Re-wiring

[kathf1974]

Hope someone can help I know nothing about this.
Just bought a house (well actually just bought my parent's house) built early 70's so I reckon its going to need a re-wire, actually recommended for a re-wire on survey
have no idea what this involves - for example will the house after the re-wire need to be completely re-decorated?
also its a 3 bed semi - any idea on cost? I thought about up to £2,500 is this about right?
Any thoughts welcome

 

[Steve]

cost varies according to where you are in the country, and whether you know a spark

It will also help the budget if you do the donkeywork yourself, such as chasing out walls and taking floorboards up.

And yes, you will probably need to redecorate afterwards. Unless full-on conduit has been used originally, you will have channels running down the walls to light switches (unless your spark fills them back in), and down to the floor from sockets.

 

[kathf1974]

mmm, thought as much. luckily I know of at least two reliable electricians I've used before who I don't think will sting me too badly. Not a great job to have to do but at least when its done its done.

 

[baldelectrician]

it may be a good idea to make sure these guys are registered (part P) if you are in England and Wales, and that they can certify to BS7671.

This will be required information for the sellers pack to be introduced in 2006-2007

If you live in Scotland different rules apply.

 

[plugwash]

completely redecorate largely depends on if you have access to spares of the original decorating materials. (which you should always keep for just this sort of reason btw). if you don't then its going to be pretty hard to patch up the decoration after work is done.

if theres conduit already in place then that will probablly help somewhat but some channels are still likely to have to be dug either because the old install didn't really have enough points in the first place or because cables get stuck on a pull through attempt etc.

 

[breezer]

and you dont want any single sockets, with todays abundance of "appliances", tv, dvd, satelite, vcr, i suggest you have at leat 3 twins put in where the tv will be

 

[plugwash]

i think you'd wan't at least 4 if you wan't to avoid using extention leads or doublers based on personal experiance.

but i also think standard sockets are bloody oversized anyway so i wouldn't bother. much easier and probablly neater to just put a normal double on the wall and hang a 6 way extention lead (with the flex suitablly shortened) below it.

 

[breezer]

only one 4 way?, i am not saying how many i have then

 

[plugwash]

well in our lounge in the corner with the TV

into the double socket we have plugged a 4 output TV amplifier which handles distribution of the arial signal (after passing through the VCR) to the rest of the downstairs rooms (upstairs rooms are split off by an 8 way booster in the loft) and a 4 way extention lead.

into the 4 way extention lead which is increased to 6 way by the use of a doubler and a trippler (yes the sums come out to 7 but one of the sockets can't be accessed) into that is plugged a second TV amplifier which takes the incoming signal to the VCR/DVD the digital TV box and the radio/amplifier. also in the 4 way lead with its adaptors are the TV, the VCR/DVD, the digital recorder box (hard disc and DVD), the radio/amplifier and the digital TV box.

 

[breezer]

no cd player / radio then?

 

[plugwash]

radio and amplifier are one unit (nice technics one) for CD playback we can use either the VCR/DVD or the digital recorder.

 

[breezer]

it must be my age then, we dont have one of those "new fangled dvd whatits names", not even on the pc

 

[plugwash]

and btw i've thought of a possible reason for wan'ting single sockets. if you ever wan't to put a cupboard there and take a flex to a multiway extention socket inside then a FCU (which is a direct replacement for a single socket) is far lower profile than a plug/socket combination. (changing the fuse would ofc require pulling out the cupboard but that would be the case with a plug/socket too).

 

[kathf1974]

this is great advice thanks very much