'm planning various other decorating projects. Putting in some new skirting is another project I'm hoping to do soon (a 1970s refurbishment has left a few of the walls skirting-less).

My question is: how many of my decorating projects should I postphone until I get this socket issue sorted? Carpeting over the floorboards, for example, I will put off as I assume that being able to pull up the floorboards will make any changes to the electrics simpler. But will putting a skirting board in be a waste of time at this stage?


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[securespark]

If you must live in the house, I would put off any decor work until you have finished any destructive work.

Having said that, if there is any way you can get this destructive work out of the way NOW, that will be much better. Much better for you and much better for you wallet.

 

[sotal]

Electrics were the first job I had done on this house.

Too much chasing in the walls etc to be done later - would make me cry to do it now after all the decorating!

I over did it a little to try to make sure no more electrics were needed later.

 

[ericmark]

Main thing no wall paper. With a painted wall plastering and repainting assuming you have some paint to spare is not really a problem. You may see the different texture but it will not look too bad. Any wall paper leaves two problems. One is of course the re-papering but second is until paper is stripped it's hard to fill to correct level.

Carpets are a problem but you can lift and re-lay it's not like trying to remove and replace wall paper.

Pictures will help as you can then see which floor board is most likely to give you easy access.

I insisted on white walls for first year. Makes it easy to cover chasing. Then went to work away and returned to wall paper.

 

[bernardgreen]

but I don't want to get the electrician in until we've lived in the house for a little while.

While there are benefits from "test driving" the house before deciding on where power points are need the dis-advantages of re-wiring with furniture in place are far greater. Dust from chasing the walls will get into furniture and carpets and take months to remove completely.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

With a painted wall plastering and repainting assuming you have some paint to spare is not really a problem. You may see the different texture but it will not look too bad.

And if the making good isn't quite good enough, heavyweight lining paper over the walls, and then painted, will hide a multitude of sins.

Obviously we'll be wanting some more, but I don't want to get the electrician in until we've lived in the house for a little while.

Think hard about where to have sockets - it's difficult to have too many, and also about what circuits to have. The items on the list below won't all apply to you, but they are worth thinking about:

• Upstairs sockets
• Downstairs sockets (or a L/R or front/rear split)
• Kitchen sockets
• Circuit for appliances
• Cooker circuit
• Non-RCD circuit for F/F
• Non-RCD circuit for CH boiler
• Dedicated circuit for hifi
• Dedicated circuit for IT equipment
• Upstairs lights
• Downstairs lights
• Lighting circuits with switches in the usual places but with 2A/5A round pin sockets at low level.
• Immersion heater
• Loft lights
• Shower
• Bathroom circuit
• Alarms
• Supply for outside lights
• Supply for garden electrics
• Supply for shed/garage

Plus any peculiarities brought about by your house layout & construction - e.g. in mine because of solid floors and where the socket circuits run, I have a radial just for a socket in the hall, the doorbell and the porch lights.

Unless you want to go to the expense of RCBOs throughout, the CU should have at least 3 sections, 2 on RCDs and one not into which you can install a mix of RCBOs and MCBs.

It can be a good idea to put all wiring in conduit for ease of future changes. And if you specify metal conduit for switch drops, or BS 8436 cable it removes the need to have RCDs where you'd rather not.

If you live somewhere where supplies are dodgy in the winter, have the lights, the boiler supply, and a socket in each room wired to a separate CU, or a separate section in a large one, that can be supplied by an emergency generator - lights, heating, TV and a kettle/microwave make life a lot more bearable.

Flood-wiring with Cat6 or Cat6a cable is worth thinking about.

My question is: how many of my decorating projects should I postphone until I get this socket issue sorted?

As above, anything involving wallpapering.

Leave the ceilings alone too, for lighting changes.

Carpeting over the floorboards, for example, I will put off as I assume that being able to pull up the floorboards will make any changes to the electrics simpler.

Indeed it will. Do you need to have fitted carpet though? Wooden floors (not laminate) and rugs/carpets can be quite cost effective compared to decent quality fitted carpets & underlay.

But will putting a skirting board in be a waste of time at this stage?

If you're talking painted softwood, that doesn't cost much.

If you are definitely planning fitted carpets, fix the skirting with a gap below it to allow the carpet & underlay to go under it - looks a lot neater, and it makes repainting a dream, as you can slide stiff card between the carpet and skirting and not get any paint on the carpet.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[NewOrder]

If you're going to be living here long term I would consider getting a full rewire done now.

It does depend how old the electrics are, but if it is a 1970's wiring job then the cost of adding all these new circuits probably won't be much less than a full rewire anyway as problems are likely to be found in the existing install before they can add new sockets.

If it was my house though, I would want any electrical/plumbing/services work done before any decorating.

 

[VegemiteSandwich]

Wow, thank you everyone for all your replies! I really appreciate your opinions.

Ok, I think that it shouldn't be THAT hard to anticipate where we might be wanting sockets (we're just being lazy i guess!) and I am getting the electrician around to discuss soon.

Apparently the electrics are not too bad (for a 100 plus year old house), just a few random light switch placements that are annoying. And of course the lack of sockets.

I'll postphoned dealing with the skirting boards and getting carpets for the time being (carpets are a must ... I'm not English and so don't "get" the draughty floorboard thing. Nor do I understand the need for stripped pine doors, but that's a whole other discussion). Anyway, post phoning a few things will help with the budget, at least!

I'm going to crack on with the painting, though. The joy of having freshly painted walls will, I reckon, outweigh the annoyance of a bit of Plastering and touching up.

Right, now to research how to get these floorboards spruced up a bit for the short term!

 

[NewOrder]

I hate wooden floors too, I hate having to work on sit on them when working on computer equipment on the floor. Give me a carpet any day!

 

[Alarm]

I hate wooden floors too, I hate having to work on sit on them when working on computer equipment on the floor. Give me a carpet any day!

Tool box / seat combo sorts that.