How much cable for a 3 bed semi rewire.

[Jon26]

Hi.
I am trying to price up the rewire of a 3 bed semi. Its my first rewire and I was wondering how much cable of different sizes im most likely going to need. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Lighthouse Phil]

How long is a length of string ?

 

[wade88]

As already stated. If you fall short on MCBs during CU install, delve into your lunch box and dig out the kit kat foil, few twists later and get that wedged across your bus bar and incoming live and your away with it. If its a 4 finger kit kat, i tend to give that an average rating between 30-35 amps, spot on for your rings. If your a well organised lunch box packer, you may even wrap your sarnies in foil, that gives you an easy 100amp for a main fuse.

Alternatively, having inspected the property already you will know how many sockets/lighting points there will required be per room. knowing this number and also knowing there probably wont be a room in the entire house that is larger than 10x10m you can work out how much cable you will need per room based on quantity of accessories. OR do as most of us do, buy more than you need and throw what ever is not used in the van for the next job. In this job you will never run out of a need for cable. ​ it wont go to waste my friend

 

[wade88]

How long is a length of string ?

Dont you know that equation?

stretch your arms out as wide as you can x the length of your longest finger, divide that by your shoe size and wrap the remainder around your waste. compare that to your belt length and take away the difference, finally multiply by the day of the month and subtract the amount of times you get laid a week. find the square root of the sub total and you normally end up with the answer:

Who the **** knows divided by Zero

 

[Lighthouse Phil]

One of the reasons I dont come on this site so often is that it isn't no longer sparks only. Electrical Trainee's, DIYer's, Bob the Builder types. You wouldn't mind if they asked a reasonable question, we're often left more confused by the questions asked...

 

[Silly Sausage]

How long is a length of string ?

.......

 

[MDJ]

200 of 2.5 at least, ring up ring down and kitchen, plus immersion and boiler and probably 150-200 of 1.5 as well, or 1mm2 as many use for lighting, every Job is different though, but IMO this is a good guideline for 2.5 and 1.5/1.00, as for cooker and shower cable, couldn't comment for the size due to not knowing what sizes they are, but probably 15-20 mtrs for each run ish, how long is a length of string?

 

[telectrix]

agreed^^^ . anything left over is then a bonus .

 

[timbobelfast]

And don't forget your green/yellow for bonding

 

[amlu]

150m 2.5 t+e
100m 1.5 (1) for lighting
chip in some 50meters of tri core 1mm, for two way light switching and linking smoke alarms if you planning to install some.
some lenght of 10mm earth wire for gas/water bonding.
meter tails.
edited:
and some big wire for shower/cooker if required

 

[telectrix]

i generally buy 2.5m in 50m rolls. OK, it costs a bit more, but is far easier to pull through 2 legs off 2 50m drums on the old cable stand. so for a 3 bed semi, i'd have 4 50m rolls. anything left over use for small jobs.

 

[KevinS]

Agreed with the others, 2 rolls of 2.5
but I would buy 1 roll of 1.5 and 1 roll of 1.5 twin brown for the switch drops.
plus the usual other stuff.

 

[loop3]

Your looking about £800- £1000 for first materials. Can't tell you how much cable. But buy it in rolls

A piece of string is the same length from each end to the middle.

 

[telectrix]

Your looking about £800- £1000 for first materials. Can't tell you how much cable. But buy it in rolls

rolls is too heavy on juice to fetch cable ( 6.5l engine, 10mpg ). cheaper to use the van for wholesaler trips.

 

[loop3]

A piece of string is the same length from each end to the middle. And, It's so long that if you divide it in five equal parts , they're be equally as long. :S

 

[SYKRAPS]

Your looking about £800- £1000 for first materials. Can't tell you how much cable. But buy it in rolls

A piece of string is the same length from each end to the middle.

Dude you need to find a different supplier you are getting ripped off asthat should easilycover both 1st and 2nd fix materials.

Oh and a piece of string is TWICE the length from the middle to one end.

 

[loop3]

I tried to correct that bit but my comp is retarded. Lol

 

[loop3]

I live in London geez, I get ripped off left right and centre. But hey, who's paying? + mate, I don't quote for second fix, these londoners will want chrome plated this and led strips here and sensor there. Labour and first fix materials for that size house for Joe blogs, 5500

 

[Jon26]

Thanks to those guys who gave a reasonable helpful answer. I have come into the trades at a later date and done my part P mainly because some "proper spark" who disappeared when I tried to get him back to fix things, almost burnt my house down after not tightening all the terminals properly on the CU.
So all im trying to do is a proper job with limited experience.

 

[Daveash123]

Its also handy to have a roll of 1.5mm single brown/earth and single blue/earth for multi gang light switches and wall lights

 

[MDJ]

Its also handy to have a roll of 1.5mm single brown/earth and single blue/earth for multi gang light switches and wall lights

Cricky now thats something I have never used, or could imagine using on a house Job.

 

[SYKRAPS]

I live in London geez, I get ripped off left right and centre. But hey, who's paying? + mate, I don't quote for second fix, these londoners will want chrome plated this and led strips here and sensor there. Labour and first fix materials for that size house for Joe blogs, 5500

Wow I might move to London then.

Who 2nd fixes your 1st fixes then?

 

[Daveash123]

Used regularly for outside light from existing switch and neutral from nearest ceiling rose. Also to take neutral to landing light from downstairs lighting circuit and switchwire to landing light from upstairs switch (strappers in T&E)

 

[Silly Sausage]

A piece of string is the same length from each end to the middle. And, It's so long that if you divide it in five equal parts , they're be equally as long. :S

If it was infinitely long and you cut it in half, would both pieces still be infinitely long?

 

[SYKRAPS]

If it was infinitely long and you cut it in half, would both pieces still be infinitely long?

lol no they would be 1/2 infinitely

 

[MDJ]

Used regularly for outside light from existing switch and neutral from nearest ceiling rose. Also to take neutral to landing light from downstairs lighting circuit and switchwire to landing light from upstairs switch (strappers in T&E)

really? never done it that way myself, thanks for letting me know what you do anyhow, I had no idea anyone ever used it on domestic, or wired that way either.

 

[ashrow]

Daveash123

you spamming or being serious ?

 

[Knobhead]

608ft.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Cricky now thats something I have never used, or could imagine using on a house Job.

ere....thats nowt....i`v seen it used numerous times....to pick up a feed here....a neutral there.....on new verefications n all.....i didn`t like it at the time.....and i dont see why i should like it now....
single and earth has its place....but should be kept in it n all......
shouldn`t be picking up feeds like some sort of afterthought ....not on a new install.....its really bad is that...

 

[MDJ]

I have seen it on very old house Jobs, but never seen it installed during my time (since 83)

 

[drew35]

All this arguing over the length of string! I just measured a piece for you all and it's 372mm!

I'd like to see a rewire achieved with only 100m of 2.5mm!

And singles! Seriously? I wondered who was still using these in domestic jobs.

 

[LeckyBill]

You might be able to use less cable if you loop in and out of each socket so to speak, but 100m doesnt seem enough

 

[electric will]

Instead of having ground floor and first floor ring finals, you can split the house to front and rear finals. Saves both circuits going the whole way round the house, if you know what I mean?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Instead of having ground floor and first floor ring finals, you can split the house to front and rear finals. Saves both circuits going the whole way round the house, if you know what I mean?

hmm.....i think the long n short of it all william......is you design your subs n finals before installation takes place.....this way you avoid the `afterthoughts`......like.......
`ill just get this neutral from here`........and.......`thats an easy pickup from there`......lolffs...lol.....lol....unbelievable......design ..eh?...lol.....

 

[ferg]

I've never met a client like the one I'm working for just now...
Every time I turn up he's changed his mind.
It still hasn't occurred to me to do the above ^^^^^

 

[electric will]

hmm.....i think the long n short of it all william......is you design your subs n finals before installation takes place.....this way you avoid the `afterthoughts`......like.......
`ill just get this neutral from here`........and.......`thats an easy pickup from there`......lolffs...lol.....lol....unbelievable......design ..eh?...lol.....

I don't really understand what your saying? If I used this design of corse all the positions for sockets etc would be decided
and planned before hand, the when the cu is label, sockets front and sockets rear. What's wrong with that? I take it you don't like the idea?