Rewire while house occupied. - Tips and strategies?

[1Justin]

I'll be quoting this week on a 1950's rewire. House occupied by couple with young lad. They might be able to take the odd long weekend away but basically I'm working round them.

They understand there will be mess, and I've said I can channel where necessary only with bolster/chisel to reduce dust. The old CU is a dangerous mess, lighting is rubber (but in metal wall conduit which should help replacement in some of the places). Sockets are 1980's white T&E and very DIY. Carpets are either up or expendable.

There is not much space where the CU will go. I might grab an old 2 way CU to give me temporary power (via RCD socket) while I selectively take down the rest.

Exact strategy would depend on circumstance, but got any tips for when folks want to stay in the house throughout?

 

[PEM]

I'd recommend you check your PL insurance. Young ones have a knack of finding that loose board nail and treading on it.

With occupied rewire double check at end of day everything is safe from little hands.

Also if mains smoke detectors if these cant be left working at end of everyday temporary fix a couple of battery jobs. Customers will appreciate your efforts in keeping them safe.

Good luck mate.

 

[dan86]

Also if mains smoke detectors if these cant be left working at end of everyday temporary fix a couple of battery jobs. Customers will appreciate your efforts in keeping them safe.

good tip that

 

[oldtimer]

Preperation is the name of the game and managing the tenant/customer I don't do rewires but when I do say an alarm I advise them to empty the cupboard it is going in and move any breakables .

 

[Guitarist]

It always makes me laugh when people spend ages dressing their CU's to perfection, then pull them all the pieces again to do the testing. Doesn't make sense to me.

Haha, yeah. Better not look in mine before final dressing, just a birds nest

 

[Stroppy]

Bit like mine after!

 

[telectrix]

quote 4 grand. get a couple of poles in to do it for a grand and a half, then pocket £2500. ssiimppless.

 

[trev]

It always makes me laugh when people spend ages dressing their CU's to perfection, then pull them all the pieces again to do the testing. Doesn't make sense to me.

It makes far more sense to get the cables in, stripped, tested then dressed

 

[rmc86uk]

I'd recommend you check your PL insurance. Young ones have a knack of finding that loose board nail and treading on it.

When I did decent homes rewires a few year back the lady tenant stood on a nail after the first day when the boards were back down. The next day was only my second day on the firm and we got a right telling off from the gaffer but nobody owned up!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Haha, yeah. Better not look in mine before final dressing, just a birds nest

best way though...as you only have to disturb the conductors when doing an r1 r2 rn/(R1 R2)...
i tend to whip the busbar off and drop the neutrals & CPCs down behind it...then bank them back up and into the respective bars....this leaves enough on `em for future alterations...but also keeps `em tidy....
i do this before starting terminations into any of the breakers....