Any advice on rewires?

[HappyHippyDad]

I have perhaps done 6 rewires now. They are hard work and I wonder if there are ways to make them easier as I have another 2 much larger ones (3 and 4 storey houses) coming up.

I typically take around 2 weeks for a 3 bed house. This is working flat out (by myself) everyday including one or 2 Saturdays and I feel that is a little longer than most of you would take, or is it about right?

I have just bought the metabo mfe40 wall chaser and hopefully that will speed things up. Are there any tips for using chasers? I'm guessing they just make nice neat notches either side of the chase which you then remove with an SDS chisel? Do you always then use oval conduit which you secure to the wall with the oval conduit holders or is there a quicker way?

Cheers all and hope you are having a relaxing Saturday!

Ps.. I'm awaiting the arrival of the triple blade for the metabo, anyone use it yet? Does it actually take out the middle of the chase well?
pps.. What size conduit do you generally use for 1mm, 2.5mm, 6mm, ring etc etc?

 

[pc1966]

Simple answer is get an electrician's mate!

Yes, that is half-joking as it is a big commitment to employ others. But I expect that having another competent (or even semi-competant) person to feed cables through, help holding stuff for alignment/drilling, fetching stuff if you are up to your elbows on a difficult bit, etc, would speed things enormously.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Simple answer is get an electrician's mate!

Yes, that is half-joking as it is a big commitment to employ others. But I expect that having another competent (or even semi-competant) person to feed cables through, help holding stuff for alignment/drilling, fetching stuff if you are up to your elbows on a difficult bit, etc, would speed things enormously.

You're absolutely right PC, and I expect it would speed things up by more than double making it very worth while finacially. However..... I love working by myself, dancing along to the radio, answering back to Jeremy Vine and occasionally concentrating very hard on a very tricky bit, all of which wouldn't be quite the same with someone else around

 

[pc1966]

You're absolutely right PC, and I expect it would speed things up by more than double making it very worth while finacially. However..... I love working by myself, dancing along to the radio, answering back to Jeremy Vine and occasionally concentrating very hard on a very tricky bit, all of which wouldn't be quite the same with someone else around

You need to see if Jeremy Vine wants to re-train as a mate!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

You need to see if Jeremy Vine wants to re-train as a mate!

Good reply :-0 (cant do proper smiley faces any more)
Now that would solve my dilemma wouldn't it!

 

[loz2754]

I have perhaps done 6 rewires now. They are hard work and I wonder if there are ways to make them easier as I have another 2 much larger ones (3 and 4 storey houses) coming up.

I typically take around 2 weeks for a 3 bed house. This is working flat out (by myself) everyday including one or 2 Saturdays and I feel that is a little longer than most of you would take, or is it about right?

I have just bought the metabo mfe40 wall chaser and hopefully that will speed things up. Are there any tips for using chasers? I'm guessing they just make nice neat notches either side of the chase which you then remove with an SDS chisel? Do you always then use oval conduit which you secure to the wall with the oval conduit holders or is there a quicker way?

Cheers all and hope you are having a relaxing Saturday!

Ps.. I'm awaiting the arrival of the triple blade for the metabo, anyone use it yet? Does it actually take out the middle of the chase well?
pps.. What size conduit do you generally use for 1mm, 2.5mm, 6mm, ring etc etc?

Have a look at this, go from about 5 mins 20 secs in...

 

[Burtones]

Simple answer is get an electrician's mate!

Yes, that is half-joking as it is a big commitment to employ others. But I expect that having another competent (or even semi-competant) person to feed cables through, help holding stuff for alignment/drilling, fetching stuff if you are up to your elbows on a difficult bit, etc, would speed things enormously.

Rather than employ someone could you pay for a mate from an agency for 2-3 days? Just to get the cables run in as that's always the tricky part on your own- up and down stairs a hundred times and them in and out the loft for the lights! Don't know how expensive it would be or even if you can get labour for that short a term but then you could carry on rest if first fix and then second fix by yourself if that's what you prefer.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

I recommend learning a few emergency plumbing moves before breaking out the chaser, just for when the inevitable happens

 

[UNG]

Are these lived in or empty property rewires you have been doing

 

[Leesparkykent]

Chase out, oval conduit and secure with screws just pinching the oval.

 

[loz2754]

Chase out, oval conduit and secure with screws just pinching the oval.

I've always used metal capping, it's how I was taught.
But I've seen several discussions on rewires that mention the use of oval conduit. Might give it a try on my next one...

 

[Burtones]

Chase out, oval conduit and secure with screws just pinching the oval.

So much quicker and easier than capping ?

 

[Leesparkykent]

You don’t have to chase out so wide with oval.

 

[loz2754]

You don’t have to chase out so wide with oval.

Bonus.
What size oval would I need?

 

[Mike Johnson]

In days gone by most electricians used to get in outside contractor to cut the chase's after marking up the walls is this not done anymore? would make the process much quicker.

 

[Baddegg]

If the place is empty I generally spend a morning marking up on the walls where I want the chases and boxes etc then sub that work out to someone on price....then come back once it’s all cleaned up ?

 

[Wilko]

If the place is empty I generally spend a morning marking up on the walls where I want the chases and boxes etc then sub that work out to someone on price....then come back once it’s all cleaned up ?

Yeah, well just to let you know I’m putting me prices up for the next one ...

 

[mattg4321]

25mm oval fits perfectly in the chases. Either screws or nails to hold it back. Much easier than capping.

Best way to speed up is to get some help with running cables and chasing especially.

 

[Mike Johnson]

If the place is empty I generally spend a morning marking up on the walls where I want the chases and boxes etc then sub that work out to someone on price....then come back once it’s all cleaned up ?

Now I'm beginning to get a complex, you have three Like's for the above post and I said near enough exactly the same in the post immediately above and did not get one.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Thank's Vortigern I feel better now.