rewire questions

[andekoch]

I am quoting on a rewire of an existing house (4 bed) where the owners will not be vacating while I do the work. So this leads to a few logistical questions that I would like your opinions on.
Am having to add a lot of new plug points (currently only 1 single plug per room).

1) what do you do for power and lighting while work is in progress and so the owners can cook and watch telly at night?

2) the owners want the existing plug points raised above the skirting level but not as high as the current 450mm above floor. My understanding of the building regs (part M) is that this is acceptable since the 450mm is for new build only and rewires can be left as they are or improved to make them closer to the current standards as long as they are no worse off the before the work commences.

3) also i am not allowed to lift the ground floor and need to work under the floor in the crawl space (mixing with the rats and spiders). what good ideas have you guys got to minise the time spent down there to run the new cables. I cant think of anything myself (other than send the apprentice down).

4) how do you channel behind the skirting boards. I am thinking of channelling down to the skirting and then drilling the rest so the skirting board can stay on.



so many questions so little time.

 

[robsparx]

1. leave the existing circuits live and dont touch them while you start to wire your new circuits. wire all your new socket positions and just leave cables ready to go to the existing point if you are having a socket there. same with the lights, you can just pull out the cables next to the existing light/switch. Then when you have enough circuits wired, change the CU (if youre doing this) and second fix a couple of circuits. failing that, if you want to rip out straight away, wire a few temporary sockets next to the CU and they can trail extension leads around the house

2. as its a rewire they dont have to be at part p height.

3. not sure really, would have to see it with my own eyes. just send the apprentice down there!

4. chase out the wall down to the skirting, then drill down behind it, and maybe get a thinner chisel in there. i'm not sure how the regs stand about having your conduit/capping covering the cable behind the skirting aswell. i always try and get the oval conduit all the way down behind the skirting to the floorboard

 

[Had8Lives]

1) I've seen my old boss put henly blocks in so you can run both the old and new boards at the same time. That way you can connect up new circuits as you go.

2) and 4) already answered.

3) Cable rods (£10 in Proper Job for a set of 10 with hooks) can be very useful for feeding cable under floors. Make sure you clip the cable as far as you can, I appreciate to fully comply it should be one clip every 250mm but sometimes that's just not practical in a re-wire. (Oh! please don't take up my wonderful floor, I've just stained it artistically with my coffee!)

 

[andekoch]

Thanks guys.

Another question. There are 40 new plugs to go in and 15 replaced lights with 17 new switches to fit (current ones are wooden backed). Plus new plug, light and switch to run to new conservatory.
As said before cant lift downstairs floorboards so need to work from inside the crawl space.

Owners are not moving out so lots of moving stuff plus cleaning up each day and keeping lights and plugs live.

My guess is this is 3.5 - 4 weeks work (for one person plus an assistant for a few days while running the cables in the crawl space) to allow for messing about.

How long do you think (I know you really need to see it to be accurate)?

thanks

 

[cheeky_blue]

Screwfix have an sds channeling bit for chasing out behind the skirting boards without removing them. It works well Armeg SDS Plus Skirting Board Chisel 20mm - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

 

[Lofty]

Hi, WRT getting behind the skirting boards I have one of the SDS chisels as descibed by 'Cheeky Blue ' and it works well and is not that expensive.

Cheers,
Lofty

 

[ecclescake]

Thanks guys.

Another question. There are 40 new plugs to go in and 15 replaced lights with 17 new switches to fit (current ones are wooden backed). Plus new plug, light and switch to run to new conservatory.
As said before cant lift downstairs floorboards so need to work from inside the crawl space.

Owners are not moving out so lots of moving stuff plus cleaning up each day and keeping lights and plugs live.

My guess is this is 3.5 - 4 weeks work (for one person plus an assistant for a few days while running the cables in the crawl space) to allow for messing about.

How long do you think (I know you really need to see it to be accurate)?

thanks

I smell a 6 week wonder. No wonder the house bashers on here are losing work. Plug i think you mean socket. Just remember brown to brown and blue to bits.

 

[senor_fabulous]

Occupied rewire. Make sure you have plenty of dust sheets. A good chasing tool, attatched to a decent hoover, and keep checking for blockages, lumps of brick etc. Goggles and gloves. I would not reccmmend using an angle grinder and hoover as this creates way to much dust and it will **** off the homeowner and make you look like a chancer. Use a good old 3 or 4lb hammer and bolster, a scutch chisel is invaluable to mark out your chase and to chop out socket and switch boxes. If the wall is really hard brick/concrete then pepper it with holes, oval capping is great for all your drops. I would say that the kitchen is where most of the work will be, leave that till last, you could be lucky they might be fitting a new one and you could fit it for them, as an extra of course. I would do the work 1. upstairs lights 2. downstairs lights 3. upstairs ring 4 downstairs ring, conservatory, kitchen then swap the board over. Rip out the old and ring your plasterer. Go to pub.

 

[scotsparky]

eccles i wouldnt know how to do it. Nerver done domestic and been in the game 20 years.

 

[ecclescake]

eccles i wouldnt know how to do it. Nerver done domestic and been in the game 20 years.

Neither have I but I could still do it but i bet you dont call them plugs. Beat you by one 21 years

 

[senor_fabulous]

eccles and scots I hear what your saying. Industrial commecial man myself, not been in the game as long but the old house bashing is good to know. But occupied re-wires can be a horror . You could get blamed for all sorts, breakages scratches stains some people really do try it on for a bit of compo. Saying that we can do house bashing, but house bashers would not have a clue in our game.

 

[ecclescake]

eccles and scots I hear what your saying. Industrial commecial man myself, not been in the game as long but the old house bashing is good to know. But occupied re-wires can be a horror . You could get blamed for all sorts, breakages scratches stains some people really do try it on for a bit of compo. Saying that we can do house bashing, but house bashers would not have a clue in our game.

Well said

 

[daniel hill]

For doing the under floor i would recomend using fishes to shove down where u have drilled down then tie on to the fish makes it alot easier

normaly wen we are house bashing we 1ST day get boards up and drill out ang get all wires in for lighting and up ring drop any fitting to get lights through also on some switches you could pull down if are tubes and would aim to get them done infirst day and joing them in to old cu,

2nd day get up sockets done and apprentic in loft and aim to get up lights in and in to old cu

3rd day get under floor wired and choped in and temp it in to cu so old can be taken out

4th day get the kitchen done all chop chanel ect

5th day get on with mains

well thats how we do it at work with just 2 of us

easy week with how u are talking about the job and to quote above us house bashers do no our industrial as at sec we alternate

danny

 

[paulthe spark]

5 days to do a rewire? that seems a long time considering the rewire squads in my company do a rewire a day, 2 sparks to a house, usually, sitting in the pub by 2 ocklock, you must be on a hourerly rate daniel its all pricework up here

 

[Jono Pashley]

5 days to do a rewire? that seems a long time considering the rewire squads in my company do a rewire a day, 2 sparks to a house, usually, sitting in the pub by 2 ocklock, you must be on a hourerly rate daniel its all pricework up here

4 bedroom house in a day? give it a rest mate