Full rewire needed? First time home owner

[bd1777]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the helpful advice in this forum. We've recently bought our first house - yay! With that being said, our building survey highlighted the wiring in the house, and an electrical installation report from 2017, when a new consumer unit was installed, suggested a rewire was necessary. We used this to reduce the sale price a bit, but I'm wtill wondering if it is needed. We will likely be replastering the house, so any chases shouldn't be a problem. I am a little worried about disruption to floorboards and things like kitchen tiles. With that being said, the house does have a new consumer unit, and so the grounding should be ok. The wiring looks like maybe 1970s uPVC? I've attached a picture. I've also attached the installation report from the new consumer unit, but I can't find what on it suggests new wiring may be needed. My thoughts are the circuit layout is not great, so a rewire would fix that, and we could add things like mains wired fire alarms, ethernet, etc. It's a 1904ish 3 bed semi that appears to have had the last major renovation in the 1970s.

Any thoughts based on this, or any questions I should ask the electricians we are having come in to provide quotes? Also, since we are going to replaster, would it help to have the plasterer strip the plaster before having the electrian in? I would think this should speed things up a bit and make it easier.

 

[buzzlightyear]

did the spark put in no compliance board ,like mix and match mcbs .

 

[loz2754]

The test results sheet doesn't correspond to the current configuration of that consumer unit.
That aside, I would strongly recommend taking this opportunity to do a complete rewire. It will allow you to have sockets exactly where you need them and will future proof the house for decades to come.

 

[Baddegg]

IR readings are all perfect so the cabling must be fine.....

 

[littlespark]

did the spark put in no compliance board ,like mix and match mcbs .

The board was put in 2017, would mix and match be an issue then? Possibly.
At least everything that needs RCD/RCBO protection has it.


The cert says the existing wiring is "poor". Can we get photos of how poor that is? 1970's would be twin and earth, nothing wrong with it. Only thing might be the number of sockets per room compared to new builds nowadays.

Obviously, if youre planning on redecorating, then now is the time to do any electrical work, even just additions rather than full rewire.

 

[buzzlightyear]

circuits 1to 4 me thinks non rcd ,but on the test sheet says rcd values .

 

[kropaske]

circuits 1to 4 me thinks non rcd ,but on the test sheet says rcd values .

They are RCBO's, Wylex on MK board, intresting

 

[steph-tux]

Hi,
I confirm that the protection seems very poor : my flat (60 square meters, 2 bedrooms) will have about 40 circuit breakers, on 5 rows, with 5 RCD.

I think you have only 1 RCD, only for the lights, and no RCD protection for all the sockets !!!
I would rewire everything, but it probably means to rewire all the house...
Stephane.

 

[MJPD29]

Hi,
I confirm that the protection seems very poor : my flat (60 square meters, 2 bedrooms) will have about 40 circuit breakers, on 5 rows, with 5 RCD.

I think you have only 1 RCD, only for the lights, witch are not so critical as sockets...
I would rewire everything, but it probably means to rewire all the house...
Stephane.

40 circuit breakers in a 2 bed flat? I'd like to see that

 

[nicebutdim]

40 circuit breakers in a 2 bed flat? I'd like to see that

Respondant is from France and seems to be unaware of different practices employed in UK.

 

[brianmoooore]

This is one of those cases where the wiring appears to be absolutely fine, but you will regret if if you don't rewire before the extensive redecoration you intend to do.
It's not that there's anything particularly wrong with the existing system, more that there's likely to be a lack of it, an some of what there is could well be DIY mods.

 

[steph-tux]

@Matthewd29
I just checked my wiring diagram. In fact, it will be only 32 circuit breakers... I've got electric heaters, with a circuit breaker for each one (not compulsory), and a lot of specific circuits with 1 circuit breaker for each one (compulsory) : fridge, oven, washing machine, ...
And also, there will be a big communication panel (TV, ethernet,...). This will be a huge wiring for a small flat.
As this flat will be considered as a new flat (I have no electricity at the moment), I need to respect the rules to pass the control. And in France, it's compulsory and very strict !

 

[brianmoooore]

@Matthewd29
I just checked my wiring diagram. In fact, it will be only 32 circuit breakers... I've got electric heaters, with a circuit breaker for each one (not compulsory), and a lot of specific circuits with 1 circuit breaker for each one (compulsory) : fridge, oven, washing machine, ...
And also, there will be a big communication panel (TV, ethernet,...). This will be a huge wiring for a small flat.
As this flat will be considered as a new flat (I have no electricity at the moment), I need to respect the rules to pass the control. And in France, it's compulsory and very strict !

In the UK, all fixed appliances over 2kW, such as your heaters and oven, will have their own circuit breakers, but all the rest of your sockets will probably be on just two breakers, and all the lights on two breakers.

 

[UNG]

So you have 1970's wiring and you are going to replaster anyway, I think you have answered your own question
From what you have said you are doing some serious renovation work so why not rewire and bring your installation up to date if you have a look around your property have you got sockets everywhere you want them back in the 70's some rooms at best had a couple of sockets an not always twin sockets.
If you need more sockets which is more than likely then the best option is a rewire

 

[SJD]

And while rewiring, get the consumer unit sorted out, as mentioned, what you've got doesn't match the test sheet, and almost looks as if there could have been issues with circuits tripping, so someone rejigged it to remove RCD protection from some circuits.

 

[bd1777]

Thanks all! Very useful. We are planning on a likely full replaster for a few reasons. First, there are some ceilings that could use a make-over, some rooms with plaster that sounds blown, and the added peace of mind by getting everything redone in breathable lime plaster to match the solid wall construction. The current state of the house doesn't require a full replaster - likely a partial one would be ok. However, if the benefits of the rewire are big enough, then certainly it would tip the balance to just replastering everything. It's one of those issues, though, that snowballs...if we replaster, we would likely also replace the central heating pipework to make sure everything that is very invasive is done at the same time. A damp survey highlighted that some areas likely had past leaks that were subsequently fixed, so probably not a bad idea to update everything. The downside is that it takes away from the budget we were planning on using to replace a very dated and ready to replace conservatory with a nice orangery or back extension. So it's a bunch of trade-offs. I'm generally of the the mindset to not fall for the sexy visual ones, instead prioritising ones that make sense for creating a well-put together house that minimises future maintenance.

 

[Baddegg]

You’d be foolish to renovate without at least getting another report done, and as above if you are renovating now is the time for a rewire to your specs for now and the future

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Can anyone explain what my eyes are seeing here:

 

[buzzlightyear]

Can anyone explain what my eyes are seeing here

Figment ov your imagination.

 

[James]

Heat damage?