HomeRewire™️ Guide To Rewiring a House
Rewiring is one of the most difficult maintenance tasks a homeowner can face. That’s why we’ve put together a quick HomeRewire™️ Guide To Rewiring a House.
It is a major project with works carried out in every room. Your home’s electrical system is powered by cables usually buried in the walls. It’s recommended that these cables are replaced every 25 years.
The cables provide the power to your socket outlets, your lights and all other electrical items in your home, such as your cooker and boiler. Sub-standard and and wrongly installed electrics can result in fires, and electric shocks. Older cables can deteriorate, cables that in the past were thought to be safe, have since been proven to be unsafe and hazardous.
We rewire your home to eliminate any potential problems and ensure everything is modern, safe and certificated. When we arrive at your property we spend time arranging and preparing the site for works to begin. It is important you carry out the necessary preparations stated in our terms. We then work to route your new cables from your consumer unit, all around the property.
What’s Our Rewiring Process?
We come highly experienced in this field. When you let a HomeRewire electrician complete the electrical rewiring of your home, you can be confident that they will deliver a high-quality, professional and safe service.
See below a basic breakdown of our process in a simple step by step format:
At times during the process we find cables that are concealed under floors, in the attic space and within the walls and fabric of the building. The cables will eventually be terminated at every electrical outlet throughout the property, and organised into separate circuits such as lights, and sockets. Routing these cables involves lifting carpets and floorboards and chasing into the walls.
HomeRewire™️ are Scotland’s Leading Electrical Rewire Specialists as seen on STV. Our professional, experienced electricians with over 25 years experience deliver quality workmanship at excellent value, in minimal timescale.
Chasing Brick Walls Can Be a Messy Job!
If the property is old enough to need rewiring, it’s likely it will be internally constructed of brick or lath/plaster. On brick we use wall chasers with dust extraction, and breaking power tools. These tools allow us to work through the brick quickly and efficiently, however they can still create some dust.
On lath/plaster walls we cause minimal damage to the internal strapping. Any damage caused would be suitably bonded to make sure it’s still structurally sound. Floorboards don’t always come up easily, we use appropriate tools to ensure the best cuts are made to minimise damage. We understand that potentially you may wish to re-sand your floorboards. When we remove the floorboard, we then route our cables either by boring holes in the joist or notching a small part from the timber and replacing with a metal safe plate.
When the wiring is complete, the floorboards are then screwed down, or nailed if preferred. When the cables are suitably routed, and the back boxes are mounted, we then install a protective capping over the cables.
While not required, it’s good practice and keeps things neat, allowing the plasterers to crack on without damaging our cables! Our plasterers then get to work repairing and making good any damage we have made. When the plaster sets, we finally screw up your fresh new sockets and switches.
Rewiring is a major task. You should fully understand the work involved and the scale of the job. Our engineers are more than happy to discuss every aspect of the job with you prior to our arrival.
All of our electricians also hold a NICEIC Certification to make sure any work is carried out safely and efficiently.
What Are The Common Signs You Need To Rewire?
Is your home showing signs of electrical issues? It might be time to consider rewiring. Below, we’ve compiled a list of common indicators that suggest your home may benefit from rewiring. Recognizing these signs early can help ensure the safety and efficiency of your electrical system.
- The consumer unit frequently trips, and fuses or bulbs frequently blow.
- Electrical sockets emit a crackling or buzzing noise.
- Electrical wiring is encased in black rubber, lead or fabric.
- Indications of burning, such as discoloration around plugs and sockets or a burning odour, are present.
- Lights consistently flicker, and bulbs require frequent replacement.
- Switches are constructed of cast iron.
- The consumer unit lacks labelling.
- The consumer unit features a wooden backing.
- Sockets are damaged or cracked.
- Sockets feature rounded plug entries rather than 3-pin entries.
- There are fewer than two plug sockets in each room.
- Plugs become excessively hot.
It’s very important to weigh up all the factors in your decision to rewire. Find out how much an average rewire costs. We make a judgement on the likelihood of rewiring using the experience of de-commissioning and stripping out thousands of electrical systems.
We categorise your wiring into three types….
Modern Wiring
This should be solid core copper, PVC sheathed cable.
Its highly unlikely you will need to rewire your home unless the electrics have been so poorly installed that it would be more efficient to rewire, rather than repair.
Antiquated Wiring
We class anything over 60 years old as antiquated wiring.
This wiring is usually older VIR style and may not have any earth wire.
Wiring of this age can be unsafe and should be rewired at the earliest opportunity.
Dated Wiring
We class wiring which has between 20 and 60 years old as dated wiring.
While some of this wiring might test ok, we ask our clients a series of questions which helps determine if rewiring is the best option.
- Are you planning to decorate?
- Do you want to make alterations and additions to the electrics?
- Are you having some problems with the electrics?
- Are you doing other works such as a new kitchen?
- Are you seeking peace of mind and a guarantee on the safety of your homes electrics?
Choosing an electrician for your home rewire project can require some research and thought, and rewiring your home can be a difficult task to undertake.
We have a specialist team of electricians with a broad and deep skillset in electrical rewiring services for any home — We always make sure we send the right electrician(s) who is specialised to your specific electrical system needs.
Our approved electrical contractors have efficiently and successfully completed Glasgow rewire projects throughout the city. View our reviews to see what other happy homeowners have to say about our work.
