UK Rewire - One Job or Two?

[Allytech]

In a property with two consumer units one for the ring main etc., and the other for the 1970s storage heaters (storage heater CU looks like it’s from the 80s when the board was first split, I believe) - can someone tell me if when asking for a quote to rewire, would the storage heaters and their separate consumer unit be classed as a separate rewire?





I know that sounds stupid - but my neighbour had asked me to take a look at an issue he was having and I've discovered that the property was rewired in 2016 with a new consumer unit fitted for the ring main, lights and hot water (immersion) etc., but that the consumer unit for the storage heaters wasn’t replaced and that the storage heater circuits themselves are still the black and red wiring meaning they haven't been rewired either.



Is it normal to do one and not the other? He’s an OAP and it was funded through a scheme and I’m just wondering if the contractor has taken liberties or would a Spark treat each CU as a separate rewire.



Thing is – it apparently cost 3 grand – but it’s only a two bed flat so I’m struggling to see where the money went as another neighbour had their 3 bed house done for £1800 in 2019. (I’m in Scotland so things are a wee bit cheaper – or at least they were…)



So besides the probable obvious rip-off here – if you were called to quote a rewire on this property with two CU, would you treat them as two rewires or one job?

 

[westward10]

Do the storage heater circuits need rewiring. More often than not these outlive the general circuits as they are in most cases just rudimentary radials which haven't had alterations if any.

 

[nicebutdim]

I guess much depends on what was agreed. If asking and paying for a full rewire, I'd expect just that. On the other hand there may have been a discussion about what was necessary and a decision to leave these circuits alone - it's not as though the customer wouldn't have noticed the old board still present and no disturbance around heaters.

 

[Allytech]

Do the storage heater circuits need rewiring. More often than not these outlive the general circuits as they are in most cases just rudimentary radials which haven't had alterations if any.

Well back when the rewire was done the wiring would be about 30 years old - now 40 - without testing who can say.

 

[westward10]

40 years is nothing for PVC cables and if they show no evidence of degradation they are probably still serviceable.

 

[Allytech]

I guess much depends on what was agreed. If asking and paying for a full rewire, I'd expect just that. On the other hand there may have been a discussion about what was necessary and a decision to leave these circuits alone - it's not as though the customer wouldn't have noticed the old board still present and no disturbance around heaters.

He wasn't in the flat during the rewire - he was in mine while I was at work so he could stay out the way. He had no idea the storage heating wasn't done and just like you and me for that matter - expected a rewire. It's the cost for a two bed flat I can't understand - understandable if the storgae heating was done - but without that work?

 

[nicebutdim]

If the work was done recently and no agreement was made about storage heaters, then they could ask the spark why these weren't touched. If it's going back a while and the heaters circuits aren't causing problems, then probably not worth the expense of having them rewired.

Price wise there's not much to comment on as rates vary and prices for labour and materials have increased over the last few years - the latter significantly so.

 

[Vortigern]

Sounds like an economy 7 or similar. A spark can't isolate those circuits as they are usually sealed and only dis-connectable by energy supplier. If he had it done under a scheme, small wonder on the price. Advantage is usually taken in such a funded situation. I think with the price of electricity today, wise to ensure it is an economy tariff the storage heaters are on. As I understand it all radio switch tariffs are being turned off this year so even more reason to check the tariff and cut-off date. In effect it would be two rewires as there are two discreet metered installations.

 

[littlespark]

One property, one supply fuse, I’d say a rewire would mean everything including the storage heaters. Unless, as mentioned above, there was an agreement how much was to be rewired.

 

[Allytech]

One property, one supply fuse, I’d say a rewire would mean everything including the storage heaters. Unless, as mentioned above, there was an agreement how much was to be rewired.

the agreement was for a full rewire - to me that's everything and going by the price, as they certainly quoted for it, even when you add in "it's the goverment scheme so lets add 30% tax" levy - but they just didn't do it.

 

[nicebutdim]

the agreement was for a full rewire - to me that's everything and going by the price, as they certainly quoted for it, even when you add in "it's the goverment scheme so lets add 30% tax" levy - but they just didn't do it.

If the work was carried out under some government scheme, surely there will be a system of checks and balances in place.

Then again, government in Scotland seem to be about as diligent as we have here in NI.

 

[Vortigern]

the agreement was for a full rewire

Well it was a full rewire of the circuits serving the domicile. It is just that the storage heaters are sometimes separate from the house wiring sometimes even belonging to the energy provider. This should maybe have been clarified at the start. What does the documentation show? I hope the tariff thing is not lost on you?
If it was me depending on the situation with the storage heaters, I would have made clear this contentious point. Perhaps get back to the installers?

 

[davesparks]

Thing is – it apparently cost 3 grand – but it’s only a two bed flat so I’m struggling to see where the money went as another neighbour had their 3 bed house done for £1800 in 2019. (I’m in Scotland so things are a wee bit cheaper – or at least they were…)

£3k is probably a little bit expensive for a 2 bed flat, but then £1.8k for a 3 bed house is too cheap and I'd be concerned about what corners may have been cut to get the price so low.

 

[snowhead]

How did the scheme (whatever that was) get involed, is this a rented flat?
And was any other work done financed by the Scheme at the same time?

Has anyone seen the invoice for £3k ?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Pretty common for lights and sockets to get a Re-wire and the Eco7 circuits usually storage heaters /water heater to remain left as was.
As for the price of a rewire it csan vary and the standard of work can vary a lot