Specc'ing a rewire

[Colin Brenton]

Thanks everyone, some food for thought.

I'm not interested in 'smart' home stuff - I have to fight enough buggy electronic stuff at work to want to install it at home, and allow hackers to control my lights... Each to their own, but it's not for me. Ditto for USB mains sockets, ethernet wiring etc.

Adding a TV aerial feed is a good call, and also outside lights (also a feed to the eventual sheds). The current ones are wired in flex to a 13A plug, with lots of bare connector blocks hanging down everywhere - to be one of the first things to be ripped out!

 

[winston1]

Adding a TV aerial feed is a good call.

Best done by an aerial installer though, not a sparks who won’t have the correct measuring equipment.

 

[charliegolf]

Sketch the 2/3 floors as accurately as you can, Put every light pendant/spotlight/striplight, every socket, shower, outside socket/lights. Get a kitchen shop to draw the kitchen for free (you'll prob be getting a new one), and then add the same detail on that. You can specify the final fittings later.

PS get a giant thick cable for the showers! When they break, your wife will want a better, swisher one!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Don’t forget wiring for boiler/heating system.

 

[sparkwright]

Best done by an aerial installer though, not a sparks who won’t have the correct measuring equipment.

The electrician tends to run the tv cables from each outlet to a central position, such as the loft, and the aerial installer will fit the aerial, aerial lead, and do the connections. The electrician may fit/supply aerial sockets for the rooms to ensure they match the electrical accessories.

If an aerial installer runs the cables, they will clipped to the exterior walls outside, they don't like chasing walls, and lifting floorboards, and fishing wires.

They are lazy.

 

[winston1]

The electrician tends to run the tv cables from each outlet to a central position, such as the loft, and the aerial installer will fit the aerial, aerial lead, and do the connections. The electrician may fit/supply aerial sockets for the rooms to ensure they match the electrical accessories.

If an aerial installer runs the cables, they will clipped to the exterior walls outside, they don't like chasing walls, and lifting floorboards, and fishing wires.

They are lazy.

I’ve come across many electricians who have fitted the wrong cables, the old brown cheap stuff. They also tend to supply unscreened aerial sockets. One problem seems to be is that the major electrical accessory manufacturers don’t make screened aerial sockets.
I don’t think aerial installers are lazy, it’s that customers don’t want to pay.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

I'm beginning to think that Winston might be an aerial installer.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

From an electricians perspective - we like to see:
a clear floor plan locating where the customer may want a new socket outlet or switch position
whether the customer will want a new kitchen or a new appliance - will this need an upgrade to the existing electrics?
What is the state of the consumer unit? is it wired safely?

 

[JohnW2]

From an electricians perspective - we like to see:.... will this need an upgrade to the existing electrics? What is the state of the consumer unit? is it wired safely?

My understanding is that the OP has already decided (it sounds probably reasonably) that a 'full re-wire' is what is needed.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

I'm beginning to think that Winston might be an aerial installer.

No.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not an electrician, either?

 

[Risteard]

Not an electrician, either?

No, he isn't.

 

[Colin Brenton]

My thoughts were mainly that, with there being generally only one single socket in each room, a substantial proportion of the ring(s) would have to be replaced and/or have a lot added to them.

What is a bit more frustrating is that the lighting is OK (points and switches where I want them, more or less enough of them etc etc), however, as it doesn't have an earth, it makes sense to replace that at the same time as the floors are up for the heating to be installed.

Once that, and a new CU, has gone in as well, there would only be about 6ft of the original cable left, so it makes sense to start again from nothing, then I know that no more bodges remain hidden away anywhere.

 

[JohnW2]

My thoughts were mainly that, with there being generally only one single socket in each room, a substantial proportion of the ring(s) would have to be replaced and/or have a lot added to them. ... What is a bit more frustrating is that the lighting is OK (points and switches where I want them, more or less enough of them etc etc), however, as it doesn't have an earth, it makes sense to replace that at the same time as the floors are up for the heating to be installed. ... Once that, and a new CU, has gone in as well, there would only be about 6ft of the original cable left, so it makes sense to start again from nothing, then I know that no more bodges remain hidden away anywhere.

As I've said, on the basis of what you have described, it does sound (at least to me) that a full re-wire from scratch is probably the most sensible course.

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Another vote for complete rewire - not worth messing about.