Lived in house rewire tips

[APE37]

Hi guys,
Just wondering if any of you have any tips on lived in house re wires?
Got one coming up and just looking for some tips and tricks to get the job done as quick as poss without annoying the occupier. Been told the kitchen was re wired a few years ago and don't need to do, obviously I will need to keep clean and tidy and put boards back at the end of the day, maybe carpets if they are to be kept and will need to keep power on as people live there. Just wondering what you guys do in this situation? I.e start in loft then down or ground floor then up?
If anyone can help I would be grateful

Cheers

 

[Pete999]

I used to tell the occupier there will be disruption for the period of the rewire, the last time I did a lived in house we did the ground floor on day 1 day 2 the 1st floor the hardest one to do, day 3 the loft, the kitchen was brick and although we had wired it no chasing was done until the builders refitted the kitchen 3 and a half days, cables clipped surface (with buckle clips not these mickey mouse plastic carp)
Make sure they have power for the essentials TV Kettle etc

 

[Deleted member 93172]

loft light (flu fitting) first back to switch, plug top on cable stick it in your extension lead and off you go. upstairs lights, upstairs power or ground floor lights your choice, new cables to all points ready to go on a massive change over circuit by circuit.Release all ceiling points and get new cables through ceilings. Don't take the customers word for the kitchen check it out yourself, we all know what kitchen fitters can do.

 

[Deleted member 93172]

I used to tell the occupier there will be disruption for the period of the rewire, the last time I did a lived in house we did the ground floor on day 1 day 2 the 1st floor the hardest one to do, day 3 the loft, the kitchen was brick and although we had wired it no chasing was done until the builders refitted the kitchen 3 and a half days, cables clipped surface (with buckle clips not these mickey mouse plastic carp)
Make sure they have power for the essentials TV Kettle etc

Ah buckle clips and pins plus tack hammer plus cold sites equals painful fingers.
Sadly I remember those day's too,

 

[Rpa07]

@APE37 there are a few other threads on this subject so get searching and reading as I remember lots of good point made. You could always advise them that stay cations to Blackpool are all the rage now due to brexit - clear them out and the reduction in the bill for works due to being unoccupied might pay for most of their holiday and an ice cream on the beach. You are charging more aren't you - there's a lot more work involved!

 

[The Ghost]

I think its really important to have a schedule of when and where you will be working. I try to get the householder to do as much as possible regards moving their ermm stuff, with the thought that they dont want to pay my hourly rate to move stuff. Carpets, as part of my contract I do not guarantee getting them back as a carpet layer would so recommend getting a carpet layer to put back and make good. I normally stipulate filling in to 2mm of existing surface (I am not a plasterer, although I can do it) and get a plasterer to make good (depends on situation) Take photos of existing rooms to compare with "you broke my abc" situation. Get scotch carpet cover up the stairs (clear adhesive cover) Careful check of any existing damage on baths sinks toilets paintwork doors worktops etc. Bottom line dont do lived in re-wires.

 

[Rpa07]

"Bottom line dont do lived in re-wires." - uh huh!

 

[GMES]

What he said ^^^^^^^^^
Sub it out to a really fast housebasher and take a cut of the cash.
I honestly think I would rather be trapped on a submarine with our lass for 6 months than do a lived in rewire.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I personally would be really really reluctant to do an occupied rewire. Don't think the customers fully appreciate the disruption that will occur.

That said, one recommendation is too ask the client to get rid of all the small items that lurk everywhere. A book case/chest of drawers is much easier to move when it has not got twenty perfume bottles, ten DVDs, a radio, three rampant rabbits and a around ten pounds in loose change on it! Multiply that by two items of furniture in each room and it becomes a pain!

I would rewire a minimalists house though no problem!!

 

[Taylortwocities]

And again

 

[Taylortwocities]

Deleted duplicate

 

[Octopus]

are you mad?? I always decline live in rewires.......

 

[GMES]

I'm going to go one further than my last post and say with totally honesty!! I would rather be a Plumber than do an occupied rewire.

 

[Wilko]

Good catch GMES ... coulda been

 

[Midwest]

Concur. I did an unoccupied rewire in the summer. Still had one bed in it, and one room full of boxes, that was bad enough. And don't mention the loft