Moved house into a disaster zone

[pc1966]

I seem to have stirred up some hornets! I don't want any extras at all. I am trying to get the underlying rubber replaced that is an obvious fire risk, the actual sockets, switch plates & ceiling roses are modern and only one needs renewing as it's missing. something like 30% of the underfloor and 60% of the in wall power cable is already PVC T&E, just red/black. I have already lifted the bulk of the flooring and boards to gain access and trace routes.

Old T&E that has not had known problems like the "green goo" of the early 70s, or been nibbled by rodents or nailed by DIY'ers is usually just fine. An IR test should verify that.

The CU needs replacing as it's out of date and that's about it unless part P requires something else I am unaware of.

Part P is just about notifying the local building control of certain types of work. Basically it was intended to make sure it was done by those competent to do it, test it, and submit certification to prove it. Sadly it has not delivered on the goals of greater safety in many cases, but that is life.

Replacing a CU is one of the notifiable items of work, but if you have replaced cables, etc, and made good any damaged accessories, then when it comes to the replacement it should all test out good & proper and whoever does it can certify without any major concern.

I would not normally suggest that, but so far you appear to be sensible and smart enough to know what needs to be done and what you can reasonably do.

As for chasing there really should not be any need and anyway I don't want the dust & decor damage.
Yes I expect you are right, bit like trying to find a builder for anything less than a big extension on a house.

Unless there is old cable plastered in then you probably can replace the old VIR without needing to go that far. If it is joined with other cable under floors, etc, then if replacing and joining again make sure you get maintenance free junction boxes and terminals (e.g. some of the Wago range). A also read the instructions as many MF boxes are only rated as such with specific choices of terminals, and with other step taken (such as cable ties on the box lid).

 

[Dustydazzler]

If you are re-using old cable then its not a full re-wire

 

[UNG]

Taking a pragmatic view retaining the old T&E while it saves some penny's now could be a false economy as the red / black T&E is at a minimum 15 - 16 years old but could easily be 30 - 40+ years old and while it may test ok now it could in 5 - 10 years time end up with a similar conversation to now and the same problems of rewiring and who knows what the regs will require then anyone for another CU with whatever new protection devices they have developed by then

 

[EricMark]

An I thought this house was bad, I had a home buyers report done, it pointed out a redundant fuse box was wedged between false ceiling and original ceiling, but it was not redundant. I had a fuse box and a consumer unit.

I has a new consumer unit fitted all RCBO's with idea any faults I can isolate that circuit, only fault found was a borrowed neutral on lights.

Getting the previous owner to have an EICR done, it seems does not help read this link the electrician was taken to court and fined for not doing a proper job, but that does not help the new owner, his contract was with old owner.

My mothers house had a part rewire before being sold, kitchen and wet room already done, seem to remember around £3000 in 2017 approx, I did all the plastering, minimum done, with idea may need to rent it to pay for her care home, but she died so house sold.

But 1966 was the date when lights had to have an earth, so any house wired before 1966 one expects it will need a rewire. Post 1966 there were some problems with Ian Smith so some aluminium cable used, and also some cable poorly made and the plasticizer leached out, but one would be unlucky to find either, there was still some VIR cable used in early 60's, but by the 1970's we had gone metric, and so easy to see in the fuse box/consumer unit if cables imperial or metric. We have been metric now for over 50 years.

I tried to add RCD protection to my parents old house before the rewire, it did not work, if I could have got a 100 mA type S may have got away with it, but one RCD up front is not really a good idea.

Son fitted a new CU and lived in a caravan supplied from it while re-wiring, and slowly got more and more wired in, took around a year before they could move back into the house, I think he went OTT with things like server in the loft, but the only problem was the 16 amp supply did caravan and washing machine, and it was not enough for both, only thing used in house was washing machine.

I could have lived in the garage here had the house electrics not been up to scratch, except in may case not the electrics which was a nightmare, but leaking garage roof. Not short of cash, one expects problems with an old house, which need correcting, but getting tradesmen was the problem. As least one who when he did the roof, it actually stopped leaking.