Table of Contents
Looking to rewire your home but don’t know where to start?
We get it, for most people, the thought of getting their house rewired strikes fear in them because it is perceived as a daunting and time-consuming task.
Rewiring is, no doubt, a serious undertaking and requires quite a bit of planning and patience on the homeowner’s part, but the benefits of having it done greatly outweigh any drawbacks associated with it.
Also, ensuring that the condition of the house’s electrical system is at par with the standards laid out by the government is the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord.
Faulty or unsafe installations can pose a serious safety hazard and prove to be life-threatening if left unattended for very long, making it mandatory to keep a check on the electric system, spotting any issues and resolving them right away.
In this guide, we’ve covered the most asked questions related to house rewiring such as:
Read on to get your answers and find out all there is to know about house rewiring:
Electrical wiring is usually hidden behind walls and is very easy to forget about. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Bad idea.
You can think of the house’s electric system like the human body’s circulatory system. Just as blood powers the body, electricity powers the house. One major fault and there could be some serious complications.
Faulty wiring carries a lot of risks such as power surges, power outages, sparks, and in serious cases, fires. According to sources, the majority of domestic fires are caused by faulty wiring resulting in a very unsafe environment to live in.
The first step before you decide on starting a project is setting the budget, planning, and working out all the details that follow.
When deciding a budget, all factors must be considered such as materials cost, labour, and any additional expenses that might be incurred.
In the planning stage, you need to decide what you want exactly and to inform the contractor if you have a specific style or look in mind for the rewiring.
You must finalize the number of lights, switches, and sockets you wish to have in each room. This will help lock the scope of the project and avoid any unnecessary adjustments to the finished work later on, which might be costly.
According to the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), two kinds of assessments can be carried out to gauge the health of the existing installation. They are:
The Visual Inspection Report (VIR) records any visible signs of damage or defect, as well as observations and recommendations providing a general summary of the electrical installation’s health.
The electrician is likely to check the fuse board, sockets, lights, plugs, switches, cables and leads, earthing and bonding, visible signs of wear and tear, and burning, as well as the kitchen and bathroom safety.
An EICR is more detailed than a VIR and identifies any damage, defect, or deterioration that may turn into a potential hazard, along with recording several observations in line with BS 7671 and providing recommendations for improving the installation.
The EICR classifies the condition of the installation into three codes: Code C1, Code C2, and Code C3, with C1 indicating the highest and C3 indicating the lowest level of danger.
The rewiring process is broken down into two stages:
Since most of the electrical wires run through walls and under the flooring, the first fix rewiring can be a little disruptive and messy, requiring the walls to be drilled into and the floorboards lifted.
The homeowners can make the process easier and quicker by moving any furniture, mats, and decorative pieces that come in the way to give the professional electrical contractor full access to the area.
It might also help to cover any valuable items with a heavy cover to protect them from dust from the drilling.
Once the rewiring process is complete, it is necessary to have the installation tested to make sure it’s working as it should and that it complies with the wiring regulations.
The tests require special equipment and can be performed by the electrician that performed the rewiring task after which a certificate would be provided to you.
There are no definitive time frames for rewiring a house, but as a general rule of thumb, if your home’s wiring is really old and outdated, it is best to get the property inspected and rewired to bring it up to current standards.
A great way to keep a check on the health of your electrical system is by conducting regular maintenance through a professional service.
It is recommended for private homeowners to get their electrical installation checked every 5-10 years or if they are selling the property, and for landlords to get it done every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
These maintenance checks help determine the need for rewiring and the urgency for it through a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
There are other key signs to look out for to determine if the house needs rewiring. They are:
One of the most common signs of a faulty electrical system is when the lights start to flicker. They are indicators of either very high or very low voltage. Sometimes, if a single light starts to dim or flicker, it might be an issue with the fixture itself and not the wiring. However, if it’s more than one light, know that it might be time for rewiring.
Power surges, especially when you connect a high-energy consuming appliance to a socket, can be caused by either loose wiring or a conductor issue which might cause damage to the device as well as all others attached to the mains.
The smell of burning near the switchboard could mean that something is going on behind the walls or under the floor where the wiring is concealed. This usually happens when an electric short occurs and could pose a serious fire hazard if not attended to at the earliest.
Sparks can be a potentially dangerous problem and an indicator of the outlets short-circuiting with excessive heat being built up inside which can cause melted insulation leading to electrical fires.
Electric shocks are not fun at all and at times can cause serious injury. If you receive an electric shock, even if it’s a small one, upon touching a cord or switch, know that it is time for a proper inspection of the system.
It is okay for circuit breakers to trip when the system is overloaded since that’s what they’re designed to do. The problem arises when it happens too frequently, which is a clear indicator of a serious problem with the electrical wiring.
The average cost of rewiring a house ranges somewhere between £2,500 and £4,500 and takes typically a week to complete. These figures are dependent on several factors which we will discuss shortly.
The costs include:
Many factors determine the average cost and time required to rewire a house. They are:
The bigger the house, the more wiring is needed, and naturally, the higher the cost and more time required.
For a 2-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £2,000 to £3,000 for 5 to 8 days.
For a 3-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £3,000 to £4,000 for 6 to 10 days.
For a 4-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £4,000 to £5,000 for 10 to 14 days.
For a 5-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £4,500 to £6,000 for 10 to 15 days.
The age of the house will determine if rewiring is needed in the first place, and if it is, how much work will go into it.
If the house is very old, it’s most likely that the wiring system is out of date and obsolete, not supporting many of the advanced equipment and machinery.
One of the reasons why you might experience a power surge whenever you plug in your high-powered appliances is because the wiring in the house wasn’t done in a way to support it.
The older the house, the more outdated the wiring is, and the more work required to bring it at par with current wiring regulations.
Some rewiring jobs require no such structural work because the wires aren’t concealed and are running either through the house or the basement, whereas others require opening the walls to install wires, switches, and outlets.
Naturally, the latter would require much more time, effort, and money to get the job done, along with repairing costs after the task is completed.
Also, the material of the walls is a huge contributing factor here. Hollow walls make the rewiring process easier since it’s easier to break into them, as compared to a solid brick or block wall.
The number of light fittings will also determine how much wiring is needed and the amount of work required to install the fittings. More light fittings equal to more light switches, and vice versa.
The quality of the fittings and the type and style of the material you choose will also greatly influence the cost. If you opt for simple plastic switches and plain light fixtures, your overall cost would naturally go down, as opposed to using premium quality materials and designs.
Irrespective of how old or new your house is, you must get its wiring and electrical installations checked regularly as advised by the British wiring standards.
Here are the top benefits of getting your house rewired:
Safety is probably the biggest benefit of getting your house rewired. There is no bigger risk than outdated and damaged wiring which has the potential to cause serious injury.
Fires are dangerous, traumatizing, and downright scary. Faulty wiring has a very high chance of catching fire, which cannot just damage your property, but endanger the lives of people too. However, just to be on the safe side, it is always recommended to have a fire detector installed in your house to detect even the slightest bit of fire and take action before things get out of control.
Power surges are a nuisance and can seriously affect the health and life of expensive equipment connected to the power supply. During a house rewiring, all faulty wiring is removed and replaced with a new efficient system that won’t just keep your house and the equipment in it safe, but also save you money on your electricity bills.
All electrical installations must comply with the BS 7671 wiring regulations that set the standard for electrical installations in the country. Therefore, if yours are too old and outdated, rewiring gives the perfect chance to be compliant with the law.
If you decide to sell your house, the fact that your wiring was just recently done and is compliant with the law boosts its value tenfold. Buyers tend to avoid properties with very old and outdated wiring since it would mean they’d have to have it done as soon as they move in, which can be a hassle for them.
If you’re bored with how your electrical installations look and want to change them to make them more stylish or modern, rewiring can easily get the job done. You can have the placement of the wiring and switchboards changed, as well as install new light fixtures.
Rewiring gives the opportunity to not just revamp the existing look but to also incorporate smart technology such as lights and appliances, along with integrating the smart installations with security systems such as burglar alarms and CCTV.
If you are looking to get your house rewired, our expert contractors can certainly get the job done!
We offer a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients, which include all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations.
We have experienced and fully qualified electrical engineers on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service. All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the high standards set by the NICEIC.
We can also undertake a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) along with a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations BS 7671.
If they are not, our experts will suggest rewiring the property, explaining every step on the way, ensuring the process does not become difficult or inconvenient for you.
We also offer other services such as:
Contact us right away for a quick consultation with our industry experts.
Looking to rewire your home but don’t know where to start?
We get it, for most people, the thought of getting their house rewired strikes fear in them because it is perceived as a daunting and time-consuming task.
Rewiring is, no doubt, a serious undertaking and requires quite a bit of planning and patience on the homeowner’s part, but the benefits of having it done greatly outweigh any drawbacks associated with it.
Also, ensuring that the condition of the house’s electrical system is at par with the standards laid out by the government is the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord.
Faulty or unsafe installations can pose a serious safety hazard and prove to be life-threatening if left unattended for very long, making it mandatory to keep a check on the electric system, spotting any issues and resolving them right away.
In this guide, we’ve covered the most asked questions related to house rewiring such as:
Read on to get your answers and find out all there is to know about house rewiring:
Electrical wiring is usually hidden behind walls and is very easy to forget about. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Bad idea.
You can think of the house’s electric system like the human body’s circulatory system. Just as blood powers the body, electricity powers the house. One major fault and there could be some serious complications.
Faulty wiring carries a lot of risks such as power surges, power outages, sparks, and in serious cases, fires. According to sources, the majority of domestic fires are caused by faulty wiring resulting in a very unsafe environment to live in.
The first step before you decide on starting a project is setting the budget, planning, and working out all the details that follow.
When deciding a budget, all factors must be considered such as materials cost, labour, and any additional expenses that might be incurred.
In the planning stage, you need to decide what you want exactly and to inform the contractor if you have a specific style or look in mind for the rewiring.
You must finalize the number of lights, switches, and sockets you wish to have in each room. This will help lock the scope of the project and avoid any unnecessary adjustments to the finished work later on, which might be costly.
According to the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), two kinds of assessments can be carried out to gauge the health of the existing installation. They are:
The Visual Inspection Report (VIR) records any visible signs of damage or defect, as well as observations and recommendations providing a general summary of the electrical installation’s health.
The electrician is likely to check the fuse board, sockets, lights, plugs, switches, cables and leads, earthing and bonding, visible signs of wear and tear, and burning, as well as the kitchen and bathroom safety.
An EICR is more detailed than a VIR and identifies any damage, defect, or deterioration that may turn into a potential hazard, along with recording several observations in line with BS 7671 and providing recommendations for improving the installation.
The EICR classifies the condition of the installation into three codes: Code C1, Code C2, and Code C3, with C1 indicating the highest and C3 indicating the lowest level of danger.
The rewiring process is broken down into two stages:
Since most of the electrical wires run through walls and under the flooring, the first fix rewiring can be a little disruptive and messy, requiring the walls to be drilled into and the floorboards lifted.
The homeowners can make the process easier and quicker by moving any furniture, mats, and decorative pieces that come in the way to give the professional electrical contractor full access to the area.
It might also help to cover any valuable items with a heavy cover to protect them from dust from the drilling.
Once the rewiring process is complete, it is necessary to have the installation tested to make sure it’s working as it should and that it complies with the wiring regulations.
The tests require special equipment and can be performed by the electrician that performed the rewiring task after which a certificate would be provided to you.
There are no definitive time frames for rewiring a house, but as a general rule of thumb, if your home’s wiring is really old and outdated, it is best to get the property inspected and rewired to bring it up to current standards.
A great way to keep a check on the health of your electrical system is by conducting regular maintenance through a professional service.
It is recommended for private homeowners to get their electrical installation checked every 5-10 years or if they are selling the property, and for landlords to get it done every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
These maintenance checks help determine the need for rewiring and the urgency for it through a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
There are other key signs to look out for to determine if the house needs rewiring. They are:
One of the most common signs of a faulty electrical system is when the lights start to flicker. They are indicators of either very high or very low voltage. Sometimes, if a single light starts to dim or flicker, it might be an issue with the fixture itself and not the wiring. However, if it’s more than one light, know that it might be time for rewiring.
Power surges, especially when you connect a high-energy consuming appliance to a socket, can be caused by either loose wiring or a conductor issue which might cause damage to the device as well as all others attached to the mains.
The smell of burning near the switchboard could mean that something is going on behind the walls or under the floor where the wiring is concealed. This usually happens when an electric short occurs and could pose a serious fire hazard if not attended to at the earliest.
Sparks can be a potentially dangerous problem and an indicator of the outlets short-circuiting with excessive heat being built up inside which can cause melted insulation leading to electrical fires.
Electric shocks are not fun at all and at times can cause serious injury. If you receive an electric shock, even if it’s a small one, upon touching a cord or switch, know that it is time for a proper inspection of the system.
It is okay for circuit breakers to trip when the system is overloaded since that’s what they’re designed to do. The problem arises when it happens too frequently, which is a clear indicator of a serious problem with the electrical wiring.
The average cost of rewiring a house ranges somewhere between £2,500 and £4,500 and takes typically a week to complete. These figures are dependent on several factors which we will discuss shortly.
The costs include:
Many factors determine the average cost and time required to rewire a house. They are:
The bigger the house, the more wiring is needed, and naturally, the higher the cost and more time required.
For a 2-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £2,000 to £3,000 for 5 to 8 days.
For a 3-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £3,000 to £4,000 for 6 to 10 days.
For a 4-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £4,000 to £5,000 for 10 to 14 days.
For a 5-bedroom house, you can expect to pay a minimum of £4,500 to £6,000 for 10 to 15 days.
The age of the house will determine if rewiring is needed in the first place, and if it is, how much work will go into it.
If the house is very old, it’s most likely that the wiring system is out of date and obsolete, not supporting many of the advanced equipment and machinery.
One of the reasons why you might experience a power surge whenever you plug in your high-powered appliances is because the wiring in the house wasn’t done in a way to support it.
The older the house, the more outdated the wiring is, and the more work required to bring it at par with current wiring regulations.
Some rewiring jobs require no such structural work because the wires aren’t concealed and are running either through the house or the basement, whereas others require opening the walls to install wires, switches, and outlets.
Naturally, the latter would require much more time, effort, and money to get the job done, along with repairing costs after the task is completed.
Also, the material of the walls is a huge contributing factor here. Hollow walls make the rewiring process easier since it’s easier to break into them, as compared to a solid brick or block wall.
The number of light fittings will also determine how much wiring is needed and the amount of work required to install the fittings. More light fittings equal to more light switches, and vice versa.
The quality of the fittings and the type and style of the material you choose will also greatly influence the cost. If you opt for simple plastic switches and plain light fixtures, your overall cost would naturally go down, as opposed to using premium quality materials and designs.
Irrespective of how old or new your house is, you must get its wiring and electrical installations checked regularly as advised by the British wiring standards.
Here are the top benefits of getting your house rewired:
Safety is probably the biggest benefit of getting your house rewired. There is no bigger risk than outdated and damaged wiring which has the potential to cause serious injury.
Fires are dangerous, traumatizing, and downright scary. Faulty wiring has a very high chance of catching fire, which cannot just damage your property, but endanger the lives of people too. However, just to be on the safe side, it is always recommended to have a fire detector installed in your house to detect even the slightest bit of fire and take action before things get out of control.
Power surges are a nuisance and can seriously affect the health and life of expensive equipment connected to the power supply. During a house rewiring, all faulty wiring is removed and replaced with a new efficient system that won’t just keep your house and the equipment in it safe, but also save you money on your electricity bills.
All electrical installations must comply with the BS 7671 wiring regulations that set the standard for electrical installations in the country. Therefore, if yours are too old and outdated, rewiring gives the perfect chance to be compliant with the law.
If you decide to sell your house, the fact that your wiring was just recently done and is compliant with the law boosts its value tenfold. Buyers tend to avoid properties with very old and outdated wiring since it would mean they’d have to have it done as soon as they move in, which can be a hassle for them.
If you’re bored with how your electrical installations look and want to change them to make them more stylish or modern, rewiring can easily get the job done. You can have the placement of the wiring and switchboards changed, as well as install new light fixtures.
Rewiring gives the opportunity to not just revamp the existing look but to also incorporate smart technology such as lights and appliances, along with integrating the smart installations with security systems such as burglar alarms and CCTV.
If you are looking to get your house rewired, our expert contractors can certainly get the job done!
We offer a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients, which include all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations.
We have experienced and fully qualified electrical engineers on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service. All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the high standards set by the NICEIC.
We can also undertake a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) along with a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations BS 7671.
If they are not, our experts will suggest rewiring the property, explaining every step on the way, ensuring the process does not become difficult or inconvenient for you.
We also offer other services such as:
Contact us right away for a quick consultation with our industry experts.
