Do I need a rewire and new fuse box? Or is this OK?

[pc1966]

There are several questions you need to consider before deciding what is needed:

• Is the installation capable of a "satisfactory" EICR?
• Is the installation sufficient for your immediate needs?
• Will it likely be sufficient in 5 years time?
• How tolerant are you to future problems or corrective work?

From the photos you posted it appears to have two board (CU = consumer unit = fuse box) neither of which would appear to be current or indeed capable of finding new replacement parts for, though I suspect there is another board elsewhere you don't have a photo of.

Now is very much the time to sort things out, as it is before you decorate and it allows you to consider each room's use and what you might need in the way of lighting and electrical power. Doing it later will cost you significantly in decoration costs if nothing else!

If the property is all in PVC wire without signs of damage/degradation then you may not need a rewire as such, but tidying up the CU and making sure all have RCD protection (ideally via RCBO, one RCD per circuit basically) would be worth considering. But if last wired in the 80s or earlier you may well find it short of sockets where you need them, etc.

But depending on the cable condition, and very much on what you actually want in each room, it may well be far, far, better to bite the bullet and get it all rewired to your own plans.

 

[Soi disant]

There's nothing about the photos that says "rewire". (As distinct from a new CU)


But - not needing a rewire is not the same as not needing (wanting) a lot of disruptive work.

More sockets/sockets in new places.
Lighting/sockets fixed to the outside of the house.
Supply to garden/outbuildings.
Network cabling.
Phone cabling.
More lighting points.
Neutral taken to light switches.
Burglar alarm.
Interlinked smoke/fire detectors.
TV/radio aerial/satellite outlets.
More separation of circuits.
EV charging point.

Plus anything associated with revamped kitchen/utility/bath.

As others have said, now is the time do all the things which need flooring taking up/ceilings and walls cut into....

If it is sufficienty livable, could you live in it as it is, maybe with some low-cost decoration, for a bit, while you get some clarity over what reorganisation you'd want?

 

[MA8888]

Thanks to everyone for the time they have taken to respond and the advice given.

My takeaway from this all is to try and find a way of doing it now if at all possible. Will
just need to manage the budget carefully and get a few quotes.

Plan is to live in then property for a few years, do it up and hopefully sell it on for more at some point in a ~5+ years time.

 

[Dustydazzler]

if you are planning on flipping the house for profit in 5 years then I would still do the re-wire (it will add some value as well as the obvious extra safety) but keep the rewire simple.
Pendants in the bedrooms , Down lighters in the bathroom & kitchen area.
Don't go made of extras.
A simple re-wire should be in the £4-5K area , maybe less if you really keep in to the basics.

 

[Soi disant]

None of us know for sure that a rewire is needed for safety. It may be that if he is having extensive modifications done that it's easier to have the lot replaced. But maybe he isn't having that. It may be that when his sparky sets to work he uncovers horrors. Or it may not.

A new CU, a clean bill of health for the existing wiring, and new accessories, will probably give a better ROI than a not-really-needed rewire.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I tend to agree with the above , Im a bit of a tight git so would attempt to re-use as much of the old cabling as possible presuming its not damaged or full of hidden joint boxes.
But once all the floors are up for the extra few quid I would probably opt to rip out and start a fresh.
But there is nothing stopping you reusing old twin and earth as part of a partial rewire.
In fact I often suggest to clients if I can reuse some of the existing to save them a few pennies then I do

 

[loz2754]

I tend to agree with the above , Im a bit of a tight git so would attempt to re-use as much of the old cabling as possible presuming its not damaged or full of hidden joint boxes.
But once all the floors are up for the extra few quid I would probably opt to rip out and start a fresh.
But there is nothing stopping you reusing old twin and earth as part of a partial rewire.
In fact I often suggest to clients if I can reuse some of the existing to save them a few pennies then I do

You'd have to call it a re(use old)wire!