Should I have an electrical engineer inspection on a Victorian conversion purchase?

FataVerde

My surveyor recommended an electrical engineer inspection. He told me what he saw looked like DIY. I already knew it's not up to standards and I'm ok with it. I just don;t want to have to do a full rewiring of the place. I also know surveyors always recommend this to cover themselves so trying to decide what's best to do. Here are the photos of the meter and consumer unit:

Doozergirl

That is an old consumer unit. That's not going to tell you if there's dodgy wiring elsewhere but it does suggest that it hasn't been touched by a professional for a very long time, so it certainly doesn't dismiss that theory.  It also suggests that you're probably going to be short of the number of plug sockets warranted for the 21st Century.  

Rewiring isn't just about what is there, it's about making life convenient for you and being safe by reducing the number of extension leads you need to use.  

caprikid1

Would be useful to take the cover off to see if it is wired fuses or something slightly safer has be retrofitted in their place.

martindow

It looks as if the meter has been replaced recently.  I would imagine that the electrician would not any work on a system that was intrinsically dangerous.

FataVerde

martindow said:

It looks as if the meter has been replaced recently.  I would imagine that the electrician would not any work on a system that was intrinsically dangerous.

Does the meter box look newer? I struggled to make out the date on the note next to it, but it's not visible.

martindow

FataVerde said:

martindow said:

It looks as if the meter has been replaced recently.  I would imagine that the electrician would not any work on a system that was intrinsically dangerous.

Does the meter box look newer? I struggled to make out the date on the note next to it, but it's not visible.

I thought it looked as if a new meter had replaced an earlier larger one leaving a patch of wall above that had not been painted white.

dimbo61

So when you walked around the property did you notice how many double sockets in each room ?
Lots of extension sockets with 2/3/4/5 plugs ?
Old fashioned round light switches ?
I would budget for a complete rewire soon 

FataVerde

dimbo61 said:

So when you walked around the property did you notice how many double sockets in each room ?
Lots of extension sockets with 2/3/4/5 plugs ?
Old fashioned round light switches ?
I would budget for a complete rewire soon 

I didn't notice this (new to the UK too), but my survey did mention it and noted the extension cords in the living room. I expected the wiring was old but not that I'd need a full rewiring soon.

FreeBear

The fuse box dates from the 1970s (give or take), and PVC cables have a life expectancy of 50-70 years. On that basis, a rewire may be on the cards within the next 10 years. If nothing else, it is probably worthwhile replacing the fuse box with a modern consumer unit just for the RCD protection one gives.

doodling

Hi,

The installation doesn't look dangerous but it probably meets the standards of the 1980s rather than the 2020s.

The means that:

1. You probably have rewireable fuses.  On the plus side they are a lot less susceptible to nuisance "tripping", on the minus side, they are fiddly to rewire and you need to have some fuse wire of the correct rating on hand in the event that one blows.  This is easy to change if you want to - Wylex sell MCBs which plug into the same "sockets" in the consumer unit as the rewireable fuses.
2. The rest of the house is probably wired to the standards of the 1980s in terms of the number and location of electric sockets and lights.
3. There will be no RCD protection.  This means that if you make holes in walls without checking for buried cables, stick your fingers in the light fittings when changing bulbs, use electrical appliances when you or they are wet or use appliances or extension leads with damaged cables or insulation then there is an increased risk of fatal electric shock.

Personally I would be happy to live in such a house from a safety perspective but I would be a lot more cautious about making holes in walls or using power tools outside (especially things like hedge trimmers or lawn mowers where accidentally cutting the cable is easy).  I would however have "replace the consumer unit" or "rewire the house" (depending on whether there are sufficient sockets to meet my needs) on my list of things to be done as soon as time / money permits.

Obviously everyone's risk tolerance is different (and changes as soon as something bad happens!) so you need to form your own opinion as to how urgent any work on the electrical system is.

FataVerde

doodling said:

Hi,

The installation doesn't look dangerous but it probably meets the standards of the 1980s rather than the 2020s.

The means that:

1. You probably have rewireable fuses.  On the plus side they are a lot less susceptible to nuisance "tripping", on the minus side, they are fiddly to rewire and you need to have some fuse wire of the correct rating on hand in the event that one blows.  This is easy to change if you want to - Wylex sell MCBs which plug into the same "sockets" in the consumer unit as the rewireable fuses.
2. The rest of the house is probably wired to the standards of the 1980s in terms of the number and location of electric sockets and lights.
3. There will be no RCD protection.  This means that if you make holes in walls without checking for buried cables, stick your fingers in the light fittings when changing bulbs, use electrical appliances when you or they are wet or use appliances or extension leads with damaged cables or insulation then there is an increased risk of fatal electric shock.

Personally I would be happy to live in such a house from a safety perspective but I would be a lot more cautious about making holes in walls or using power tools outside (especially things like hedge trimmers or lawn mowers where accidentally cutting the cable is easy).  I would however have "replace the consumer unit" or "rewire the house" (depending on whether there are sufficient sockets to meet my needs) on my list of things to be done as soon as time / money permits.

Obviously everyone's risk tolerance is different (and changes as soon as something bad happens!) so you need to form your own opinion as to how urgent any work on the electrical system is.

    Thank you so much for the feedback. Definitely puts things in perspective. It's clear to me the current have lived in this place so I am fairly sure the electrics and boiler are functioning but in need of some modernisation. I'll have to consider priorities, indeed!