What prep can I do ready for a house rewire?

[steshaw74]

Hello guys and gals,

Can folks offer me advice on what preparation I can do to keep the cost, effort and time down for a qualified spark to perform a complete rewire of a 3 bed house with 2 receps and a kitchen?

I have just made an offer on the house in question, which is a victorian build and doesn't look like any updates have been made for 30+ years.

Currently, much of the wiring (for light fittings and switches) is contained within trunking attached to the walls/ceilings. Obviously, I would like any wiring concealed behind walls/floors/ceilings.

The house would be totally empty with 100% access to lift-up floorboards and skirts.

One last question.....I anticipate that it may need a new combi boiler - would it be wise to have the new electrics in place before a new combi and thermostat are fitted?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ColJack]

pull up floor boards
safely rip out old wiring leaving minimal to get by ( couple of double socket near CU for drills and lights etc..)
chase new socket boxes into walls where you want them
new light switch boxes ( 25mm deep min, 35mm if wanting dimmers.. )..
remove kitchen cabinets..
buy a load of metal conduit and cut and tread it to suit switch / socket drops..
contact the DNO and get them to upgrade your tails and fit an isolator..


yes it would be a good idea to have the electrics put in for a new boiler as long as you know where it will be going..

 

[mattylad]

Discuss it with the electrician that will be doing the work.

That way your doing the donkey work where it needs to be.

 

[ColJack]

surely the OP will be re-using the existing socket locations and switch positions, and adding extras where he, the homeowner, sees a need ( such as extras in the TV corner of the living room, couple extra in each bedroom etc )

the electrician will also be re-using the existing holes in the joists to keep drilling extra holes to a minimum..

 

[mattylad]

Don't forget you can also stock up on the tea bags and nice biscuits.

 

[sparkyspike]

Definitely get an electrician in first. He'll discuss things with you that you haven't even thought of. Then decide what work you want to take on. Chopping in cables and boxes is the big labour saver.

Also, consider a remote programmable room thermostat for your boiler - no external wiring required and you can experiment where it works best, take it with you upstairs etc. They cost £50 which is cheaper than supplying and fitting a wired room stat and programmer, but with loads of benefits, including being able to specify different temperatures at different times of the day.

 

[FarmerJon79]

Just going through a rewire where I have done most of the prep and not a single socket or switch is in the original position.

Think about positioning cable runs where its easy to get cable to, ie not over joists. Also you can sometimes put outlets on both sides of a wall to save chasing.

Book a plasterer.

If you are having a new boiler fitted then you should be having TRVs on a ll the rads, so a thermostat should be fitted in the room that has the only non-thermostat rad. Which means that its likely that you will put it close to the boiler. Wireless stats can cause problems with other wireless devices. A wire is pretty much failproof.

Hire an industrial vaccum.

 

[andyandy2]

Completely empty the house and move out

 

[RF Lighting]

Completely empty the house and move out

The house would be totally empty with 100% access to lift-up floorboards and skirts.

 

[sparkiedave]

surely the OP will be re-using the existing socket locations and switch positions, and adding extras where he, the homeowner, sees a need ( such as extras in the TV corner of the living room, couple extra in each bedroom etc )

the electrician will also be re-using the existing holes in the joists to keep drilling extra holes to a minimum..

If the wiring is that old the cables were probably notched into the joists

lifting of floors and skirts

floors yes but what you do with your skirt is up to you

 

[seasickstevie]

surely the OP will be re-using the existing socket locations and switch positions...

Accessory heights of yesteryear in nearly every case would not pass today's building regs (Part P)

And so often if the original elecs (or last rewire) was on the cheap, the socket positions are in the easiest place for the spark, as opposed to the convenience of the punter.

 

[Bondai]

Exact situation I was in when I bought my house

Had a few electricians come round
General conclusion was that the house needed complete rewire so. . .

Get a few quotes and advice from the electrician on what you can do and cant do and what you can touch etc...

If I remember correctly, even the electrician couldnt touch the meter and had to have a member of the electric board to remove and reseal (they have tamper seals)

Anyways. Expose all the old wiring and if the electrician makes it safe for you to remove them ok.

Other than that I agree with the comments above about chasing sockets (preparing all the areas for sockets). I believe that they have to be a certain height from the floor now, though that may be only for new builds.

Oh by the way. When you get your boiler makes sure your plumber and your electrician agree who will tend to the electrics of it.

I had my house rewired then had the pumbers round (the quote from the plumbers stated that they will tend to electrics of it) so that meant they had to cover the costs of linking it to the electrics. There was an argument but no argument if you know what I mean.

 

[17thman]

SNM please note that upon a rewire you can use existing cavities or positions for new accessories as the requiremnts is that you should leave it "no worse" than originally. "skirting mounted excepted, i suppose.

 

[RF Lighting]

They are two slightly different situations.

Sockets mounted on skirting boards are covered by BS7671

Socket mounting heights are covered by building regulation part M.

The 450mm - 1200mm zone specified in part M applies only to new builds and complete refurbishments, where as BS7671 has to be complied with regardless, and therefore are not allowed at all*



*Unless your skirting boards are massive

 

[17thman]

Thats why i mentioned it. If the op considers it a rewire only, then he can use the original socket postions as he leaves it "no worse in terms of level of compliance" however BS7671 does cover skirting mounted sockets. Where does it state"a rewire" enforces Part M.?

I dont ask this question out of devilment or disrespect because i totally respect youy RF, but "complete refurbishment" i cannot find

I am ignorant on many things but i cannot see what i have been doing,not out of laziness, is uncompliant.

After all, the old dude has to bend down to retreive the plug off the floor to plug it in