Re-wire of private owned council flat

[firegazer]

Has anyone got any experience of either having had done or doing a re-wire in a council flat.

The reason I ask is ours needs doing. The lighting is wired in steel conduit in singles; so does this make it re-wireable??

We are considering running the ring main in UPVC skirting due to the lack of sockets and difficulty of chasing all the walls etc.

Any advice/opinion would be welcome.
Thanks.

 

[Steve]

Singles in conduit will make it much easier. Tie your new wires firmly to the end of the old ones, and pull them gently through.

Are the sockets run in conduit too?

 

[RF Lighting]

If you are happy with the position of all the existing lights and switches, then normally the steel conduit can be reused providing it is still in reasonable condition.

The old wiring can be used to draw in the new wiring.

I assume the flat is of precast concrete construction?

These walls can still be chased, but it is hard graft to do it. If you are happy with uPVC trunking, then there is no reason why you can't use it.

 

[firegazer]

The sockets are in conduit also, but there is no way enough for all our needs, hence the UPVC skirting idea.

Yes the walls are precast concrete, but the conduit does look in good order.

Is it likely that the live lighting feed in fed switch to swich, then to the fitting, in this age of construction??

We also have surface mounted heating pipes. Can these be run in the lower section of the UPVC if it fits?? Then its all nicely hidden away!

 

[breezer]

age has nothing to do with it, the fact its wired in conduit is

as for skirting trunking give up or move house now, its good but very expensive

 

[RF Lighting]

I would have thought so. It would be normal to loop the lives round the switches, and then take a single switched live to the light, but it really depends on the style the electrician wo wired it initially prefered to use.

 

[firegazer]

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Trunking_Pvc_Index/Dado_Trunking/index.html

30 quid for 3 meters don't sound too bad!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes but then you have to add the bends and the adaptors to fit each socket, etc. It all adds up.

If u use the existing conduit, remember that it is providing the protective earth. MAke sure you have continuity if u do the same, or run in a separate cpc.

 

[firegazer]

Had an electrician come round to quote for rewiring using the existing conduit. He says it can't be done and all the walls and ceilings need chasing. The other sparks who was sposed to come just didn't turn up.

What a complete ball ache!

 

[daytona]

keep trying people mate .you should be looking at 3 quotes anyway for the amount your going to spend.
lights should be a doddle,ring main a pain in the arris at times if using tubes.

only had a handful of tubes that cant be used over the (20)years.one turned out to be a flat prewired pipe?
wtf!

 

[equitum]

Are the existing cables sheathed/insulated in PVC or rubber ?

On what basis does it need rewiring ?

 

[ColJack]

theres always the option to dot n dab all the walls out.. wires and pipes behind.... a good way to add what you want where... but a lot messier..

if dot n dab is too shallow for your needs then 2x2 batten and board.. you could use the voids that have no wiring and insulate them.. good for heat retention and good for sound proofing.. ( do the ceiling too.. )...

skirting trunking is never a good idea as you'll be smashing the vacum into it lots..

 

[firegazer]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The existing singles are PVC, but look silver in colour.

The fuseboard is an old cartridge type. The sockets are wired as three radials all connected to one 30A fuse. The switches and sockets are all bakerlite and well past there best. Its looks like the conduit is being used as a cpc, but there are no earth leads from the sockets to the steel back boxes.

Theres also no acceptable leccy in the kitchen for things such as washing machine and tumble dryers, kettles, electric ovens etc etc that pull al lot of amps.

So with a flourescant fitting in the bathroom and no cross bonding its a bit of a shambles really!!

 

[Taylortwocities]

The existing singles are possibly tinned copper or they could be aluminium. Well past their sell by date!
It was quite usual for the conduit to be the cpc with the faceplate screws paking the earth connection. No earth leads were in use then.

As you know, the radials should not be on a 30A, but a 20A fuse.
And kitchen usually had one socket (for the kettle) and a cooker point with an adopted socket.

Its a full rewire you need. How it is done has been outlined above.
I walk away from jobs like this.

 

[bengasman]

This will indeed involve quite a bit of work to do it properly and therefore will not be cheap. Spend as much time as you need to find someone who is sure to do the job well. Be up front with them about what they can expect; make sure that you come across as a pleasant customer. Most quality installers will consider this a p-i-t-a job, but might be tempted if the customer appears easy going. If you go for the cheapest of 3 quotes, you will get someone who is desperate for a job.