When is the best time to rewire your house?
There’s never an ideal time to rewire a house. Rewiring is not a quick and easy job. It can be loud, disruptive and messy. There can be times when there is no power, carpets and floorboards need to be raised and walls need to be chased. That said, the best time to rewire is when you plan to make major home renovations.
Full rewires usually happen when the house is empty, but it is possible to live in one room while having work happen around you. If you can’t move out, then make sure you cover furniture and valuables.
How to know if your house needs rewiring.
It is generally recommended to have your house rewired every 25 – 30 years to make sure it is up to date with current building regulations. In between this, it’s recommended you have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every 10 years, or every five years if you’re a landlord.
If you know your house hasn’t been rewired in that timeframe then it’s probably time to consider it.
Old and faulty wiring can cause the entire electrical system to trip, blow fuses or in worst case scenarios spark a house fire or electrical shock. If you’re unsure when the last time your house was rewired there are a few tell tale signs to look out for that could be indications it’s time for a rewire.
- Fuses blowing or tripping on a regular basis.
- Flickering lights that always need changing.
- Damaged/ faulty power sockets.
- Buzzing and crackling noises.
- Persistent burnt smell.
Five things to consider when having your property rewired.
Choosing the right electrician to complete the rewiring work
Electrical rewiring is no small job so making sure your chosen supplier holds the relevant licences and insurance policies. You also want to make sure that you hire an electrician with experience too.
At TECC our electricians are NICEIC qualified and with over 20 years experience rewiring domestic and commercial properties. We’re able to carry out all the work required to ensure your rewiring is up to the best standards. We hold £10m Public liability, £300k professional indemnity and £10m Employers liability insurances. What’s more, we offer a 2 year labour warranty and have hundreds of good reviews and feedback.
Deciding where to positions the sockets, lights and switches.
In order to save you time and money, first you need a plan of where everything will go. Before your project starts, go room to room and decide where you’d like every switch, socket and electrical component.
If you don’t already have smart appliances now is a great opportunity to consider them and put the wiring in place to support them. As smart appliances rely on the internet, rewiring your home is a great opportunity to place extra ethernet connections around the house to give you faster internet access too.
Future-proofing your property.
Whenever rewiring a house it’s important to consider what electrical equipment you may also need in years to come and how the property might change over time. Consider how many electrical sockets the property currently has and how many it may require in the future.
With their rise in popularity and the push towards electric vehicles this is another factor to consider. Putting in the power supplies for a potential future electric vehicle charging point is a great way to future proof your home.
Before having an EV charger fitted it’s worth considering what you need it for? A different Electric Vehicle Charging Point is needed for domestic properties where the user will not be doing long distances than a commercial property for fleet vehicles used locally that need to be charged quickly. If you are unsure which EV charger is best for your home and use, our team can help.
Phases of rewiring.
Rewiring a house is carried out in two stages.
The first fix stage is when all wiring that’s normally hidden behind walls is exposed. This usually happens when floorboards are pulled up, and walls have no plasterboard.
Then, once the plasterboard has been added, electricians return for the second fix. This is when you install the electrical components, such as switches, sockets and light fittings.
Look out for certification.
After your property has been rewired you will need an electrical installation certificate. While you can legally rewire your own house, you should only do this if you really know what you’re doing. To make sure your work is completed to current safety standards, an NICEIC qualified electrician should be doing the rewiring work for you.
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
We are often asked, how much does it cost to rewire a house? The price of rewiring a house will vary depending on its size and the scope of work needed. As a rough guide, the average cost of rewiring a three-bed house is £6,000.
How long will rewiring my house take?
The time it takes to rewire a house really depends on the size of the building, a three-bed house will take longer to rewire than a one bedroom house. A kitchen rewire may take two days, whereas a three-bedroom house could take two days to first fix.
At TECC, we make the process of rewiring your home as simple as it can be. Our team of qualified electricians will:
- Conduct an initial site visit to work out what rewiring needs doing.
- Give you a range of options that meet your needs and budget.
- Provide technical rewiring plans if required.
- Provide timescales of when rewiring work can start and expectations of a completion date.
If you’d like to find out more about our rewiring service why not get in touch?
