Just bought a house, should I rewire?

Jakeee

Jakeee

Jakeee

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10 Mar 2011
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This is the current setup, do you think I should upgrade some or all of it?

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He'll yeah,that looks old and if the house is 1900's then a full rewire has to be done,best to do it now before you get everything move in.
 
For what it's worth I had similar situation so got a 17th edition consumer unit fitted instead of the fuse board like that. Much safer without needing a full rewire.

Wires in the house are plastic with red and black wires but correct earthing. Yours will probably similar as I imagine the rubber wires will have been replaced by now
 
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My house is 1902 and was last rewired 25 years ago. I looked into a rewire but was told it didn't need it. As long as the wiring was plastic coated and in good condition it was fine for another 25 years.

I had a survey done and a new consumer unit / few faults corrected and its good.

Good job too; I was quoted £9,000 for a full rewire! As and when I have rooms refurbished I'll have new circuits put in.
 
Same here. Added extra sockets with correct wiring etc and also ripped out a massive bodge where they had use choc boxes to extend the wires to the old box.

For example my cooker is has brand new cables
 
You need an EICR inspection done to assess the overall condition really

But just from the pics, you have an old voltage trip, these should ideally be replaced as they are known to play up and fail, might last for years but might fail at an annoying time.

If you replace that trip, might aswell get the fuse box done aswell, rather than replace it with a single rcd across the whole installation.
 
Certainly would rewire, make all the mess now before you move in, nothing worse than having to redecorate say a few years later for a rewire.
That fuse board, must be cartridge fuses, voltage trip should also go, & earthing looks under sized.

When I moved into my present, I replaced fuse board to come up to 17th regs, wiring tested ok, now 2 1/2 years later, I started getting problems with kitchen light tripping out, had a peek,:eek:, real bodge job, the place now ideally needs rewiring:mad:


EDIT: [DOD] 9k for a rewire, you got a mansion...
 
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Nightglow said:
EDIT: [DOD] 9k for a rewire, you got a mansion...
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200 square metres, four bed, over three floors plus power to garage and shed.

When we had the electrical survey done during the purchase they said £9-12k as a finger in the air. Everyone said they were trying to rip us off so I got two more quotes including one from some chaps who have done three rewires for a mate.

Both said about £9k but both also said it wasn't needed so I didn't go into detail of why so much. However, the quotes just for adding the required sockets and moving switches came to £3k; typical turn of the century with one double socket per room and picture lights everywhere to be ripped out.
 
[DOD]Asprilla;24192794 said:
200 square metres, four bed, over three floors plus power to garage and shed.

When we had the electrical survey done during the purchase they said £9-12k as a finger in the air. Everyone said they were trying to rip us off so I got two more quotes including one from some chaps who have done three rewires for a mate.

Both said about £9k but both also said it wasn't needed so I didn't go into detail of why so much. However, the quotes just for adding the required sockets and moving switches came to £3k; typical turn of the century with one double socket per room and picture lights everywhere to be ripped out.
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Ah! that would explain it.
Picture lights:eek:, that dates the place, use to be all the rage years ago for a 5 amp lighting circuit for table lamps, with a small 2 amp round 3 pin plugs.
 
Last rewire was '87 so it's all modern sockets and wiring, just not enough circuits, no kitchen spur (gas only), not enough sockets, loads of picture lights and just about every switch needs moving. There wasn't even a fused spur for the immersion heater and the boiler was running off a standard socket in a different room (one floor up and on the other side of the house).

Laminate and solid wood flooring throughout doesn't help either. I'm ripping up the laminate room by room and replacing it with carpet which should make plumbing and electrical work easier.
 
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[DOD]Asprilla;24192893 said:
Last rewire was '87 so it's all modern sockets and wiring, just not enough circuits, no kitchen spur (gas only), not enough sockets, loads of picture lights and just about every switch needs moving. There wasn't even a fused spur for the immersion heater and the boiler was running off a standard socket in a different room (one floor up and on the other side of the house).

Laminate and solid wood flooring throughout doesn't help either. I'm ripping up the laminate room by room and replacing it with carpet which should make plumbing and electrical work easier.
Click to expand...

Well, if it's such a mish mash, might be a few other horrors you haven't found yet,then I would rewire, it will give you peace of mind for the next 30 years or so
 
Unfortunately £12k isn't doable at the moment, plus we are already moved in and new baby arrived 5 weeks ago. We aren't in a position to start tearing the walls up now.

We've had a full electrical survey and they the guys doing the remedial work went over it with a fine tooth comb so I'm happy it's in good shape.
 
Im a sparky and current regulations (Im on 17th but no ammendments) don't require you to change anything as its a privately owned house not rented, You will have black/red wiring and no earths but again there is no set requirement to change these. Personally id get a new consumer unit put in and just have all the wiring checked out by a sparky quickly easy enough job. As above, 500 if its good and no rewire work.
 
At the the very least that VO-ELCB requires replacing with an RCD.

As others have said you might not need a full rewire, just test, remedials, new fuseboard and bonding.

That fuseboard looks to from around 1980 to me, so not likely too bad
 
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