Changing Light Switches-Help!

Purple-flower

Hello everyone,

I would like to change 10 light switches around the house from the old block plastic type to the slim chrome type. There is one place where there are two switches next to each other and I would like to change this to a single "twin" switch (I hope this is making sense!). I have had a look at various guides and things and not sure whether I would like to do the work myself.

Can you advise me as to how much this may cost roughly to have an electrician do all the switches in the hertfordshire area?

(I know everyone will be screaming at me to save the money and do it myself lol and really I would like to, but there is the issue of that double switch)

Any help is much appreciated, thank you!

stueyhants

It depends on how deep your back boxes are. The new slimline types tend to want deeper back boxes. I replaced all my sockets with flush chrome ones and I had no end of problems putting new deeper boxes in, but that was due to poor walls which made fixing the new boxes a nightmare.

grizzly1911

Just need to be careful with the two next to each other to check where the supply is coming from for each one. If one is a spur extension to another socket, ie you may be adding more load than it can take, or whether they are both on the ring main.

As PP said slimline covers will probably need deeper boxes in the wall needing a lot of chiseling, cutting. So cost will vary depending on that.

MX5huggy

As said the boxes could be an issue.

Then the complexity for DIY depends on how it was wired up. Sometime the lights are wired so the connection to the next light comes from the ceiling rose or in the switch, then there are 2way switches (typically on stairs) that can be wired a number of ways (some dodgy).

diable

You will have to remove the two back boxes where you have the two switches and replace it with a single box, deeper may be an idea and then fit a 2 gang switch. is this located in a through lounge, hallway or landing?

JMurph

"Can you advise me as to how much this may cost roughly to have an electrician do all the switches in the hertfordshire area?"

I'm not sure of the exact size of Hertfordshire, but my guess is it would cost quite a bit...

muckybutt

Expect to pay roughly £30 per hour ish plus parts if needed

muckybutt

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Just need to be careful with the two next to each other to check where the supply is coming from for each one. If one is a spur extension to another socket, ie you may be adding more load than it can take, or whether they are both on the ring main.

OP is talking about Light switches NOT sockets !

Purple-flower

Thank you for all you answers

Diable, the two switches are located in the hallway. Im still trying to work out why there would be two separate switches and not a twin switch, perhaps it was cheaper at the time.


About the back boxes, I'm not sure how deep they are but the plastic switch itself is quite bulky, I'm guessing it's a little old! The idea about the walls is interesting because throughout the house there are visible pipes. Not sure whether it's just the quick way to do things but it can be quite unsightly!

System

If you are fitting metal switch plates then there MUST be an earth wire running to the switch box. This is not always the case. If not then you are looking at a rewire.

Purple-flower

lol I think I'm just going to call a professional!

As an aside, the electricity company came to fit a new meter (something about the old one being old), who can I contact about removing the old meter because two meters are taking up space?