Rewire question

80schild

We have just bought a house which was built in the 1960s and has not ever been rewired (although a new fuse box has been put in-all be it without an RCD unit).

We have instructed an electrician to do what he needs to make the house safe which IMO is a full rewire. However he has now said that the plug sockets are earthed so don't need doing. He is doing the lighting and water and heating to ptu an Earth in (lights still had the twisted wires with fabric coating). He has said that he will put in a RCD in the fuse box-after I asked him!

Money is tight so I don't want to spend unnecessarily, however I want it all done in one go so we don't need further work done in say 5 years time. What are your opinions here? Surely the plug sockets will need a rewire if this haven't been done since the 60s-however I feel stupid insisting on it if the professional says they are ok!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

I would do the whole lot in one go.

But I would use someone else

KillerWatt

If th lighting has been done in VIR, I'd expect the sockets are the same.

As 1984 says, get someone in who will do the whole lot in one go as 50 years without a rewire is somewhat expectational and I wouldn't be surprised if the new RCD showed up other underlying faults in the existing wiring once it's commisioned.

muskoka

yes, be careful. When the new RCD is fitted it may well show up various faults........

maggiesmummy

JUst asked OH who is a qualified electrician with 20 years under his belt and he said have it done as there's little point on doing half a job.
Also he recommended checking if your spark is accredited through NAPIT or NICEIC and will certify the work for you.
If you are in the Midlands and want another quote let me know!
MM

80schild

Thanks! I will insist he does all of it-think the problem was my husband gave him the impression we were hard up and only wanted doing what was absolutely necessary and also that we didn't want the decorating disturbing! He grew up in an ancient farm house which probably didnt even have electricity lol where as I am very safety conscious so I will be instructing the spark to do a full rewire!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

80schild wrote: »

Thanks! I will insist he does all of it

Unless he was under your persuasion to only recommend half a job I would find someone else.

keystone

80schild wrote: »

............so I will be instructing the spark to do a full rewire!

Did you get him to do a full Periodic Inspection or is he recommending what you should have done based on a bit of judgement based on experience? If not you should have one done (£130 - £150) so that there is a record of what needs doing backed up by test/inspection results. Thats the baseline from which to agree the Scope Of Work.

I also think you will be putting him in an invidious position if you countermand the instructions given to him by your husband without consulting your husband and reaching agreement yourselves first. He could well proceed with your instructions only to have your OH refuse to pay his bill on the grounds that the work invoiced exceeded that which he had agreed.

Cheers