Adding Power Sockets to Loft

tntcoder · 3 Aug 2013 at 10:59

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have any idea on a ballpark figure for how much it is likely to cost to add a couple of power sockets into a loft (via a pro and not DIY)? Lets assume it can't run off any lighting wires and needs to run from a ring - no idea how far that will be or if plaster ripping will be required? Just trying to gage if its worth doing, probably won't bother if its > £250.

Thanks

Nightglow · 3 Aug 2013 at 11:13

You definitely can't run it off the lighting circuit.

Could run cable in trunking & hide it in a cupboard, easier than chasing a wall, sometimes easier to run it as a spur, maybe be have two seperate spurs each feeding a double socket, instead of extending the ring main.

Makhaira · 3 Aug 2013 at 13:13

Too many unknowns in that question to be honest.

A way to keep the costs down would be to do the donkey work yourself - i.e. chase the wall if required, get a suitable mounting place in the loft sorted. Then all you have to pay a sparky for is doing the actual electrical work.

If you do that, there's no reason for it to be more than 30-60minutes of labour depending on your layout/prep.

pitchfork · 3 Aug 2013 at 13:38

How long is a piece of string.

HardwareGeek · 3 Aug 2013 at 13:42

More info required... what do you want to power up in the loft? if its just an aerial booster etc or low power you could use a fuse spur off the lighting circuit which might make things easier if there is no socket wiring up in the loft already.

If you do need more power then look to see if there is already socket wiring passing through the loft you can cut into.

if not you need to find the easiest point to bring power up, so sockets in cupboards, pull power from airing cupboard off the immersion circuit if its unused and 15/20a is enough or from that point of the ring if immersion doesn't have its own circuit but there is a socket for immersion in airing cupboard etc

v0n · 3 Aug 2013 at 14:00

- Days worth of work for a sparky - £200-250 depending on area
- 50M roll of cable + trunking £30
- couple of sockets and surface mounted boxes - £20

Again, depending on area, with a bit of haggling it's entirely possible to close it within £250 for a surface mounted job without ripping the walls and plastering afterwards.