A complete house rewire where to start????

[12vshocker]

ok so I know I'm gonna get a lot of abuse but I'm really interested to know how competent people work and the order they do things in.

I've recently moved into a new house and the wiring is old and has been poorly done, lots of annoying features like not enough sockets, no point of isolation for cooker or kitchen appliances, sockets cut into skirting board and minimum amount of rcd protection, I've checked insualtion resistance and continuity the installation is safe but old fashion and not well thought out.

I want to do a complete rewire, I've installed a isolator and had a look under floors boards to see where the current wiring is routed but what is the correct order to do things in, is there some sort of flow chart for best practice, would you cut out all the socket boxes first or run the cables first. Is there any reading material on house bashing and the best order to do things in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


I'm not a complete novice I've done my 18th, part P, initial testing and verification, I understand all the theory, BINZ and design element but what's the best way to go about things for the execution (poor choice of words). I've been doing a fair bit of work as a electricians mate but it's mainly been little jobs in a commercial setting and never a big project like this, also I want to use this work to get nappet or stroma recognition.

Thanks in advance

 

[buzzlightyear]

crack on then ,so what are you waiting for .

 

[12vshocker]

In the immortal words of cat Stevens, "the first step is the hardest", what's your order of doing things mr buzz

 

[7029 dave]

Top to bottom.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I would apply to the scams for member ship, and use your property for testing that would be the route I would take .
maybe get some one to work with you at the property and give guidance .

 

[littlespark]

Plan carefully what you isolate and what you can leave on. Remember you'll need light for working and power for charging/kettle/ radio etc.

Top to bottom as @7029 dave suggests is a good idea. Finish that, and temp connect to give you light to work on the upper floor sockets and the lower floor lights at the same time if you have floorboards up.

You don't say how big your house is, and if the rewire will be followed by redecorating.
Unfortunately you cant make an omelette without breaking some eggs. Prepare to make a LOT of mess!

 

[Devonchris]

In the immortal words of cat Stevens, "the first step is the hardest", what's your order of doing things mr buzz

Do the chases first. Get all the dirty messy bits completed.

By the way the quote is "the first cut is the deepest".

 

[ruston]

If you have a family and you are working and cannot devote your full time to it ; this will be a nightmare to live in.
You will have to envisage your own plan according to your needs , keeping the kitchen and bathroom operational is a high priority if the job is going to be protracted . Only you will know really, but good luck anyway.

 

[The Ghost]

Well mon brave, remove all old fittings and cable where possible. Fit all boxes in walls etc. New consumer unit affixed. Run all cables. plaster in chases. Thats first fix done. Second fix terminate all cables. Dont forget to test as you go. Do all dead tests before commissioning. Commission then do all live tests. Issue EIC. Notify scheme building control notice comes through. Job done. Sound easy really now I look at it like that. Five days in empty house, ages in occupied and missus nagging you all day and night about crap work and when it's gonna get done as well as the dust and on and on.

 

[TaffyDuck]

With respect if you have to ask you a`int going to be ready to do be let loose on someone else`s house for some time. Part P registered or not.
Ask yourself one question. Would you pay an electrician who arrived and told you they had done one complete house? I certainly wouldn`t. Experience is everything.

 

[12vshocker]

Completely agree, but this a great way to get more experience.

It's a four bedroom house, and most the rooms will be redecorated in some way, but I have to keep the house liveable, I can't rip gutt the place and start again,

 

[Pete999]

ok so I know I'm gonna get a lot of abuse but I'm really interested to know how competent people work and the order they do things in.

I've recently moved into a new house and the wiring is old and has been poorly done, lots of annoying features like not enough sockets, no point of isolation for cooker or kitchen appliances, sockets cut into skirting board and minimum amount of rcd protection, I've checked insualtion resistance and continuity the installation is safe but old fashion and not well thought out.

I want to do a complete rewire, I've installed a isolator and had a look under floors boards to see where the current wiring is routed but what is the correct order to do things in, is there some sort of flow chart for best practice, would you cut out all the socket boxes first or run the cables first. Is there any reading material on house bashing and the best order to do things in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


I'm not a complete novice I've done my 18th, part P, initial testing and verification, I understand all the theory, BINZ and design element but what's the best way to go about things for the execution (poor choice of words). I've been doing a fair bit of work as a electricians mate but it's mainly been little jobs in a commercial setting and never a big project like this, also I want to use this work to get nappet or stroma recognition.

Thanks in advance

Up stairs lighting

Completely agree, but this a great way to get more experience.

It's a four bedroom house, and most the rooms will be redecorated in some way, but I have to keep the house liveable, I can't rip gutt the place and start again,

Start by rewiring the upstairs lighting, this will give you a feel of how labour intensive a rewire is, if yo have any help you should be able to complete this area in a long day.
You don't mention, if you have a wooden floor on the ground floor, if you have, you could then tackle the ground floor sockets, cooker, bonding and anything else that may become evident whilst this area is being pulled apart, forgot to say leave the old switchgear inplace, by doing this you can if the client wishes temporarily connect a socket for overnight, this part with help could take up to 3 days, leave any making good until the rewire is complete, if you are making good yourself, if makes sense to do it all at once, not piecemeal on a daily basis.
Now comes the hardest part in my opinion, the ground floor lighting, and the upstairs sockets, this needs careful planning, try to get the homeowner to dissapear for the day, plan which areas you want to disturb, move the furniture around to suit, if you have employed a carpet fitter/floor layer to lift any carpets or laminate, this also needs planning beforehand. The biggest problem will be leaving the house habitable after you have knocked off for the day, 2 to 3 days should see this part to completion.
Remember to leave any old wiring still left in situ safe as well.
Once these areas have been rewired, time to fit new CU etc and testing and certifying, 2 days should be ample, if there are no problems, if you are making good a day should see this off, depending of course on how much damage you have caused.
Its been a long time since I have done a live in rewire, so there could be some omissions, on the last day it's always a good thing to take the client around the place, explaining why you had to do it this or that way, snagging I think it was called, if you are confident you have covered everything this shouldn't take long at all, good luck.
If I have missed anything, or miscalculated the time frame, I'm positive there will be someone on the Forum with something to say, as I mentioned it's been a while.

 

[bigspark17]

ok so I know I'm gonna get a lot of abuse but I'm really interested to know how competent people work and the order they do things in.

I've recently moved into a new house and the wiring is old and has been poorly done, lots of annoying features like not enough sockets, no point of isolation for cooker or kitchen appliances, sockets cut into skirting board and minimum amount of rcd protection, I've checked insualtion resistance and continuity the installation is safe but old fashion and not well thought out.

I want to do a complete rewire, I've installed a isolator and had a look under floors boards to see where the current wiring is routed but what is the correct order to do things in, is there some sort of flow chart for best practice, would you cut out all the socket boxes first or run the cables first. Is there any reading material on house bashing and the best order to do things in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


I'm not a complete novice I've done my 18th, part P, initial testing and verification, I understand all the theory, BINZ and design element but what's the best way to go about things for the execution (poor choice of words). I've been doing a fair bit of work as a electricians mate but it's mainly been little jobs in a commercial setting and never a big project like this, also I want to use this work to get nappet or stroma recognition.

Thanks in advance

Could you elaborate on “ive done my part p”????
Part p is not a qualification. Youve just done/been sold a worthless course!

 

[cliffed]

Up stairs lighting

Start by rewiring the upstairs lighting, this will give you a feel of how labour intensive a rewire is, if yo have any help you should be able to complete this area in a long day.
You don't mention, if you have a wooden floor on the ground floor, if you have, you could then tackle the ground floor sockets, cooker, bonding and anything else that may become evident whilst this area is being pulled apart, forgot to say leave the old switchgear inplace, by doing this you can if the client wishes temporarily connect a socket for overnight, this part with help could take up to 3 days, leave any making good until the rewire is complete, if you are making good yourself, if makes sense to do it all at once, not piecemeal on a daily basis.
Now comes the hardest part in my opinion, the ground floor lighting, and the upstairs sockets, this needs careful planning, try to get the homeowner to dissapear for the day, plan which areas you want to disturb, move the furniture around to suit, if you have employed a carpet fitter/floor layer to lift any carpets or laminate, this also needs planning beforehand. The biggest problem will be leaving the house habitable after you have knocked off for the day, 2 to 3 days should see this part to completion.
Remember to leave any old wiring still left in situ safe as well.
Once these areas have been rewired, time to fit new CU etc and testing and certifying, 2 days should be ample, if there are no problems, if you are making good a day should see this off, depending of course on how much damage you have caused.
Its been a long time since I have done a live in rewire, so there could be some omissions, on the last day it's always a good thing to take the client around the place, explaining why you had to do it this or that way, snagging I think it was called, if you are confident you have covered everything this shouldn't take long at all, good luck.
If I have missed anything, or miscalculated the time frame, I'm positive there will be someone on the Forum with something to say, as I mentioned it's been a while.

That’s a great post,in the 70’s we did loads of council houses,me & my mate,your spot on with the work schedule.
Good luck to you on the rewire

 

[Midwest]

I don't think its beyond the OP's scope to do this work, although perhaps he could qualify his qualifications, and perhaps cite them in his profile page.

Would appear your are doing this rewire in your own property, whilst yourself & family are living in the place?

What other works besides the rewire would take place, before, during & after the rewire?

Good advice from others. You have to doing the work, whilst still leaving it habital. As suggested some thinking, before starting work will be required to facilitate living in the place. Consider where your cable runs in voids will be, can they be done in a different place to existing. Planning the amount of cables that are likely to be in those runs, you'll only have so many joist to drill holes in.

You could consider running radial/RFC circuits and placement of outlets, and leave existing working until a particular point. I would be running my new final circuits as many as possible, but not energising. What thats done, only install and swop over your CU's. If the kitchen is being refurbished, run the cables to a particular point, then do the kitchen refurb, after that. Another thing I seen done is sockets done for one side of the property etc, as opposed each level or floor, so you still have existing sockets available.

Good luck.