Bought an older house? Rewire it before you move in

Most people who ask Ian for a rewire have just bought the house. That is no accident. A rewire is noisy and dusty, the power is off, floorboards come up and walls are chased. It is a lot easier to do in a house with nothing in it.

Why before you move in is better

• The house is empty. Nothing to move, nothing to cover, nobody living around the work.
• You rewire once. If the electrics are done before the plastering and decorating, nothing you have just paid for gets opened up again.
• Ian asks customers to be out of the house while the work is done. An empty house means that is not a problem.

What to do while the sale is going through

Send the address and tell us where the sale is up to. If you can get into the house before closing, that is the time for a survey. If you can’t, the survey happens as soon as you have access.

What Ian looks at

Older houses often still have the original rubber or fabric-covered cable, an old fuse board and only two or three sockets in a room. At the survey Ian looks at:

1. The cable itself, wherever he can see it
2. The fuse board
3. How many circuits the house has and what is on each
4. How the new cable can be routed with the least disruption to ceilings, cornicing and other original features

You then get an itemised quote, so you can see what each part of the job is.

Think about what to add while the walls are open

If you want extra sockets, outside lights or a supply ready for an EV charger, mention it at the survey. It is simpler to add them while the cable is going in anyway.

What happens after

A typical rewire takes 3 to 10 working days, depending on the house. Every wall chase is plastered, the house is left as it was before (painting aside), and you get a Safe Electric completion certificate to keep with the house papers.