Electrical Rewire - Advice needed!

[kerry_s2002]

I would very much appreciate any advice regarding a rewire on a house with 2 bedrooms/2 reception rooms/1 kitchen/1 bathroom and combi boiler (if any of that information actually helps!).

I have just purchased the property and have arranged for 4 local electricians to provide quotes on Saturday (29th June) and I would like be able to ask the appropriate questions to understand the process and hopefully not to end up paying for something I might not actually need.

I appreciate that the electricians have to be NICEIC approved contractors and have the ability to provide an Electrical Installation Certificate upon completion. Is there anything else I should know?

Any and all advice/information is much appreciated!

 

[mtfpuk2011]

they dont have be niceci they can be napit eca elexcer .time of job and t and c and lead time

 

[mtfpuk2011]

and male sure they are part p register

 

[MTI]

You say rewire, it may not need a complete rewire. I say this as you mention rewire yet mention not wanting to pay for something you may or may not need. NICEIC is one thing and approved is another. NICEIC is just one scheme. id check competetantperson.co.uk too as you will find many installers and certain sites let you pick trustmark registered or not - I know elecsa do. hop this helps. It may also depend on your "needs" and scale of project and what you intend to do with the house eg: live in it or rent out or sell for profit. Id get a couple of sparks to give opinion and decide if you want to pay for a periodic inspection upfront or just go the whole hog so to speak but don't get me wrong, this isn't simply how we do things. any part p chap will be able to give you a contract up front and offer optional warranty

 

[Octopus]

Ask each of them to include on their written estimate the name of the scheme they are a member of PLUS their registration number. Then you can check on them.

Do you have a written spec for what you want? Its important that you compare apples with apples.

 

[KoFi]

A good Electrical contractor may not be a member of any of the mentioned schemes for various reasons.
also part p registered might not be a option for them (other legit methods of reporting to building control)
although generally a good pointer of workmanship standard.
but hey what do i know 34years experience time served Apprentice (days before crash course and certification sat before experience on site gained just my 2 pennyworth )!

A E.I.C.R (electrical inspection condition report) replaced p.i.r. (periodic inspection report) would be a starting point if not already done.

 

[Octopus]

A good Electrical contractor may not be a member of any of the mentioned schemes for various reasons.
also part p registered might not be a option for them (other legit methods of reporting to building control)
although generally a good pointer of workmanship standard.
but hey what do i know 34years experience time served Apprentice (days before crash course and certification sat before experience on site gained just my 2 pennyworth )!

A E.I.C.R (electrical inspection condition report) replaced p.i.r. (periodic inspection report) would be a starting point if not already done.

A valid point, but what I was trying to ensure is that the OP gets a decent spark involved who will ensure that the Part P "bit" is covered.

That said given Stroma only charge £250+ VAT and the others about £440 + VAT, 2 Part P jobs and scheme membership is probably a saving!

 

[thekingiam]

makes my blood boil when people say they need a niceic spark!

 

[Adam W]

As mentioned they don't specifically need to be members of NICEIC but could be members of another Part P competent persons' scheme such as Napit, Elecsa or BSI, or they could notify building control directly (which may work out more expensive).

It would be a good idea to have a think about what you want your rewire to do, how you would use the property and what you might want changed - do you simply want the old wires taken out and new ones put in, do you want extra sockets, extra lights, anything in different places, fancy switch plates, appliance sockets in the kitchen controlled by fused switches etc?

If you are refurbishing the entire property including new carpets, replastering, redecoration etc then now is the time to bring the property up to date electrically, for example although not a requirement for a rewire, new properties must have the sockets and switches at specified heights to enable use by people with restricted reach; if you're looking to sell the property or rent it out, getting this done may prove beneficial; at the very least it will make the property seem more 'up to date'.

 

[Octopus]

As mentioned they don't specifically need to be members of NICEIC but could be members of another Part P competent persons' scheme such as Napit, Elecsa or BSI, or they could notify building control directly (which may work out more expensive).

It would be a good idea to have a think about what you want your rewire to do, how you would use the property and what you might want changed - do you simply want the old wires taken out and new ones put in, do you want extra sockets, extra lights, anything in different places, fancy switch plates, appliance sockets in the kitchen controlled by fused switches etc?

If you are refurbishing the entire property including new carpets, replastering, redecoration etc then now is the time to bring the property up to date electrically, for example although not a requirement for a rewire, new properties must have the sockets and switches at specified heights to enable use by people with restricted reach; if you're looking to sell the property or rent it out, getting this done may prove beneficial; at the very least it will make the property seem more 'up to date'.

plus smokes!

 

[Mike66]

I appreciate that the electricians have to be NICEIC approved contractors and have the ability to provide an Electrical Installation Certificate upon completion. Is there anything else I should know?

Any and all advice/information is much appreciated![/QUOTE]

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. They will still need to be part p registered but most approved contractors will be. I have always looked at if that back in 1985 we chose to become Niceic approved. Not because some idiot in parliment told us to but because we wanted to be regulated and inspected because we had nothing to hide and were confident that our work complied with the regulations of the time. IMO the niceic have always been looked down upon by those who wanted to do as they please. There biggest mistake was to sale their souls and join the other money making brigades

 

[Adam W]

plus smokes!

Yes, those as well! Mains powered, interlinked, CO detector anywhere with gas appliances, heat detector in the kitchen... Also TV points, telephone points, socket in the loft for booster amplifier.... All things to consider.

 

[Octopus]

Yes, those as well! Mains powered, interlinked, CO detector anywhere with gas appliances, heat detector in the kitchen... Also TV points, telephone points, socket in the loft for booster amplifier.... All things to consider.

CAT5 or 6, garage power, shed power, underfloor heating, this list just goes on and on!

 

[Plonker 3]

They will still need to be part p registered

No they don't.

 

[Plonker 3]

I agree entirely. This is going to cause some controvery but at least if you go for someone who is NICEIC Approved you know that they are going to be properly qualified and not your Electrical Trainee that can come with the part p installers. They will still need to be part p registered but most approved contractors will be. I have always looked at if that back in 1985 we chose to become Niceic approved. Not because some idiot in parliment told us to but because we wanted to be regulated and inspected because we had nothing to hide and were confident that our work complied with the regulations of the time. IMO the niceic have always been looked down upon by those who wanted to do as they please. There biggest mistake was to sale their souls and join the other money making brigades

Makes sense now lol

I know my NICEIC inspector would be telling me I shouldnt be doing it. He made a comment when I installed a cooker isolator switch in a cupboard as per customers request.

Do you ever have inspections?