Planning a house rewire to minimise mess
When a new customer contacts us about rewiring their home, we can sense an air of trepidation. They have visions of their home being ripped apart from within, leaving expensive damage and a whole lot of mess.
Yes – rewiring can be disruptive, since we need to tackle every single socket and cable. But every home is a different case, and you may find that rewiring is less messy than expected.
What it Involves
All house rewiring projects have a few common factors. In general, all of the following will need to be done:
- Lifting or removing carpets and lino
- Lifting floorboards to run electrical cables, and remove or reroute cables that are already there
- Cutting channels in walls for cables; this is known as ‘chasing’
The first two activities will release some dust and dirt. But it’s the chasing that really strikes fear into homeowners. Cutting these channels into walls means releasing brick dust and dirt into the air – room by room.
As your electrician works, they’re also going to need to switch all the power off, which could make it difficult to keep on top of the vacuuming and tidying.
Coping With the Mess
First things first. If you’ve just bought a house and you’ve had an electrical survey done, you probably know it needs a rewire, even before your exchange or completion takes place.
Our advice is simple. Don’t move in until the rewire is completely finished.
That way, you can clean the entire house in one go once the new wiring is in place, and you won’t need to worry about your possessions and soft furnishings getting dirty. It also ensures your family will be safe when it’s time to move in.
Doing the rewire before you move in also means we can attack the job very quickly, because there will be fewer items of furniture or boxes to move out of the way. We can also do the job before you spend any money on carpets, paint or wallpaper, and we don’t need to worry about anyone needing electricity overnight. That can make the job a lot faster, and it can save you from having to decorate twice.
If you’re rewiring a house you already live in, think about arranging alternative accommodation. Go away for a few days, check into a local hotel, or arrange for the kids to sleep at their grandparents’ house. This will keep you away from the dust and dirt, and will also lessen the inconvenience of being without power.
Hire the Professionals
Whichever way you approach a rewrite, it’s essential to hire a professional and experienced contractor. Mess is inevitable, so the best thing to do is get the project over quickly without cutting corners.
MD Bespoke Solutions is a company staffed by certified and experienced electricians. If you suspect you need a rewire, invite us over for a chat, and we’ll help you to decide how to contain the mess. With our efficient rewiring service, you needn’t worry about the inconvenience of a full house rewire.
