Rewiring Cost

Markove

Registered User
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I am enquiring as to what the approximate cost would be to completely rewire a terraced three bedroom house as well as the installation of a new electric shower. The building is twenty five years old and floor space is 90 sq.ms. Also, how long would such a job take to complete and what level of disruption would be involved - in terms of drilling, replastering, lifting floorboards etc?
 
It depends on what you want to do.

Are you leaving all sockets / switches where they are and just replacing wiring, or do you need to move things around, or add sockets?
And then it depends on how well the original job was done.

If you need to go move wiring in a concrete wall, it gets messy as they chase the wall and then plaster over. Partition walls are generally easier.

I'm about to get a job done that requires tidying up of existing wiring, and we're going to run new wires behind skirting board to avoid replastering.

You'd need to get a few people to look at the job, and give quotes really.
 
I'd say you need to expect more like 8-10K. This will include new panel, sockets, switches. It is very unlikely that any electrician would do a re-wire without replacing everything. Too much work and too risky that the existing stuff is no longer up to scratch.

Plus some costs for plastering and repainting.
 
I have never understood why anyone would want to rewire a house. Is there a specific problem that needs to be dealt with ?

I'd say you need to expect more like 8-10K. This will include new panel, sockets, switches.

A new panel is a few hundred Euro, new sockets and switches are cheap as chips. I replace mine any time they look a bit grubby. €2 a time.
 
I intend leaving all the sockets/switches in the same positions. The walls are entirely concrete, no partitions.
 
Mine cost around 4k to rewire. This was for a 3 bed and what I got done was fairly basic, a few sockets in each room, standard lights, smoke alarms, outdoor LED security lights. All new cables, panel and fittings. I got a few quotes and all came in around 4/4.5/5k.



I have never understood why anyone would want to rewire a house. Is there a specific problem that needs to be dealt with ?

A new panel is a few hundred Euro, new sockets and switches are cheap as chips. I replace mine any time they look a bit grubby. €2 a time.

I rewired my house last year. I had no choice as it was wired with single core wire, most if it was wedged behind the door frames and was a serious fire hazard. Plus all the rooms had just 1 socket in them. So a new panel and a few €2 sockets would not have worked for me.
 
I have never understood why anyone would want to rewire a house. Is there a specific problem that needs to be dealt with ?



A new panel is a few hundred Euro, new sockets and switches are cheap as chips. I replace mine any time they look a bit grubby. €2 a time.
No specific problem, it's just for peace of mind really. Electric installations can deteriorate over a long period of time just as any other facet of a structure can. Thirty years or so is the recommended age after which a change of wiring may be required.
 
I'd say you need to expect more like 8-10K. This will include new panel, sockets, switches. It is very unlikely that any electrician would do a re-wire without replacing everything. Too much work and too risky that the existing stuff is no longer up to scratch.

Plus some costs for plastering and repainting.
It still sounds like an exorbitant amount for a small house. I simply could not afford to pay that kind of money.
 
As someone once said - "Yes, the cost of getting a professional to do a job costs, but getting an amateur to do it will end up costing a lot more in the end!"
 
You need to get 3 quotes from reliable electricians. If you're doing it do it right. Patching over things and avoiding things will cost you more in the long run. It's also safer.
 
I rewired my house last year. I had no choice as it was wired with single core wire, most if it was wedged behind the door frames and was a serious fire hazard. Plus all the rooms had just 1 socket in them.

That is understandable, you had a specific problem which needed to be resolved, and you got some extra outlets at the same time.

No specific problem, it's just for peace of mind really. Electric installations can deteriorate over a long period of time just as any other facet of a structure can. Thirty years or so is the recommended age after which a change of wiring may be required.

Really ? Have you had any indication that the wiring has actually deteriorated. Have you had any testing done to investigate if there is an issue ?
 
That is understandable, you had a specific problem which needed to be resolved, and you got some extra outlets at the same time.



Really ? Have you had any indication that the wiring has actually deteriorated. Have you had any testing done to investigate if there is an issue ?
The answer is no on both counts and the wiring appears to have been properly installed but I think it is an important enough issue to at least warrant investigation - purely from a safety perspective. Nobody would like to be cremated in their own bed !!
 
8 - 10 k is about right, RECI registered electricians are charging about 400 euro a day right now for labour, they can get it too as there is a complete famine of tradesmen and the electrician community have managed to keep the poles out so competition is minimal.
 
You need to get 3 quotes from reliable electricians.

This idea that people need to get 3 quotes for every job amuses me no end.

If you have or know of an electrician that you trust, hold onto them, because when you need them, they'll be there for you. There's a lot more to trust than reliability, ready availability for example.
 
No specific problem, it's just for peace of mind really. Electric installations can deteriorate over a long period of time just as any other facet of a structure can. Thirty years or so is the recommended age after which a change of wiring may be required.

Could you please give some background to this assertion. Where or who has come up with this idea or time limit.

From what I see as an Elec.Engineer, the standard of workmanship has deteriorated since 1988 and the idea of the whole country routinely rewiring their houses every 30years is frankly laughable, unless there are specific concerns which a qualified registered electrican has identified.

Fidel
 
How does one find an electrician to trust in the first place?
In fairness, electricians seem to be regulated better than any of the other trades. They need to be a member of a professional body like RECI and they do get audited regularly. From what I hear, the audit is quite strict.
 
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