Electrician Jobs Kitchen rewire and new main board

[Kitty0307]

Is it totally naive of me to think that if the sockets and lights are all working fine - and the previous owners were using them without issue- then we could put off work until after Christmas? Feel free to say if I'm being naive here. Would I be as well to get a condition report/safety check done to see if that's an option?

I'm not too sure why the cooker can't be installed as things stand as the last homeowner had a cooker- the switch and socket was removed as they were doing damp proofing to the kitchen wall. I guess maybe because the house's electrics are so outdated? At this rate we'll be having an outdoor Bbq in the Scottish snow for Christmas dinner

 

[Kitty0307]

I didn’t know there even was electricity in the Scottish Borders?

Blimey!

There's even internet now!

 

[Kitty0307]

Welcome

I think you need to be a little bit more precise about your location...... Scottish Borders as a little vague IMHO

It's not that vague hehe....near Berwick Upon Tweed.

 

[telectrix]

Ha! Thanks for your reply not putting me off - it's sort of what I expected to be honest. We've been quoted £850 Just for the kitchen rewire and £700 for replacing the main board..felt this was kind of high but then I don't know anything about electrics so who am I to say?!
We got told rewiring the lights in the house would be more on top of this (and obviously any other rooms we choose to do later more again). What does anybody think?

does sound ott. esp for the main board. we have a member lives scottish borders.might get back soon.and as fot the lead sheathed cable.if the core insulation has not degraded. it might be good for a few more years. you need an honest sparks to assess what's needed.

 

[Kitty0307]

Is there a rush?

Not really - we were just planning to get our cooker hooked up and a cooker switch installed and were going to make do until after New Year, at which point we would look at what needed to be done.

However had an electrician out the other day who said that wasn't possible, house needed new main board, kitchen would need rewired and lights were unsafe and should be disconnected and all rewired.

Left me in a bit of a panic to be honest as we knew it would need doing at some point but didn't expect to have to have it done right now just to get a cooker put in!

 

[Kitty0307]

does sound ott. esp for the main board. we have a member lives scottish borders.might get back soon.and as fot the lead sheathed cable.if the core insulation has not degraded. it might be good for a few more years. you need an honest sparks to assess what's needed.

Thanks for the opinion Just the time of year too I guess, struggling to get anybody to come out and give us an assessment and quote. Note to self: Don't buy a house and move a few weeks before Christmas. We put the offer in back in June, so it's taken a while!

 

[Kitty0307]

To start things off, I would charge around £400ish for a bog standard dual RCD CU change, including short distance meter tail change, but not including replacment of any required gas & water bonding.

Rewires were not my bag.

Thanks, that's helpful Our quote is double that although I don't know what exactly is included and am a bit in the dark!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is it totally naive of me to think that if the sockets and lights are all working fine - and the previous owners were using them without issue- then we could put off work until after Christmas? Feel free to say if I'm being naive here. Would I be as well to get a condition report/safety check done to see if that's an option?

You are being naive, I'm afraid. If you have lead-covered cables, they will be rubber insulated and that is decades past its use by date. Just sneeze near that stuff and it will pop.There's no point having a condition report. From what you have said already, it will be unsatisfactory on many levels. It may be operational, but for how long.

I'm not too sure why the cooker can't be installed as things stand as the last homeowner had a cooker- the switch and socket was removed as they were doing damp proofing to the kitchen wall. I guess maybe because the house's electrics are so outdated?

New electrical work has to be done to today's standards, and your fusebox etc don't comply. Sorry.

PS, do not do any decorating work, or put down new floor coverings etc until ALL electrical (and other work like plumbing) has been 100% completed.

 

[Silly Sausage]

What did your pre-purchase house survey say about the condition of the electrics? Assuming you had one.
Re Rewire: have you thought of getting a caravan in the garden while the electricians do their stuff? Save a hell of a lot of time/man hours (i.e. cash!) if they've got an empty house to work on.

 

[Michael Sands]

I travel to most north Berwick areas every day mostly Coldstream ,Eyemouth and surrounding areas if you are still not sorted for Christmas cooking I could fit a small consumer unit just for kitchen to get you by but by the way you described the wiring you do really need all work done at same time because your house would most likely have to be ripped apart every time a new area is done you could maybe consider running all new circuits to all areas and then complete one room at a time
Sounds a bit counter productive but if money is tight at least it’s an option

 

[The Ghost]

Frankly I would try to think of a way to do the whole shebang in one go. It will be cheaper. I know our local authority do offer loans to make homes safe as part of a national initiative to make homes safe and sound and warm. Perhaps just perhaps you should consider such??? I can very much resonate with the idea of paying up front and there are sound financial reasons for that. However there are other ramifications you should consider. For instance with wiring as descibed it is possible something may befall the property and your insurance would not cover you. I am sorry if that sounds alarmist but I have no interest or profit to make from your situation and such is offered on a purely best advice basis.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Basically I want to find somebody competent who isn't going to charge us the earth and can come out before Christmas to do the essentials for us - the rest after New Year

sorry kitty cat have you got a budget ,It would cost more to do separate jobs then a full rewire .
back and forth .a lot of customer say can you come back when I found a couple of quid in the long pockets .

 

[buzzlightyear]

I travel to most north Berwick areas every day mostly Coldstream ,Eyemouth and surrounding areas if you are still not sorted for Christmas cooking I could fit a small consumer unit just for kitchen to get you by but by the way you described the wiring you do really need all work done at same time because your house would most likely have to be ripped apart every time a new area is done you could maybe consider running all new circuits to all areas and then complete one room at a time
Sounds a bit counter productive but if money is tight at least it’s an option

what ,no money atoll. their is a lot of violins on the post .

 

[Midwest]

Well going out on the raggedly edge here, but as the thing has been minding its own business for the last 60 years, and you have no plans to mess around with it for the next few months, and aren't going to install the next latest induction hob for Xmas or hankering after a zillion watt electrical shower, it might be good for the next few months?

 

[streamer]

Hi Kitty, where in the Borders are you? I'm flat out just now so probably won't be much help to you but I do know some other electricians who might be able to help, depending on where you are.
@littlespark might be interested, I think he is in Chirnside.