Straight answers to common questions

There is no single sign that proves a property needs rewiring. Age of the installation, repeated faults, very old sockets and switches, a dated fuse box or a shortage of sockets can all be reasons to have the electrics looked at. The only reliable way to know is to have the installation inspected and tested by an electrician, who can then explain what condition it is in and whether a full rewire, a partial rewire or smaller improvements would be appropriate.

It depends on the size of the property, how many circuits are involved, the specification you choose and whether the house is occupied or empty. A smaller property with straightforward access will normally take less time than a larger or more complex one. We will give you a realistic timescale as part of your quotation, once we have seen the property and understood what is needed.

Yes, rewiring work is often carried out in occupied homes. It is usually done in stages so that essential power and lighting remain available where possible. It is dusty, disruptive work in the areas being worked on, so we plan the order of the rooms with you in advance and talk through what to expect each day.

Broadly, existing accessories and cabling being replaced are removed, new cable routes are formed in walls, floors and ceilings, and new circuits are run back to the consumer unit. Sockets, switches and light fittings are then fitted, the installation is connected, inspected and tested, and you are given the certification for the work. Making-good of plaster and decoration is agreed in advance so you know exactly what is and is not included.

Prices depend on the property, its size and age, the number of circuits, the accessories and lighting you choose, access, and how much associated building work is involved. For that reason we do not publish fixed prices — it would not be accurate. Contact us with a few details about your property and we will arrange to assess it and give you a clear written quotation.

An electrician can inspect the existing unit and the installation it protects and advise. Older-style fuse boxes with rewireable fuses, units with no RCD protection, signs of damage or overheating, or a board that is full with no space for new circuits are all common reasons homeowners ask about an upgrade. Replacing the board is only sensible once the wiring it feeds has been tested, so testing normally comes first.

The consumer unit — often called the fuse box — is where the electricity supply to your home is divided into separate circuits. It contains the main switch that isolates the supply, plus the protective devices for each circuit. Those devices are designed to disconnect the circuit automatically in certain fault conditions.

The existing installation is inspected and tested first, so any faults are found before the new board goes on. The supply is then isolated, the old board removed, the new consumer unit fitted, and each circuit reconnected and identified. The installation is tested again, the new board is labelled, and you receive certification for the work along with an explanation of how to use the new unit.

Repeated tripping is the protective device doing its job — something on the circuit is causing it to operate. It can be a faulty appliance, moisture in an outdoor or bathroom circuit, a damaged cable, an ageing light fitting or a genuine wiring fault. Because the causes are so varied, it needs proper fault finding rather than guesswork. Do not keep resetting a device that trips repeatedly; have the cause investigated.

Yes, and a rewire is the ideal time to do it. Because the cable routes are open, adding sockets, USB points, outdoor sockets or dedicated appliance circuits is far easier and tidier than doing it later. We will walk through each room with you and plan where you want power before any work starts.

Yes. Garden lighting, outdoor sockets, supplies to garages, sheds, home offices and outbuildings are all work we carry out, using equipment suitable for outdoor conditions and with appropriate protection and cable routing.

If you have discovered an electrical problem that cannot wait, call us on 07833 918205 and we will talk through the situation and what can be arranged. If anyone is in immediate danger, or there is a burning smell, smoke or water reaching electrical equipment, isolate the supply if it is safe to do so and call the emergency services.

Call 07833 918205 or fill in the enquiry form on our contact page with a few details about your property and the work you are considering. You can also upload photos of your consumer unit or the problem, which often helps us understand the job before we visit.