Rewiring a house - 5 things you need to know

The electrical wiring in your house is the backbone of all your appliances, gadgets and electronics. It supplies power to everything that needs it, and it’s hard to imagine life without the power that it provides, so you should take care of it properly and ensure that it’s working properly.

In this article, we cover 5 things that you should know about rewiring a house.

Please note that the information given is only to provide you with an overview. If you are considering rewiring a house or doing any other electrical work then it’s important to contact a qualified electrician like 365 Trade Group to carry out the work safely. 

Older homes = greater rewiring challenges

Some older houses are wired with an electrical system that is outdated and needs to be replaced. The wiring may have been installed in the 1950s or 1960s, and this can present significant challenges when you need to upgrade the wiring system.

It’s not as simple as replacing parts of the system. The old wiring may not be able to handle the load required for modern appliances like electric car sockets, microwaves, and dishwashers - and other components need to be replaced as well, which we cover below…

What to consider when rewiring a house

Rewiring a house isn’t as simple as pulling out a few wires and sticking in some new ones. Rewiring a house requires a look at the whole electrical system from the sockets and plugs to the fusebox.

In fact, rewiring a house involves potentially changing out all switches and sockets, relocating any sockets that are hard to access, changing out the fusebox and running new electrical wiring throughout the house in a way that keeps the wires out of sight and safe.

Requiring a fusebox rewire can increase the costs and effort further if a new fusebox is needed to cope with the capacity of new modern gadgets.

It’s important to talk to an electrician first to understand what work is required.

Electrical regulations are strict

Whether you love or hate regulations for wiring a house, they play an important role in any work done by electricians and, over the years, regulations have become stricter when it comes to electrical work - whether it’s electrical fault finding, replacing a simple socket or rewiring a house.

All electrical work must be completed and tested by a qualified electrician who will provide you with a full report of your electrical system.

Regulations are important to ensure that your home - and your family is safe and protected. There is always a risk of electric shocks and electrical fires but, thanks to modern regulations, the risks are much lower.

Rewiring a house can be disruptive and time consuming

Depending on the house design and layout, rewiring a house can take anything from 2-3 days up to 10 days to complete. It also requires potentially knocking holes in walls to remove and install wires as well as pulling up floorboards.

The best time for rewiring a house is when you are having renovations completed on your home. That’s because you might have floors, walls and ceilings having work done on them anyway.

During the process, electrical fault finding and testing is also undertaken to ensure that the new system works properly.

It’s worth it!

Rewiring a house might sound daunting, and we hope we haven’t scared you off this important task with the tips and insights we have provided. The good news is that rewiring your house is worth it in the long run.

If you have an old house then rewiring can help make your home much safer, while allowing your electrical system to cope with today’s demands. It also means that your home has an electrical system that is in line with the latest safety regulations.

Rewiring a house is also a great opportunity to have an electrician install new sockets that have USB connections for phones and other devices! It’s an opportunity to ensure your home is in keeping with the modern era.

If you are considering rewiring a house, get in touch with 365 Trade Group today. We are qualified electricians who have experience helping with everything from a fusebox rewire to the replacement and installation of new sockets.

If you are looking for an electrician, Surbiton and the surrounding area is covered by our rewiring services.

Call us for a quick chat and an electrical review

Fusebox rewiring specialists

We make sure that our customers’ homes are safe and that all rewiring is completed to the highest safety standards, giving you total peace of mind.

Get in touch today by calling 0800 788 0629 to make sure you have a safe and happy home!