Rewiring a House in the Barnet, Hertfordshire Area - JPD Electrics Guide

This JPD Electrics Guide to Rewiring a House is based on the previous electric circuit having been totally removed and with everything being replaced as new: new Consumer Unit, new wiring, new sockets, new lights and possibly a new design of the electrical structure of the house.

Experience of rewiring a house is also a key ingredient to think about. JPD Electrics has several years of experience in full rewiring of houses, having completed many local projects across Barnet, Watford and Enfield.

How do I know if my house needs rewiring?

If the current electrical set up in your house seems very dated - for example, if it hasn't been replaced in over 20 years - you may want to consider rewiring the house. If you are undergoing a major decorating project, decorating a new home, replastering walls, replacing ceilings, or updating the sockets and switches, these are all good points for assessing if it is worthwhile updating the electrical wiring for the whole house.

Also, if you are experiencing any electrical faults, like:

• Lights cutting out randomly
• Lights flickering
• Any burning signs around the current electrical sockets or consumer unit
• Interference or buzzing noise from switches or lights
• Power trips out randomly - or regularly

If you are concerned with any of these things but not sure if it is a minor fault rather than requiring a full rewire, JPD Electrics will be happy to offer you a fair assessment of the issue and advise honestly if a full house rewiring is required or not.

JPD Electrics are based in Barnet, North London, so if you are local to this area, or need an electrician in Barnet, Whetstone, Finchley, Enfield, Winchmore Hill, Watford, or the Hertfordshire area, we can pop around and check this for you.

Common questions about rewiring a house

How disruptive is rewiring a house?

There's no way of really getting around it - rewiring a house will involve a fair amount of disruption. There will be periods where we will need to turn off the electric power supply to the house, although this will generally be for periods of an hour or so. There will also be a bit of disruption with floorboards, carpets and sockets being removed. The messiest part is if a new set of sockets needs to be added to a wall where previously there were none, which involves cutting out from the wall and leads to dust and dirt. JPD Electrics do all they can to reduce these disruptions, covering furniture and cleaning up straight afterwards, but you should be prepared for some mess during the process.

How long does it take to rewire a house?

Usually it will take between 2-4 weeks to rewire a house. Depending on the size of the house and how many sockets are required, this plays a big factor in the period, as does the ease of access to the current wiring.

How much does rewiring a house cost?

Rewiring an average 3 bed house will cost around £5,000. Depending on several factors - the number of sockets, number of lights, light switches, type of electrical cabling required, ease of access, and the state of the current wiring - this will need to be factored in. JPD Electrics Ltd are always happy to give you a free quote for a full house rewiring project.

What does rewiring a house involve?

Removing the current electrical cables, plug sockets, light switches and consumer unit (sometimes referred to as the Fuse Board), then replacing them with a brand new up-to-date Consumer Unit that is compliant with modern requirements, making your house a lot safer. All the electrical cabling, sockets and switches are replaced too - say goodbye to flickering lights or loose connections.

First Fix

The First Fix involves all the hidden wiring parts - the preparation. If the house is being totally renovated, this happens prior to plastering the walls, avoiding any damage to newly plastered areas. From the consumer unit, all the cabling needs to join up with the sockets and switches, so the electrician plans out the cabling design and prepares the sockets, which involves chasing out the space for the sockets.

Second Fix

The Second Fix is the visible work: fitting the sockets, switches, light fittings and the consumer unit, then testing and certifying every circuit as compliant.