Electrical Rewire - Advice needed!

[kerry_s2002]

I would very much appreciate any advice regarding a rewire on a house with 2 bedrooms/2 reception rooms/1 kitchen/1 bathroom and combi boiler (if any of that information actually helps!).

I have just purchased the property and have arranged for 4 local electricians to provide quotes on Saturday (29th June) and I would like be able to ask the appropriate questions to understand the process and hopefully not to end up paying for something I might not actually need.

I appreciate that the electricians have to be NICEIC approved contractors and have the ability to provide an Electrical Installation Certificate upon completion. Is there anything else I should know?

Any and all advice/information is much appreciated!

 

[mtfpuk2011]

they dont have be niceci they can be napit eca elexcer .time of job and t and c and lead time

 

[mtfpuk2011]

and male sure they are part p register

 

[MTI]

You say rewire, it may not need a complete rewire. I say this as you mention rewire yet mention not wanting to pay for something you may or may not need. NICEIC is one thing and approved is another. NICEIC is just one scheme. id check competetantperson.co.uk too as you will find many installers and certain sites let you pick trustmark registered or not - I know elecsa do. hop this helps. It may also depend on your "needs" and scale of project and what you intend to do with the house eg: live in it or rent out or sell for profit. Id get a couple of sparks to give opinion and decide if you want to pay for a periodic inspection upfront or just go the whole hog so to speak but don't get me wrong, this isn't simply how we do things. any part p chap will be able to give you a contract up front and offer optional warranty

 

[Octopus]

Ask each of them to include on their written estimate the name of the scheme they are a member of PLUS their registration number. Then you can check on them.

Do you have a written spec for what you want? Its important that you compare apples with apples.

 

[KoFi]

A good Electrical contractor may not be a member of any of the mentioned schemes for various reasons.
also part p registered might not be a option for them (other legit methods of reporting to building control)
although generally a good pointer of workmanship standard.
but hey what do i know 34years experience time served Apprentice (days before crash course and certification sat before experience on site gained just my 2 pennyworth )!

A E.I.C.R (electrical inspection condition report) replaced p.i.r. (periodic inspection report) would be a starting point if not already done.

 

[Octopus]

A good Electrical contractor may not be a member of any of the mentioned schemes for various reasons.
also part p registered might not be a option for them (other legit methods of reporting to building control)
although generally a good pointer of workmanship standard.
but hey what do i know 34years experience time served Apprentice (days before crash course and certification sat before experience on site gained just my 2 pennyworth )!

A E.I.C.R (electrical inspection condition report) replaced p.i.r. (periodic inspection report) would be a starting point if not already done.

A valid point, but what I was trying to ensure is that the OP gets a decent spark involved who will ensure that the Part P "bit" is covered.

That said given Stroma only charge £250+ VAT and the others about £440 + VAT, 2 Part P jobs and scheme membership is probably a saving!

 

[thekingiam]

makes my blood boil when people say they need a niceic spark!

 

[Adam W]

As mentioned they don't specifically need to be members of NICEIC but could be members of another Part P competent persons' scheme such as Napit, Elecsa or BSI, or they could notify building control directly (which may work out more expensive).

It would be a good idea to have a think about what you want your rewire to do, how you would use the property and what you might want changed - do you simply want the old wires taken out and new ones put in, do you want extra sockets, extra lights, anything in different places, fancy switch plates, appliance sockets in the kitchen controlled by fused switches etc?

If you are refurbishing the entire property including new carpets, replastering, redecoration etc then now is the time to bring the property up to date electrically, for example although not a requirement for a rewire, new properties must have the sockets and switches at specified heights to enable use by people with restricted reach; if you're looking to sell the property or rent it out, getting this done may prove beneficial; at the very least it will make the property seem more 'up to date'.

 

[Octopus]

As mentioned they don't specifically need to be members of NICEIC but could be members of another Part P competent persons' scheme such as Napit, Elecsa or BSI, or they could notify building control directly (which may work out more expensive).

It would be a good idea to have a think about what you want your rewire to do, how you would use the property and what you might want changed - do you simply want the old wires taken out and new ones put in, do you want extra sockets, extra lights, anything in different places, fancy switch plates, appliance sockets in the kitchen controlled by fused switches etc?

If you are refurbishing the entire property including new carpets, replastering, redecoration etc then now is the time to bring the property up to date electrically, for example although not a requirement for a rewire, new properties must have the sockets and switches at specified heights to enable use by people with restricted reach; if you're looking to sell the property or rent it out, getting this done may prove beneficial; at the very least it will make the property seem more 'up to date'.

plus smokes!

 

[Mike66]

I appreciate that the electricians have to be NICEIC approved contractors and have the ability to provide an Electrical Installation Certificate upon completion. Is there anything else I should know?

Any and all advice/information is much appreciated![/QUOTE]

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. They will still need to be part p registered but most approved contractors will be. I have always looked at if that back in 1985 we chose to become Niceic approved. Not because some idiot in parliment told us to but because we wanted to be regulated and inspected because we had nothing to hide and were confident that our work complied with the regulations of the time. IMO the niceic have always been looked down upon by those who wanted to do as they please. There biggest mistake was to sale their souls and join the other money making brigades

 

[Adam W]

plus smokes!

Yes, those as well! Mains powered, interlinked, CO detector anywhere with gas appliances, heat detector in the kitchen... Also TV points, telephone points, socket in the loft for booster amplifier.... All things to consider.

 

[Octopus]

Yes, those as well! Mains powered, interlinked, CO detector anywhere with gas appliances, heat detector in the kitchen... Also TV points, telephone points, socket in the loft for booster amplifier.... All things to consider.

CAT5 or 6, garage power, shed power, underfloor heating, this list just goes on and on!

 

[Plonker 3]

They will still need to be part p registered

No they don't.

 

[Plonker 3]

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. They will still need to be part p registered but most approved contractors will be. I have always looked at if that back in 1985 we chose to become Niceic approved. Not because some idiot in parliment told us to but because we wanted to be regulated and inspected because we had nothing to hide and were confident that our work complied with the regulations of the time. IMO the niceic have always been looked down upon by those who wanted to do as they please. There biggest mistake was to sale their souls and join the other money making brigades

Makes sense now lol

I know my NICEIC inspector would be telling me I shouldnt be doing it. He made a comment when I installed a cooker isolator switch in a cupboard as per customers request.

Do you ever have inspections?

 

[Geordie Spark]

and male sure they are part p register

Be careful making comments like that or you'll have all the female sparkies baying for your blood !!

 

[trev]

![/QUOTE]

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. [/QUOTE]
Utter nonsense! I know of two 5 week wonders who have AC status with NICEIC, one of them didn't even have enough work to show so "borrowed" some off a similarly underqualified fool.
So much for stringent checking and vetting eh.

 

[Plonker 3]

Trev its not even that. The fact you can pay LABC direct for notification puts any Electrical Trainee blagging in it way out the window of being a member of a scam.

 

[micknew]

We'll soon have more Romanian plus Bulgarian 'electricians' to contend with.

 

[Geordie Spark]

I bet the OP is pleased she came to this forum for advice !!! :rofl:

 

[electric will]

I appreciate that the electricians have to be NICEIC approved contractors and have the ability to provide an Electrical Installation Certificate upon completion. Is there anything else I should know?

Any and all advice/information is much appreciated!

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. They will still need to be part p registered but most approved contractors will be. I have always looked at if that back in 1985 we chose to become Niceic approved. Not because some idiot in parliment told us to but because we wanted to be regulated and inspected because we had nothing to hide and were confident that our work complied with the regulations of the time. IMO the niceic have always been looked down upon by those who wanted to do as they please. There biggest mistake was to sale their souls and join the other money making brigades[/QUOTE]

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This is a load of rubbish

 

[mtfpuk2011]

what is rong with the eca or napit or elecsa all been throught there accradtion .if they did not approve your work you would not get there approval.typical niceci think they own the soding trade

 

[Mike66]

Can I just say That I apologise to any body that I may have offended by my #11 Post.

It seems that my quote has been taken out of context.

The NICEIC gets more than it's fair share of abuse on this site & I was just trying to put across my view of what being a member of it for the last 28 years means to me.

It is a shame that the electrical industry has become what it is today because in my opinion in it's day the NICEIC was the closest thing to CORGI that we ever had.

NICEIC Approval was most of the times the contractor of choice for the public sector because it's members had to adhere to the NICEIC's requirements for continued enrollment.

Before I started posting on here I would regularly read all the latest posts & always had a laugth over discusions that were being had.

What attracted me to join in with the posts was the banter you get between fellow tradesmen much like you do on most sites, it is also cheaper than going to the pub.It is also a good source of opinions & advise & I thought somewhere to speak freely

I never in all my wildest dreams expected to get threatening email telling me that my quote was slanderous & would be facing legal action.


So on that note this is my last post & I would ask if the admin could remove #11 post for me so as not to upset anybody further.

Also can you send me details on how to remove myself from the forum membership


Regards

Mike66

 

[Plonker 3]

Mike I was one of those who said your post was a load of rubbish, but only as you have to look and see what some NIC installers are doing it as you say become a cash cow along with the others.

I certainly didn't mean to offend you, and for you to receive emails of that nature is completely wrong regardless of you stance.

maybe just take a break from the forum for a while as it is a good place to be, just because people don't like or believe your views shouldn't mean you have to leave.

 

[Sparkie30]

Can I just say That I apologise to any body that I may have offended by my #11 Post.

It seems that my quote has been taken out of context.

The NICEIC gets more than it's fair share of abuse on this site & I was just trying to put across my view of what being a member of it for the last 28 years means to me.

It is a shame that the electrical industry has become what it is today because in my opinion in it's day the NICEIC was the closest thing to CORGI that we ever had.

NICEIC Approval was most of the times the contractor of choice for the public sector because it's members had to adhere to the NICEIC's requirements for continued enrollment.

Before I started posting on here I would regularly read all the latest posts & always had a laugth over discusions that were being had.

What attracted me to join in with the posts was the banter you get between fellow tradesmen much like you do on most sites, it is also cheaper than going to the pub.It is also a good source of opinions & advise & I thought somewhere to speak freely

I never in all my wildest dreams expected to get threatening email telling me that my quote was slanderous & would be facing legal action.


So on that note this is my last post & I would ask if the admin could remove #11 post for me so as not to upset anybody further.

Also can you send me details on how to remove myself from the forum membership


Regards

Mike66

maybe you could name who threatened you. what a pr4t he must be.

 

[Mike66]

No problems mate I come on here to see other peoples opinions & i enjoy reading them.

At the end of the day we live in a country where we are permitted free speech & everybody has different opinions & what a dull world it would be if they didnt

I am going away for a couple of weeks so I will take a break from the forum & see how I feel when I get back

 

[Mike66]

maybe you could name who threatened you. what a pr4t he must be.

If I did that, that would be slanderous LOL

 

[telectrix]

only slanderous it it's not true. i agree with you on some points, mike. in it's daymembership of the niceic meant something.these days it means only trhat you've done a 5 week course to learn how to wire up sockets and lights, paid the $500 to get the grand title of domestic installer, while not having a clue.

 

[kerry_s2002]

A huge thanks to all of you who have contributed to this thread, and sincere apologies to anyone I may have offended by mentioning NICECI. It was the first hit on Google, so blame them!

My reason for posting here is that I am a young lady, on my own who has worked incredibly hard for several years to finally own her own home. I am more than happy to pay for whatever work needs doing on the house, as long as it’s good work that comes with the necessary paperwork. I just hope to employ an honest and competent tradesman (with whatever accreditation he may have!) and not end up crying my eyes out on an episode of Rouge Traders. In all honestly, I am just a little afraid of being ripped off or being on the receiving end of dodgy wiring.

From all the great comments, I have learnt that I need: (1) Terms and Conditions, (2) Lead Time (not sure what this is – can anyone help?), (3) Timescale of Job, (4) A contract up front, (5) the offer of optional warranty, (6) written estimates that include the name of the scheme the spark is a member of plus their registration (to do a check), (7) a A.E.I.C.R report on completion and mostly importantly, (8) I need a written specification.

So, basically my spec is as follows:

(1) old wires out, new wires in
(2) maybe one or two extra plug sockets in total
(3) removal of dodgy looking spot lights (it’s a Victorian house!) to be replaced with one ceiling light in front room, reception and 2 bedrooms (so plastering required)
(3) light in the loft
(4) power to the shed (at the end of the garden)
(5) smoke alarms (1 upstairs, 1 downstairs)
(6) an outside light in the backgarden
(7) wiring for an alarm
(8) TV and telephone point – I’ve no idea about this!

Again, any help/ideas/comments are, as always, most appreciated.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Geordie Spark]

You're a brave lass Kerry .................. most lasses would be hiding behind the sofa by now !!!