Rewiring a house or flat

There is no fixed age at which wiring must be replaced, and old wiring is not automatically unsafe. Electrical Safety First makes this point and recommends an inspection instead. An Electrical Installation Condition Report tests the insulation, earthing and protection of each circuit and shows whether individual faults can be repaired or whether the cabling as a whole has reached the end of its life.

Some findings point clearly towards a rewire: rubber-insulated or fabric-covered cable, lead-sheathed cable, a lack of earth conductors on lighting circuits, very low insulation readings across many circuits, or a patchwork of alterations that nobody can trace. Warm or discoloured sockets, a burning smell and frequent tripping are reasons to call an electrician straight away, not to wait for a rewire quote.

A full rewire replaces every circuit, from the consumer unit to the last light switch. A partial rewire replaces some circuits, for example the lighting in an older part of the house, and keeps others that test well. Partial rewires make sense when one part of the installation is clearly older than the rest or when a renovation opens up only some rooms.

The downside of a partial rewire is that the untouched circuits still carry their age. The electrician must be able to certify the new work and should record the condition of anything that stays, so you know what remains to be done later.

In a typical house, first fix means lifting floorboards, chasing channels into plaster for switch drops and socket cables, and drilling joists. Cables are then run to new positions, and the old ones are disconnected. Removing redundant cable is good practice; where that is not possible, it must be permanently disconnected. Second fix, after plastering, fits the new accessories and the consumer unit, and the electrician tests and certifies everything.

An empty house is quicker and cheaper to rewire than an occupied one, because rooms do not have to be cleared and made usable every evening. If you stay in, expect days without power in some rooms and a lot of dust. Solid floors, lath and plaster ceilings and finished decoration all add time.

In homes built before 2000, textured ceilings and some boards can contain asbestos. It should be identified before anyone drills or chases into them. In a listed building, cutting into historic fabric may need listed building consent, so talk to the council before choosing cable routes.

Source: hse.gov.uk

A rewire is the moment to decide on everything that needs a cable: sockets in useful places, outdoor lighting, data cabling, heating controls, smoke and heat alarms, a supply for a future EV charger or heat pump. It also makes sense to coordinate with plumbing or heating work that lifts the same floorboards, and to book the plasterer so walls are made good soon after first fix.

A rewire is notifiable work. A registered electrician self-certifies it and you receive the Electrical Installation Certificate and, from the scheme, a Building Regulations compliance certificate. Without them, a rewire can cause problems when you sell.

• which circuits are replaced and which, if any, are kept
• the number and position of sockets, switches, lights and alarms
• the new consumer unit and its protective devices
• earthing and bonding to gas and water pipes
• who fills chases and makes good plaster, and whether redecoration is excluded
• how long the house will be without power and how rooms are protected from dust
• certificates and the Building Regulations notification

After you confirm your phone number and email, the request is shown without your contact details to electricians near you. It is sold once, and then no one else can buy it. The electrician pays the fee to Offrano; you pay nothing.

You get the electrician's name, address and phone number by email before your details are released. We cannot promise a buyer; after 21 days an unsold request is withdrawn. Offrano checks registration as a business only, so look up the electrician's competent person scheme membership yourself.