Approx re-wire length of time?

[Noob2013]

Hi all.

I know it all depends on routes, snags etc and you havent seen the property but I'm after an approx length of time (give or take) you would expect this rewire to take for one electrician.

5 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen, playroom and 3 bathrooms. Also 3 landings to have lights and switches.

All rooms will require all sockets and switches to be chased out with an average of 6 sockets per room and 1 light. Also an aerial point in each room.

Kitchen will have spotlights and electric cooker. No electric showers but extractor fan and shaver point in each bathroom. Couple of outside lights. Supply to fed 2 way C.U in outside store room.

As I said, there are a lot of factors involved so just after a rough idea.

Cheers

 

[nickblake]

Well the one im on so far its four weeks absolute pig stone walls to chase, 150mm extract in the kitchen 2ft thick stone walls = day to cut the hole , walls are un even and very hard stone pig to chase but on average 3 weeks

 

[GB.Kayak]

Yeah it was built in the 1800s and some walls are cob!!

What's everyone's experience with chasing cob walls?

None ... but I do have 2 years of experience with my own Victorian and Edwardian home in the North of Scotland. It's construction is very different from that of the property that you are planning to work upon. I imagine that if those walls have been damp for any period of time due to water ingress from broken rainwater goods or other plumbing sources or where significant quantities of lime based renders have been replaced by cement then it will be like chasing cheese. If however, the walls are bone dry then it could be a test for even the hardest of man made materials at the end of your tool of choice; particularly if there is any quantity of granite based sands in 'the mix'. The job will be made more difficult by the vegetable matter, straw or hay even, that acts as the 'reinforcing' fibre. I am saddened though quite understanding of the 'philistine' like nature of some tradespeople who get irate when an 'amateur' dabbles ineptly in their trade, I understand that the amateur may be putting life and property at risk through fire or electrocution from the 'electricians' viewpoint and yet the electrician is quite happy to 'slap some cement on' ... or gypsum based plaster! This in terms of a historic property could be death to it. Major structural collapse, though perhaps rarer than electrical faults can be just as deadly!

If I were you I would put as much effort into researching the construction methods and materials of the property that you intend to work upon as you put into the design and installation of the electrics. A good place to start would be to contact Mike Wye & Associates in Devon. I would strongly advise your family member to do likewise unless they have already sought expert advice on the material in their project. Sadly the 'modern' builder ... or electrician with their mass produced high tech solutions will almost certainly not understand the 'canvas' upon which they paint and are highly likely to cause permanent and untold damage however humble the picture. Cob and lime renders are after all as I am finding with traditional approaches to lime mortars in Scotland very much a lost art that many are trying to resurrect. Unfortunately an irreplaceable body of knowledge and skill has been lost since the turn of the 20th Century and it takes trial and often costly error to reacquire.

Unfortunately, the desire of the householder for a 'modern' home with 'historic' features also leads to a major conflict of interest! Hidden wiring and sleek modern looks are at odds with the undulations of a 'hand made' cob wall. Someone has mentioned surface mounting; done well in perhaps MICC this might be more 'in keeping' with the historic fabric of the building. More challenging and costly in materials sadly but no chasing!

 

[GB.Kayak]

Good luck then, make sure you have plenty of sand and cement.

I hope that my post a moment ago causes no offence ... but as another has said ... S&C! I can hear that poor building shifting on its foundations ... if only they could talk an tell us how they might be sensitively repaired!

 

[GB.Kayak]

To all Mods out there ... 'historic' properties present a unique set of 'problems' or challenges that electrical installers face together with the fact that few know about or will have come across the construction methods and materials in their training. The inevitable result is that when it comes to 'making good' the methods and materials used are often those that may be acceptable in a late 20th Century home but may cause more rapid decay and damage to the original fabric of the building. Might it be worth providing a section of the forum devoted to the special cases of electrical installations in 'historic' buildings.

 

[Darkwood]

To all Mods out there ... 'historic' properties present a unique set of 'problems' or challenges that electrical installers face together with the fact that few know about or will have come across the construction methods and materials in their training. The inevitable result is that when it comes to 'making good' the methods and materials used are often those that may be acceptable in a late 20th Century home but may cause more rapid decay and damage to the original fabric of the building. Might it be worth providing a section of the forum devoted to the special cases of electrical installations in 'historic' buildings.

High GB.Kayak ...I have flagged the post for staff attention and we will look into your request and let you know as soon as we have discussed the matter.

Thankyou!

Sorry for the delay in seeing your post, if you have any further ideas we have a section especially for members to post this type of request and will get our attention quicker.
http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/electrical-forum-news-updates-suggestions/

 

[Dave OCD]

I hope that my post a moment ago causes no offence ... but as another has said ... S&C! I can hear that poor building shifting on its foundations ... if only they could talk an tell us how they might be sensitively repaired!

None taken mate and in fact I was only thinking of cement for fixing the boxes in with, knowing how unlikely it is to get a decent fixing in cob. I wouldn't chase cob walls unless there was an expert on hand to make good with appropriate materials.

 

[PEG]

To all Mods out there ... 'historic' properties present a unique set of 'problems' or challenges that electrical installers face together with the fact that few know about or will have come across the construction methods and materials in their training. The inevitable result is that when it comes to 'making good' the methods and materials used are often those that may be acceptable in a late 20th Century home but may cause more rapid decay and damage to the original fabric of the building. Might it be worth providing a section of the forum devoted to the special cases of electrical installations in 'historic' buildings.

Not a bad idea...for similar issues,i have,over the years,amassed a small library of journals,written and printed when these properties were being constructed.
They give the methods and materials used,and although current laws regarding poisons,explosives and HSE,do not always allow a like for like approach,it can guide one to making an excellent compromise,which is most times,the best outcome.

...We watch this space...:aureola: