Rewiring a house: six things you need to consider

Whether you’re all set to have your house rewired or are still just thinking about it, it’s worth taking the time to think over a few things before the job gets underway. Rewiring a house is one of the biggest, most disruptive jobs a house can undergo and just a little bit of planning can make the biggest difference. So with that said, here are six things to consider when rewiring your house.

Planning the design of each room

We have all experienced the grief of an inconveniently placed outlet. So one of the perks of rewiring a house is that you get to tailor your house to meet your needs. A rewire enables you to choose the location and number of outlets you have in each room.

So before you start getting quotes, you should go through the house and decide what you need. The best thing to do is draw out each room on a piece of paper and pinpoint the location of outlets you’d like.

Then consider what fixtures or fittings you’d like the room to have. Fleshing out your ideas in this way will make sure you get a more accurate quote – and spare you the cost of adding things midway. Changing your mind or adding features once the work is underway is a costly process.

Accessibility and moving furniture

An electrician will need unrestricted access to the walls, floors and ceilings. This means any furniture blocking will need to be moved – either to another area of the property or into storage. You’ll also need to consider covering your furniture in some way to protect it from dust and damage.

Relocating during the house rewire

Electricians prefer and work more efficiently in a vacant space. If the house is unoccupied, they do not have to worry about returning it to a liveable condition at the end of every day. In other words, removing their tools, replacing the floorboards, reinstating power and tidying up (only to have to prepare the space again in the morning).

This process of cleaning down the area can slow down the job considerably; and the longer the job takes, the more it will cost to rewire your house. On top of this, the house will be noisy, messy and dusty for the duration of the work (so not very pleasant).

However, if staying elsewhere isn’t an option, it is possible to remain at home. Have a conversation with whoever you hire about how you can make the process as easy as possible for both parties.

Restoring the house to normal

The standard quote for rewiring a house doesn’t include the necessary decorative work caused by the job. You’ll therefore need to budget for the cost of any major plastering or beautifying to get your home back to normal. That said, you should always ask for a clear description of what is included in a quote as some tradespeople may offer such services.

Future-proofing

A full rewire doesn’t just have to satisfy your immediate needs. It can also be designed to anticipate how your energy usage might change in the future. As the world becomes more and more technology-driven, it is worth making the most out of the work by anticipating future needs and installing a system to reflect this. For example, you can install an upsized circuit breaker and deeper back boxes to meet high usage and changes in technology.

Hiring and regulations involved in rewiring a house

Rewiring a house is classed as ‘notifiable work’ – that is, work that is subject to Building Regulations notification and approval. This means you’ll need to tell your local authority building control about the work before it starts.

What’s more, all electrical work undertaken in a house is subject to Part P of the Building Regulations, which governs electrical safety standards in properties. For homeowners, this means you’ll need to obtain an Electrical Installation Certificate and Building Regulations Compliance Certificate once the work is complete as evidence that it is compliant.

Hiring a Part-P registered electrician is the best and easiest way to meet the regulations. Not only will they notify building control on your behalf, but they’ll be able to self-certify their work and provide you with the necessary documentation. It’s therefore important to take the time to hire the right tradesperson for the job.