Does it need rewiring?

Does a house need rewiring?


Experts reckon that a house needs rewiring after about 30 years. Older style fuse boxes are a nuisance compared to modern RCD switch styles.


When you inspect a house look out for the numbers of sockets – they may be hard to spot, so don’t be afraid to ask the owner. This is something you could ask about on a second visit. Modern needs mean more sockets are needed than every before.


A standard rewire normally puts 2 double sockets in every room, with more in the kitchen. Of course if you’re having a property rewired you can ask for the sockets to be where you want them and to have extra ones added in. A standard rewire in the North West of England costs from £1500 excluding the cost of any plastering and redecorating that will need doing.


If you spot different types of light switch within the same house then the chances are wiring has been added to at some point. You could get an electrical safety check done if it concerns you.


A look at the fuse board can be revealing. If it’s an old type then you can pay to have just this replaced, but if you know you want more sockets then a full rewire might be an option.

As with all work get several quotes and make sure you’re comparing like for like with them.

There are firms that will rewire in a day, or you can employ a company that will do it in a few days. It depends on how much time you have as to which you pick. Getting it done quickly gets it all over with quickly though and means you shouldn’t be without electric overnight at any point!

how much does it cost to rewire a house? In 2009 quotes for a standard rewire of a 3 bedroom house with 2 lots of double sockets in each room, plus extra in the lounge and kitchen, cost £1500 excluding any plastering work. This was the same quote from several different types of companies.
Always get quotes from qualified electricians. Ask them any questions you have about wired smoke alarm systems, as these seem to be standard these days.

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