Can I get away without a full rewire?

[SarahR]

Hi
My house has only one ring main which runs EVERYTHING - including boiler, electric fan oven, shower plus all the usual appliances. Although a new RCD was installed before I bought the property nothing else electrical was undertaken, something I now need to address.
My problem is that we're living in the property, have two children and my partner runs his business from home so I'm wondering if we could get away with putting the kitchen on its own circuit, and that would suffice?
The house is about 120 years old, two-storey at the back and three at the front; it is split level inside, kitchen at the back (leads out to the garden) and the RCD is located at the front of the property in a ground floor room so there is a landing and stairs between the two.
So, is it feasible and what would a ball-park cost for this be??
Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[David Prosser]

My opinion based on what you've told us would be no you need a new installation. This could be carried out while your existing one is left energised (assuming it safe) and you will get all new circuits installed without interfering with the existing circuits. Once this is completed the old kit can be removed.

Price wise no idea. Advertise the work on here if you don't have any recommended electricians your friends or family know.

 

[Midwest]

I’m afraid it would not be possible to say whether you need a rewire or not. Your property would need to be inspected by a competent electrician. A single RCD must cause you problems, with nuisance tripping, especially if your running a business from home. So alteration, partial rewire or full rewire, might be beneficial.

You could have an electrical installation condition report carried out, but if it’s very old, I would spend the money on alteration.

 

[Pete999]

Hi
My house has only one ring main which runs EVERYTHING - including boiler, electric fan oven, shower plus all the usual appliances. Although a new RCD was installed before I bought the property nothing else electrical was undertaken, something I now need to address.
My problem is that we're living in the property, have two children and my partner runs his business from home so I'm wondering if we could get away with putting the kitchen on its own circuit, and that would suffice?
The house is about 120 years old, two-storey at the back and three at the front; it is split level inside, kitchen at the back (leads out to the garden) and the RCD is located at the front of the property in a ground floor room so there is a landing and stairs between the two.
So, is it feasible and what would a ball-park cost for this be??
Any advice greatly appreciated!

Hi Sarah and welcome,
Impossible to say without a full inspection of the installation, as for costing that again is impossible to say accurately.

 

[Risteard]

Judging by what you have stated in your opening post I suspect that it's highly likely that the electrical installation is life expired.

 

[SarahR]

I’m afraid it would not be possible to say whether you need a rewire or not. Your property would need to be inspected by a competent electrician. A single RCD must cause you problems, with nuisance tripping, especially if your running a business from home. So alteration, partial rewire or full rewire, might be beneficial.

You could have an electrical installation condition report carried out, but if it’s very old, I would spend the money on alteration.

Thanks for the reply.
Surprisingly we have had no issue with overloading the circuit, but I take your point in that it would probably benefit me to have a report done in the first instance.
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Hi Sarah and welcome,
Impossible to say without a full inspection of the installation, as for costing that again is impossible to say accurately.

Thanks for the reply - I think a full inspection is my next course of action, and will take it from there.

 

[littlespark]

Looking at the age of the property, the wiring may be old, medium old very very old.

it’s an option to just install a new circuit for the kitchen, but it may be better in the long run to have a full rewire.
over the years there may we’ll have been work done on the property that isn’t exactly up to standards.

Just read your response about never tripping the rcd. I hope it’s working properly
The rcd doesn’t trip on overload, but on earth faults. Have you ever tried the test button on it?

 

[Midwest]

Thanks for the reply.
Surprisingly we have had no issue with overloading the circuit, but I take your point in that it would probably benefit me to have a report done in the first instance.

You could do, but that may well be a few hundred pounds. Have you any idea of the age of your electrical install?

 

[Pete999]

Thanks for the reply.
Surprisingly we have had no issue with overloading the circuit, but I take your point in that it would probably benefit me to have a report done in the first instance.
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Thanks for the reply - I think a full inspection is my next course of action, and will take it from there.

Good for you, I wouldn't tell tt\he inspector you are contemplating a rewire, the unscrupulous ones will fail the installation, let him do the test and inspection and see what he says, good luck

 

[SarahR]

Looking at the age of the property, the wiring may be old, medium old very very old.

it’s an option to just install a new circuit for the kitchen, but it may be better in the long run to have a full rewire.
over the years there may we’ll have been work done on the property that isn’t exactly up to standards.

Just read your response about never tripping the rcd. I hope it’s working properly
The rcd doesn’t trip on overload, but on earth faults. Have you ever tried the test button on it?

No, never. I suspect its been at least 20-30 years since anything was done electrically....that appears to have been the case with the plumbing anyway.

 

[telectrix]

it might benefit you to firstly get a brief inspection to determine the approx. age and condition of the installation. then if it's considered to be of no immediate or potential risk at present, take advice on the way forward. might be an idea to install a circuit for the kitchen and do the rest in stages if a rewire is needed.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - it does sound like significant work will be required. Many Electricians are happy to do a free quote and someone here may be local to you.

Just as something to discuss, at the small end it could be £1k for a new power circuit, new consumer unit and a couple of fix ups. It may be there is no earthing to light fittings or old cables that are degrading that might drive the decision to invest in a new electrical installation.

 

[telectrix]

pete999 is in northampton, but like me he's a coffin dodger. it's OK getting to a job, but remembering how to get back home is sometimes a problem.

 

[davesparks]

Hi
My house has only one ring main which runs EVERYTHING - including boiler, electric fan oven, shower plus all the usual appliances. Although a new RCD was installed before I bought the property nothing else electrical was undertaken, something I now need to address.
My problem is that we're living in the property, have two children and my partner runs his business from home so I'm wondering if we could get away with putting the kitchen on its own circuit, and that would suffice?
The house is about 120 years old, two-storey at the back and three at the front; it is split level inside, kitchen at the back (leads out to the garden) and the RCD is located at the front of the property in a ground floor room so there is a landing and stairs between the two.
So, is it feasible and what would a ball-park cost for this be??
Any advice greatly appreciated!

What has prompted you to consider having the property rewired or new circuits installed?
Has something happened?
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Could you post some pictures that may help us to estimate the age of the installation and any obvious problems?
Pictures of the electricity meter and associated equipment, the new RCD, the consumer unit/fusebox, an example of any surface mounted cables, an example of the type of pendant light fittings used.
and if you are confident in unscrewing the cap from a pendant/ceiling rose a picture of the connections inside this may also help.

 

[Pete999]

Judging by what you have stated in your opening post I suspect that it's highly likely that the electrical installation is life expired.

pete999 is in northampton, but like me he's a coffin dodger. it's OK getting to a job, but remembering how to get back home is sometimes a problem.

Already PMd Sarah with an offer of a looksee and post code, if you reading this get in touch with me