Rewire while house occupied. - Tips and strategies?

[1Justin]

I'll be quoting this week on a 1950's rewire. House occupied by couple with young lad. They might be able to take the odd long weekend away but basically I'm working round them.

They understand there will be mess, and I've said I can channel where necessary only with bolster/chisel to reduce dust. The old CU is a dangerous mess, lighting is rubber (but in metal wall conduit which should help replacement in some of the places). Sockets are 1980's white T&E and very DIY. Carpets are either up or expendable.

There is not much space where the CU will go. I might grab an old 2 way CU to give me temporary power (via RCD socket) while I selectively take down the rest.

Exact strategy would depend on circumstance, but got any tips for when folks want to stay in the house throughout?

 

[telectrix]

make sure your quote is high enough to cover the extra time it will take you. sometimes it helps to work area by area, 1st & 2nd fix each room/circuit, rather than 1st fix the lot then go back into rooms and move furniture again to 2nd fix.

 

[MDJ]

You will need to allow time to put the boards and carpets back every night even if loose and the carpets just temporary, a rewire normally takes around a week IMO to do the job properly, I would allow another day or two on top of that if working around a family, JMO.

 

[telectrix]

i'm must be getting old and slow. generally allow 8-10 days for occupied rewire. much prefer the smaller jobs. in and out in a day or less.

 

[Spark92]

Tip: Never leave the house a mess keep hovering throughout the day

 

[grumpyjohn01]

A great idea I reckon with occupied rewire is to get a VERY clear agreement before you start ripping up boards as to what they want / where it goes sort of stuff, defo agree about the area by area approach dapping in to the old board as you go then do the board change last. The upstairs lights is a good job for first thing, first day as you get in easy and have a while to suss things fully..

 

[telectrix]

keep hovering throughout the day


helicopter uses too much fuel for that. i usually drop the tools off, then park the chopper on the lawn.

 

[1Justin]

LOL @telectrix.

Thanks for those tips guys. I'll be getting back to the customer after the weekend.

 

[Spark92]

Hoovering .You know what i mean guys ! Lol

 

[DNS1]

helicopter uses too much fuel for that. i usually drop the tools off, then park the chopper on the lawn.

Hope the "Training Centres" offering the earth for £6000 don't see that post...

Next thing is we'll be seeing new advertising popping up... "Train to be a fully qualified electrician in 5 weeks! Earn £50,000 and have your own helicopter to get to work!"

 

[ruston]

Don't touch cheap wardrobes or furniture, they fall apart. Ask them to secure any vulnerable special personal possessions .

Clean up as you go is good advice too, saves loads of time at the end of the day when you are tired.

Don't take liberties , ask if you need to use their facilities, just be well mannered.

Loads of drawbacks but you should see them coming.

 

[Guitarist]

I must be really old then. I find an occupied rewire with everything involved takes 2-3 weeks, as it always involves getting specific circuits and rooms up and running, and a whole lot of messing about. I did spend 6 weeks once on a big rewire, as the elderly couple hadn't moved a single bit of furniture and every bookcase had to be emptied, every ornament moved....
Make sure they are aware of what will be off, when, and for how long before you start. Also, be very clear exactly what you are responsible for, as some clients will take advantage of a good nature.

 

[telectrix]

i was talking 8-10 days with a mate. doubt i could do a full rewire on my own these days. if it ain't the knees, it's the back. thank god for voltarol and tramadol. LOL.

 

[1Justin]

I said ten days, not wanting to overplay the disruption thing at this stage (They have eyes on two other quotes..). I think it'll take at least that.

They do understand the problem anyway, - but hope that's still the case when I turf them out of their bedroom.

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

I usually either work top to bottom or bottom up. But agree with allowing extra time for getting house back in order each day

 

[guest119]

I would do the lights up and down first and let them use table lamps etc in the existing sockets.
Then with lighting back on, tackle up or down sockets to completion one at a time.

Boydy

 

[RyanCheetham]

My last occupied rewire of a 3 bed house took 14 days on my own and a day for testing.

 

[oldtimer]

There are 2 types of tenants the one who clears you way for you after a discussion on how you are going to do the job then the second who has no conception of how people operate and the house is not ready.

Now I dont do rewires but years ago when doing an alarm I told the customer to empty the cupboard and move a few things as the house was a tip so when I turned up nothing was done so I mentioned it and the reply was so sad too bad just get on with it so I said well you broke the agreement and I am not here to clean your house so Im off. Her face was a picture

 

[emacleod]

When I was doing rewires last year in occupied houses we done them in 2 days with 2 men and an apprentice.

 

[MDJ]

i'm must be getting old and slow. generally allow 8-10 days for occupied rewire. much prefer the smaller jobs. in and out in a day or less.

Should have mentioned a week with an experienced mate and a hard week at that, 7 days if occupied more than likely as well.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

make sure your quote is high enough to cover the extra time it will take you. sometimes it helps to work area by area, 1st & 2nd fix each room/circuit, rather than 1st fix the lot then go back into rooms and move furniture again to 2nd fix.

yep..often overlooked....as is the dreaded laminate flooring...lol..

 

[telectrix]

laminate flooring is dead easy to get up........ getting it back down so it don't look like rats have been at it is a different ball game.

 

[kingeri]

I did an occupied rewire last month, house was an absolute filthy hell-hole. Rubbish and dog turd everywhere, animal urine soaked into all floorboards. Rotting food everywhere. Woman seemed to have no shame. Proper had to bleach myself when I got home each night. My wife wouldn't come near me until I'd had a shower followed by a bath. Eurgh!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I did an occupied rewire last month, house was an absolute filthy hell-hole. Rubbish and dog turd everywhere, animal urine soaked into all floorboards. Rotting food everywhere. Woman seemed to have no shame. Proper had to bleach myself when I got home each night. My wife wouldn't come near me until I'd had a shower followed by a bath. Eurgh!

hmm...a bit like some of the places in leeds where i was doing ECRs for landlords....lol

 

[Jay Sparks]

hmm...a bit like some of the places in leeds where i was doing ECRs for landlords....lol

A bit like ALL of Leeds...lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

A bit like ALL of Leeds...lol

allrite...
shall we get on the subject of bradford then Jay?...lol...lol....

 

[Jay Sparks]

allrite...
shall we get on the subject of bradford then Jay?...lol...lol....

No way, Ill get banned from the forum...lol I hate Bradford more than I hate Leeds.lol Unfortunately for me, I live on the border of Leeds, so I have the worst of both worlds..lol

 

[telectrix]

Bradford twinned with islamabad?

 

[Jay Sparks]

Bradford twinned with islamabad?

I could of twinned it with any Sh%^ hole. Actually, I could of twinned it with Leeds....lol. I have had to type the name of that town, 4 times today, Its making me feel sick!!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I could of twinned it with any Sh%^ hole. Actually, I could of twinned it with Leeds....lol. I have had to type the name of that town, 4 times today, Its making me feel sick!!!

well calverley isn`t bad jay...its just when you start getting into bradford proper...
starts getting tatty....
saying that where i live (dewsbury) isn`t too cracking either...lol...
i..oops sorry i meant my avatar blends in nicely round here....

 

[sedgy34]

Sub it out mate save you the hassle

 

[Jay Sparks]

well calverley isn`t bad jay...its just when you start getting into bradford proper...
starts getting tatty....
saying that where i live (dewsbury) isn`t too cracking either...lol...

I live about 2 mins from Calverly. As soon as you pass the "Now leaving Calverly" sign, you are entering a different world.lo, Where woman walk about in the PJ's and night gowns, Kids are running around the streets without nappies on....Its like the esate from shameless..lol Your mate is coming over tonight....hope he brings his steering lock!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I live about 2 mins from Calverly. As soon as you pass the "Now leaving Calverly" sign, you are entering a different world.lo, Where woman walk about in the PJ's and night gowns, Kids are running around the streets without nappies on....Its like the esate from shameless..lol Your mate is coming over tonight....hope he brings his steering lock!!

lol...
you and him off out for a beer then Jay?..

 

[shanky887614]

lol...
you and him off out for a beer then Jay?..

better not take the steering lock, they will just steal the 4 wheels instead from the van/car

 

[Jay Sparks]

lol...
you and him off out for a beer then Jay?..

Yeah...He called me up the other night seeing if I wanted to go to Farsley for a few last night but I was alredy going out, so I asked him to come over to working mens club for a few beers and a few games of snooker tonight. Be nice to put a face to the voice.lol You should come over as well, Id love to see you hobble round the snooker table..lol

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better not take the steering lock, they will just steal the 4 wheels instead from the van/car

The steering lock was to hit the scrouts with!!!lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Yeah...He called me up the other night seeing if I wanted to go to Farsley for a few last night but I was alredy going out, so I asked him to come over to working mens club for a few beers and a few games of snooker tonight. Be nice to put a face to the voice.lol You should come over as well, Id love to see you hobble round the snooker table..lol

- - - Updated - - -



The steering lock was to hit the scrouts with!!!lol

lol...i`m bad enough with snooker even when i`m not on crutches...
only got a few weeks of this shyte left...
then i will be back on the tools...

 

[Elmer BeFuddled]

Hot tip. When going through the knicker drawer, make sure you put them all back. A pair hanging out ye back pocket (for a later sniff) usually guarantees a quick end to that contract.


I'm told.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Hot tip. When going through the knicker drawer, make sure you put them all back. A pair hanging out ye back pocket (for a later sniff) usually guarantees a quick end to that contract.


I'm told.

ECRs are also a good hunting ground for such stuff as well elmer...
and sometimes...just sometimes you also come across lesbyan artefacts as well+ mags and other paraphernalia....

 

[ruston]

A bit like ALL of Leeds...lol

It's not just Leeds lol.

 

[trev]

My tip is to leave as much of the old stuff on as possible, for example when running the new RFCs in first and second fix them but leave the legs hanging where the new cu is going to be. Similarly with anything that is not going to be in exactly the same place as the old stuff, obviously doing this with the lights is going to be tough but if I'm honest, if you can't first and second fix a lighting circuit in a normal sized house in a day you've got problems. You can also get a lot of the testing out of the way as you're going using this method thus saving a bit of time on change over day.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

My tip is to leave as much of the old stuff on as possible, for example when running the new RFCs in first and second fix them but leave the legs hanging where the new cu is going to be. Similarly with anything that is not going to be in exactly the same place as the old stuff, obviously doing this with the lights is going to be tough but if I'm honest, if you can't first and second fix a lighting circuit in a normal sized house in a day you've got problems. You can also get a lot of the testing out of the way as you're going using this method thus saving a bit of time on change over day.

this is it Trev...
what some don`t seem to realise...is that you can test as you go...
saves on time later on...same goes for inspection...also, if you have done the construction...you should be aware of whats what anyway....

 

[Silly Sausage]

In a week's time the 3rd Party Inspectors will be on the job...

 

[decolad69]

I would do the lights up and down first and let them use table lamps etc in the existing sockets.
Then with lighting back on, tackle up or down sockets to completion one at a time.

Boydy

Works every time ..... you'll get tea and coffee on the hour and if you take your "Henry out" ( that's a hoover /hover) your on a bonus !

 

[Guitarist]

My tip is to leave as much of the old stuff on as possible, for example when running the new RFCs in first and second fix them but leave the legs hanging where the new cu is going to be. Similarly with anything that is not going to be in exactly the same place as the old stuff, obviously doing this with the lights is going to be tough but if I'm honest, if you can't first and second fix a lighting circuit in a normal sized house in a day you've got problems. You can also get a lot of the testing out of the way as you're going using this method thus saving a bit of time on change over day.

Totally agree. My installations look rough as anything while I test and connect everything up as I go. Then at the end I have a "dressing" day, where everything gets connected neatly in the CU and all clipped properly.

 

[Stroppy]

It always makes me laugh when people spend ages dressing their CU's to perfection, then pull them all the pieces again to do the testing. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[PEM]

I'd recommend you check your PL insurance. Young ones have a knack of finding that loose board nail and treading on it.

With occupied rewire double check at end of day everything is safe from little hands.

Also if mains smoke detectors if these cant be left working at end of everyday temporary fix a couple of battery jobs. Customers will appreciate your efforts in keeping them safe.

Good luck mate.

 

[dan86]

Also if mains smoke detectors if these cant be left working at end of everyday temporary fix a couple of battery jobs. Customers will appreciate your efforts in keeping them safe.

good tip that

 

[oldtimer]

Preperation is the name of the game and managing the tenant/customer I don't do rewires but when I do say an alarm I advise them to empty the cupboard it is going in and move any breakables .

 

[Guitarist]

It always makes me laugh when people spend ages dressing their CU's to perfection, then pull them all the pieces again to do the testing. Doesn't make sense to me.

Haha, yeah. Better not look in mine before final dressing, just a birds nest

 

[Stroppy]

Bit like mine after!