Any advice on rewires?

[HappyHippyDad]

I have perhaps done 6 rewires now. They are hard work and I wonder if there are ways to make them easier as I have another 2 much larger ones (3 and 4 storey houses) coming up.

I typically take around 2 weeks for a 3 bed house. This is working flat out (by myself) everyday including one or 2 Saturdays and I feel that is a little longer than most of you would take, or is it about right?

I have just bought the metabo mfe40 wall chaser and hopefully that will speed things up. Are there any tips for using chasers? I'm guessing they just make nice neat notches either side of the chase which you then remove with an SDS chisel? Do you always then use oval conduit which you secure to the wall with the oval conduit holders or is there a quicker way?

Cheers all and hope you are having a relaxing Saturday!

Ps.. I'm awaiting the arrival of the triple blade for the metabo, anyone use it yet? Does it actually take out the middle of the chase well?
pps.. What size conduit do you generally use for 1mm, 2.5mm, 6mm, ring etc etc?

 

[Petej999]

Make sure your Apprentice/Mate/Helper knows what you want of him, set yourself a target for the days work the last thing you want especially in an occupied house is panicking towards the end of the day, trying to get the place liveable until the next day some days you may finish your allotted tasks early, some you may have to work longer hours, that's a rewire for you. Three working days for me and a Mate, when I was doing it, two fairly easy days and 1 day of hard graft. You may require a 4th day for testing and snagging this was for a 3 bed occupied council house, nil chasing all surface, all cable drops clipped using buckle clips, it was a while ago mind you.

 

[Simon47]

Aren't all Toolstations and Screwfix next to each other?

Until a year or two ago, nearest was the next town 10 miles away - next door to each other. Then Screwfix opened up in our own town (so only about a mile from home) - no Toolstation. I have to admit, as long as you know what you are after, being able to go online and (if they've got the stock in) pick it up a short time later, even on Sunday, is rather handy.

 

[cliffed]

Back in the 80’s me & my mate did a 3-4 bedroom house in a day.
It’s a bit different now, more lights etc.
Always hard work then, flushing boxes into the walls only wet plastering then, no dabbing.
My mate flushed & fixed the boxes then helped with some of the cabling, then started the sheathing, wouldn’t wanna do this now too Old.
Good luck

 

[UNG]

Back in the 80’s me & my mate did a 3-4 bedroom house in a day.
It’s a bit different now, more lights etc.
Always hard work then, flushing boxes into the walls only wet plastering then, no dabbing.
My mate flushed & fixed the boxes then helped with some of the cabling, then started the sheathing, wouldn’t wanna do this now too Old.
Good luck

About 3 times as many sockets is the killer these days

 

[pc1966]

About 3 times as many sockets is the killer these days

Not to mention half dozen ceiling lights in a room in place of a pendent or two.

 

[Dustydazzler]

A very basic 2 sockets and 1 pendant per room re-wire un-occupied carpet all pulled up 3 bed house, you could probably do in 1 long day between 2 experienced sparks. Bang test on the board and not a whiff of any paperwork thou.
8 til 8 shift. Sling a bit of muck in the chases if you get time.

 

[7029 dave]

A very basic 2 sockets and 1 pendant per room re-wire un-occupied carpet all pulled up 3 bed house, you could probably do in 1 long day between 2 experienced sparks. Bang test on the board and not a whiff of any paperwork thou.
8 til 8 shift. Sling a bit of muck in the chases if you get time.

Just the ticket

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I thought I become one of those fancy youtube electricians for a minute and video myself using the triple blade, so you could see it in action.

Just cant upload it though

It says "the uploaded file was not a video as expected". Ummm, yes it is!

Sussed it! Trimmed it a bit and it works. I love the triple blade!

Ps.. It takes longer than the previous 20 seconds I said. Looks like it's around 45 secs - 1 min for a chase to a light switch. Virtually no debris and a lovely, neat chase. This is into a standard load bearing wall in a house, not sure exactly what material it is I'm cutting into, but it's pretty hard.

pps.. No eye protection

 

[123]

I thought I become one of those fancy youtube electricians for a minute and video myself using the triple blade, so you could see it in action.

Just cant upload it though

It says "the uploaded file was not a video as expected". Ummm, yes it is!

Sussed it! Trimmed it a bit and it works. I love the triple blade!

Ps.. It takes longer than the previous 20 seconds I said. Looks like it's around 45 secs - 1 min for a chase to a light switch. Virtually no debris and a lovely, neat chase. This is into a standard load bearing wall in a house, not sure exactly what material it is I'm cutting into, but it's pretty hard.

pps.. No eye protection

I really must get my finger out and purchase one to try it...my MFE40 is over 3 years old now and all that's been used in it are the Metabo's standard blades. Trouble is in that time we've gone through over 30 pairs of blades, I just have this bad lingering doubt that the triple blade wouldn't be able to last any length of time when it's doing deeper tracks...we'd regularly be sinking some 25mm conduits in kitchen jobs for isolators all to go in tall housings etc...and we do that kind of work pretty regular.

I've a couple of big new builds starting soon but I get tracking companies in for that work

 

[Risteard]

I really must get my finger out and purchase one to try it...my MFE40 is over 3 years old now and all that's been used in it are the Metabo's standard blades. Trouble is in that time we've gone through over 30 pairs of blades, I just have this bad lingering doubt that the triple blade wouldn't be able to last any length of time when it's doing deeper tracks...we'd regularly be sinking some 25mm conduits in kitchen jobs for isolators all to go in tall housings etc...and we do that kind of work pretty regular.

I've a couple of big new builds starting soon but I get tracking companies in for that work

I have the MFE30 and find it sore enough on the blades. Would like to try the MFE40 though to avoid needing to knock the centre of the tracks out.

 

[Mike Johnson]

I found with the double blade chaser, once the blade has stopped a quick flick sideways broke the centre of the chase out, needed a few goes down the chase, but worked on limestone and plaster.

 

[nicebutdim]

I really must get my finger out and purchase one to try it...my MFE40 is over 3 years old now and all that's been used in it are the Metabo's standard blades. Trouble is in that time we've gone through over 30 pairs of blades, I just have this bad lingering doubt that the triple blade wouldn't be able to last any length of time when it's doing deeper tracks...we'd regularly be sinking some 25mm conduits in kitchen jobs for isolators all to go in tall housings etc...and we do that kind of work pretty regular.

I've a couple of big new builds starting soon but I get tracking companies in for that work

Shallow chases for oval conduit are fairly simple to clear, provided you aren't cutting stone. Chases for 25mm round are a different matter and I'd be inclined to try the triple blade. If you're using 10 pairs of blades in the average year, the price of one triple blade isn't going to break the bank - what do you have to lose?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Does the Metabo use diamond blades, my bog standard twin blade Clarke (very low brow) does not seem to wear at all, but cutting plastered/limestone mostly which is quite soft.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I love to knock seven bells out of the walls with a boxing gloves and chisles.
Not a fancy circus cutter.

 

[brianmoooore]

The wear on diamond discs isn't proportional to the hardness of the material being cut. It's closer to inversely proportional.