House Rewire Advice Needed

[Electric101]

Hello

New to the forum and looking for some advice.

I have purchased a house that requires a full rewire as it has old rubber wiring, spurs on spurs and a 13-amp socket drawing current of a light fitting! I've had some professional electricians round to discuss what's need and provide quotes, but each is saying different things are required of the new wiring, leaving me unsure which is giving the best / correct solution.

The property is a 3-bed semi-detached and I am looking at having:

Downstairs - 8 double sockets and 3 light fixtures in the living room, 4 double sockets and 9down lights in the kitchen with an oven and built in microwave; a hob and a hood. Also need a double socket and light to a conservatory and the same to a garage (both attached to exterior walls of house).

Upstairs - 10 double sockets and 4 light fixtures spread between 3 bedrooms and landing. A shower, towel rail, and six down lights in the bathroom.

I also need to have electric heating through-out and a water heater as no gas supply.

I've been told different requirements from having one ring main for all the sockets and one lighting circuit, up to five ring mains (downstairs, kitchen, upstairs, heating and external) and 3 lighting circuits. Each has said separate circuits for the shower and the oven.

I'm hoping I can get a consensus of what the best installation would be so I can hire the right electrician.

Thanks in Advance

 

[TJ Anderson]

1 lighting circuit with 2 floors won't comply with regs and 1 ring final is poor design. So discard that one.


The 2nd one...."The Ring Master" lol.Interesting. Heating and External rings? What are they powering exactly?

 

[TJ Anderson]

.

 

[littlespark]

one ring final circuit and one lighting circuit? Whaaaaat?!

minimum, 3 rings. upstairs, downstairs and kitchen.
lighting, upstairs and downstairs.

individual radial circuits for oven, shower, towel rail and each heater.
(are you thinking electric radiators, eg Rionte or Haverland or a central electric boiler and wet radiators?)

Requirements for garage - depends on usage. It could be a socket spurred off the nearest room, or a dedicated circuit if you're thinking of turning it into a workshop.

Has anyone mentioned smoke detectors, data points, TV?
Now is the time to run cables for things like that as well.

 

[Jim_e_Jib]

More than one lighting circuit would be a good idea as would a separate circuit for the kitchen sockets as these tend to be higher load appliances.

Each heater will likely require it's own circuit, these would usually be radials rather than ring final circuits.

Did each electrician explain the reasoning for their proposals?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

From the most basic you would be looking at light circuits for rach floor, socket circuit for each floor and maybe a seperate circuit for kitchen sockets. a cooker circuit, one for the immersion and then your heating. you can then factor in any outdoor bits.
where abouts are you located? as there will be somebody on here close by who might be willing to quote or advise?

 

[BES.Online]

Agree with the general consensus of three rings, two lighting cct’s and individual radials for cooker, shower, water heater etc, but with all electric appliances you may need to consider the total load or ‘max demand’ and ensure your service fuse is upto the job?

 

[Electric101]

Thanks everyone for the fast responses. The overall view seems to be 3 ring mains, 2 light circuits and individual radials for the rest. To clarify a few of the questions asked:

The garage is on the outside wall of the living room and is just having a light and socket to use for things like hoovering the car or a radio. No workshop.

Heating is likely to be radiators, still researching what's going to be best for purposes.

Smoke alarms and data / entertainment cabling is on the list but there wasn't any variance in what the electricians advised.

Not sure on the size of the service fuse, I'll get it checked.

 

[rolyberkin]

3 x ring final circuits and minimum of 2 x lighting circuits, radials for smoke alarms, cooker, heating circuits. What have they recommended for a consumer unit? Rcbo or split load? Personally I no longer fit split load boards!

 

[Pete999]

Hello

New to the forum and looking for some advice.

I have purchased a house that requires a full rewire as it has old rubber wiring, spurs on spurs and a 13-amp socket drawing current of a light fitting! I've had some professional electricians round to discuss what's need and provide quotes, but each is saying different things are required of the new wiring, leaving me unsure which is giving the best / correct solution.

The property is a 3-bed semi-detached and I am looking at having:

Downstairs - 8 double sockets and 3 light fixtures in the living room, 4 double sockets and 9down lights in the kitchen with an oven and built in microwave; a hob and a hood. Also need a double socket and light to a conservatory and the same to a garage (both attached to exterior walls of house).

Upstairs - 10 double sockets and 4 light fixtures spread between 3 bedrooms and landing. A shower, towel rail, and six down lights in the bathroom.

I also need to have electric heating through-out and a water heater as no gas supply.

I've been told different requirements from having one ring main for all the sockets and one lighting circuit, up to five ring mains (downstairs, kitchen, upstairs, heating and external) and 3 lighting circuits. Each has said separate circuits for the shower and the oven.

I'm hoping I can get a consensus of what the best installation would be so I can hire the right electrician.

Thanks in Advance

Post up your lodation one of the members near you may offer to pay a visit and give you a price as well as advice.

 

[littlespark]

Reading another thread reminds me;

Stipulate neutrals at switch points for possible future additions of smart switches.

They probably will do it that way anyway, except the single ring guy... he’s maybe still thinking loop in at the light

 

[telectrix]

Reading another thread reminds me;

Stipulate neutrals at switch points for possible future additions of smart switches.

They probably will do it that way anyway, except the single ring guy... he’s maybe still thinking loop in at the light

can still loop at light and use 3core/E for switch drops. that way you have all bases covered. L, N, and S/L at all points.some smart gear has receivers at light position requiring perm L.

 

[rolyberkin]

can still loop at light and use 3core/E for switch drops. that way you have all bases covered. L, N, and S/L at all points.some smart gear has receivers at light position requiring perm L.

Every day is a learning day, never though of doing this! I like this, the switch plate method I find to be too busy and complete carnage when it comes to fault finding.

 

[telectrix]

Every day is a learning day, never though of doing this! I like this, the switch plate method I find to be too busy and complete carnage when it comes to fault finding.

i do it that way as standard these days.( except where downlights are concerned. then it's either loop at switch or do the switching in JB by first downlight.

 

[The Ghost]

I would observe that the different methods suggested, except for the one ring for them all and one lighting, the price would vary considerably I imagine and it is because of the methods employed in the different suggestions. So it is very much a case of you get what you pay for. Get a contract listing exactly what is to be done and the costing detailed. Bear in mind many electricians don't plaster or do carpeting and other ancillary work such as moving your possessions around. Ensure they are a member of a CPS scheme and have the correct insurance and that they will issue an electrical installation certificate at the end (EIC) Remember if you decide to change what was agreed it will cost extra!