It's recommendation time again! I'm after one of the above to check out the wiring on the house we're buying.

Also, if you know what a ball-park figure would be to check out a 3 bed house, please let me know.

Mods - I have posted in DIY, but was hoping for a bigger audience here Thanks!

Cheers
Iain

 

for the bigger audience

 

Going rate is usually about £90 for test and cirt, however im based in Manchester so it could be different up your neck of the woods.

Best thing to do is get someone to check it first, as you will prolly be handed a failiure cirt and be £90 out of pocket.

This is the way we do it up here and we do get alot of peeps in the same position as you.

1) Visit the property and test it out.
2) Converse with the owner/buyer and tell them what needs to be done and hand that in with a quote and a test sheet which is non NICEIC.
3) Do the work and hand in a NIC cirt upon compleation.

90% of oldish houses would fail an NIC test. They change the rules every year or so.

 

we have bailed out of the NICEIC - bag of w@nkers IMHO, talk about mking hard work of it, its hard enough being in business as it is

 

Cheers guys. What I'm after first off is someone to check out the wiring and let me know whether it's ok for a good few years or whther it needs rewiring ASAP. I'm not after certification (didn't know you could get it!). The reason I mentioned NICEIC is because that's what's mentioned in the Homebuyer's Report.

Just thought of a question. How do I know that whoever checks the wiring out isn't saying it needs rewiring purely to get the job and moolah??!!

 

Looking like £150 +VAT!! Most expensive was £280 +VAT!!

Was speaking to one of the electricians and he was explaining how it's not a pass/fail thing - you get the certificate and report detailing the state of the wiring etc. Then, it's up to you whether you act on the report. He did say they categorise so you know what's urgent.

This way I think we'll have peace of mind knowing what we're buying.

Iain
Fingers crossed!

 

My Homebuyers report blathered on about getting a NICEIC survey done on the electrics. I Didn't bother though - you could spend an arm and a leg having everything survyed. House is only 10 years old.

Another question for the sparkies... Approx how much would you expect to charge for:

a) fitting an outside light (PIR triggered jobbie)
b) fitting a programmble digital timer to control a pair of immersion heaters (they both heat the same tank).

TIA,

Chris.

 

Yeah, I did wonder whether it was part of a standard "You ain't suing us if we're wrong" procedure.

In our case the house was built in about '56 and tho the current owner said it had been re-wired, the surveyor said there was a mix of old and new. Getting the electrical test done is going to give me peace of mind - at least I'll know what the possible problems are.

Feeling a bit thick, Chris, are they questions for me to ask the sparky, or for the general SN population??

Iain

 

Sorry Iain - they're questions from me to the SN sparkies

Not so clear cut on the survey in your case then - it all fecking adds up though doesn't it?

 

I thought that was probably the case as I was typing....

As for adding up....!! But if there is work that needs to be done it's coming off the purchase price, I can tell ya!!

 

DIY Only took me 20 minutes to do here!

 

It's easy if there's an existing circuit to spur off but there's nothing suitable to use this time from what I can see

 

The reason for NICEIC is it is a trade body but in all honesty the elctricians are not registred the firm is so the sparks can do the same job cash but not give you the NICEIC logo'd cert.

The test is not exhaustive it is a sample (10%) of accessories should be opened and each circuit should have meter tests carried out. the value of the test is totaly dependent on the skill of the individual! To provide false test results to some body not in the know is the easyiest thing in the world. Basialy get somebody you trust to look it over.

If it has been partly rewired then i am surprised. i would expect that it has had one complete rewire going from old Rubber cable to the more recent Pvc and then probably had alterations since. good clues to age is has it got large earth wires connected to the Gas Pipe with in 600mm of meter on the consumers side. large earth wire to water pipe normally near stop ****. any wiring visible is normally white or Grey if it is black does it feel smooth or rough? rough is possably rubber in which case it will need replacing.

Since the early 80's the water and gas are required to be "bonded" with large (10mm-16mm csa is normal)earth wires connecting them to the main earth terminal

 

Agree with Adrain on that.. check to see if it has PME..

also just looking at the fusebox will tell you a lot.. is it brown with plug in fuses?? if so could be around 20+ Years old..

Is the cable T&E flat and grey?

How clean is the cable.. is it plastic insulation or is it lead..

What do the sockets look like?


Chris..

At a guess.. 50 - 75 for the light, maybe cheaper depending on where the nearest socket is to run a spur and fused outlet from.. (Depends if you want the switch sinking into the plaster)

about 1hr to 1.5 hrs at a guess..

timer... cost of timer.. then the cost associated with running the cables to where you want the timer..

150ish all in?

David