Will an EICR help me understand if the house needs a rewire or not?

littlemiss19

Hi everyone,

We bought a Victorian four-bed terrace which is in need of modernising. We had a local 'retired' electrician round to install a simple light and he said our house needs a rewire. However, we are not sure if it needs a rewire or not. We got a couple of quotes (£4.5k and £6.5k) and this is a lot of money for us. Furthermore, my dad asked me if I need to have a rewire - did I ask the electricians if one was needed. We did not.

So, we are a bit stuck as we think if we ask an electrician if we need one or not, the answer will be 'yes, you do'. So, we are wondering whether commissioning an EICR will help us to understand if we need a rewire? If not, is there another survey/check we can do or does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about this, please?

Thanks,

Little miss

dil1976

Yes a EICR will help you decide what is needed to bring you electrics upto the most recent version of the Regulations, but don't think just because is doesn't comply it is immediately dangerous. Most electricians who carry out a EICR should able to explain to you what anything they have found means and it can be improved etc as in alot of circumstances a few alterations can be needed rather than a full rewire

fenwick458

Yes get an EICR done, preferably by a local company who you'd be willing to let do the remedial work
If you pick a national EICR outfit that offers very cheap inspections you're more likely to get a worthless certificate with pages and pages of "faults" and a massive repair quote.
did the old electrician say why it needs a rewire? 

markin

Its a messy job, best to get it done before you decorate if it needs doing. Are the enough sockets for a modern house, Some could be added. If the is no earth in the lighting then its likely an age where it needs doing.

littlemiss19

Thanks everyone - really appreciate your advice.  The retired electrician said it needed a rewire as the wires were not trunked in the kitchen, some were going into the plaster and in one socket he said he found more than 6 wires. Most rooms only have one socket. 

FreeBear

littlemiss19 said:  The retired electrician said it needed a rewire as the wires were not trunked in the kitchen, some were going into the plaster and in one socket he said he found more than 6 wires. Most rooms only have one socket. 

Sounds like some electrical work has been done by Bodgit & Co - Wouldn't be at all surprised if there are other horrors lurking unseen elsewhere.

With a complete rewire, you'll get a modern consumer unit along with all the protection it provides. Extra sockets in each room where you need them (and at a sensible height). And then you get an excuse to redecorate.

Be warned though - Chasing in for wiring, sockets, and switches makes an awful lot of mess (the dust gets everywhere). Depending on the state of the walls, replastering may be warranted afterwards, but you can usually get away with careful patching.

bris

More than 6 wires doesn't mean anything other than a ring main with a spur, found in millions of homes.

An EICR will however show up any problems. 

GDB2222

bris said:

More than 6 wires doesn't mean anything other than a ring main with a spur, found in millions of homes.

An EICR will however show up any problems. 

Can you explain that? A socket with a spur off would usually have 3 cables. 

Alter_ego

3 cables = 6wires

GDB2222

Alter_ego said:

3 cables = 6wires

I thought of that, but, besides it being a bit daft to count like that, it’s 9 wires, unless you ignore the earths.

markin

Discounting earths 6 wires would be fine, It's the 'More than 6' that's the problem. But we don't know its a ring.