Signs your home may need a rewire
- Old rubber, fabric or lead-sheathed cables
- An old fuse box with rewireable fuses and no RCD protection
- Scorch marks, warm sockets, a burning smell or lights that flicker
- Not enough sockets, with extension leads everywhere
- An EICR that has come back “unsatisfactory”
- You’re about to renovate, extend or refit a kitchen — the best time to rewire is before the plastering and decorating
What a rewire involves
- Survey and written quote. We look at the property, talk through where you want sockets, lighting and switches, and give you a clear scope of work and price.
- First fix. New cables are run and back boxes fitted, usually with floorboards lifted and walls chased. This is the disruptive part, so we plan it around you.
- Making good. Walls are then plastered — by your plasterer or builder, or we can recommend one.
- Second fix. Sockets, switches, lights and a new consumer unit are fitted and connected.
- Testing and certification. The whole installation is tested, you receive an Electrical Installation Certificate, and notifiable work is signed off with Building Control.
How long does a rewire take?
It depends on the size of the property, access and whether the house is empty. As a rough guide, a typical three-bedroom house takes around one to two weeks. We’ll give you a realistic timescale with your quote.
It is possible to live in the house during a rewire — we can work room by room and keep power on overnight — but it is quicker and less disruptive if the house is empty or mid-renovation.
Partial rewires
Not every home needs a full rewire. If the wiring is sound in most of the house, we can rewire individual rooms or circuits — for example a kitchen, extension or loft — and upgrade the consumer unit at the same time.