Re-wire preference - under floorboards or removed ceiling

[davesparks]

Customer still has to deal with payment for replacing the ceiling.

The OP makes it quite clear that the ceilings are being removed and replaced so your point is irrelevant in this case.

 

[Midwest]

The OP makes it quite clear that the ceilings are being removed and replaced so your point is irrelevant in this case.

The way to go dave

 

[EbolaSideRoom]

Ceiling down every time for me, though it tends to be unpopular with most other trades and householders, whereas no-one seems to mind floors coming up. If there are ceilings coming down anyway, plus the joyful addition of spots, it’s a no-brainier.

 

[Pete999]

Hi!

I'm new to the forum - thanks for having me.

I have a question for a domestic rewire - I just bought my first property and want to know the prefered method for a rewire and if it really matters or is a personal preference.

I'm going to rip down the thin chipboard ceiling and have it replaced - do electricians prefer to rewire from below with the ceiling removed or from above wiring below floorboards onto a new ceiling (from upstairs /loft). The job will include a couple of new sockets per room and an approx 4 spotlight points in most rooms.

Would be great to know the pros and cons of each. Ideally, I would remove the ceiling myself and have the rewire done before a new ceiling due to timescales as my dry liner/plasterer is coming in later.

Cheers

Rewires always a pain if occupied, whatever, under the floor boards every time for me. Imagine drilling a row of holes in the joist above your head, purgatory, kill your back and shoulder in no time, sure you get bad knees from doing it under the floor, but far far easier than working over your head.

In answer to the many disagreements of my comment, of course if as the OP states which, in all honesty I missed, that the ceilings were coming down then in this case I would agree with the majority do it from below.
One question to the OP, he says he want's the thin chipboard ceiling down.
OP is, or does the rewire include every thing in the house, or is it just in one area for example the Kitchen area? will all the ceiling material be removed from the entire property?

 

[Santa]

A thought just occurred to me - I really hope that those "thin chipboard" ceilings are not asbestos. I did some work in a kitchen once (not electrical) and the ceiling was lined with something called 'asbestolux'. It was an ex-council house I think. We had to get the guys in white suits in to dispose of it.

 

[sctyc16]

In answer to the many disagreements of my comment, of course if as the OP states which, in all honesty I missed, that the ceilings were coming down then in this case I would agree with the majority do it from below.
One question to the OP, he says he want's the thin chipboard ceiling down.
OP is, or does the rewire include every thing in the house, or is it just in one area for example the Kitchen area? will all the ceiling material be removed from the entire property?

That's right - I'm having the ceilings of the entire house plasterboarded to remove a thin chipboard - potentially leaving the hallway / stairs. There will new wiring to add more sockets and spotlights throughout. The current kitchen area is included / the future kitchen will be in an extension.

 

[sctyc16]

A thought just occurred to me - I really hope that those "thin chipboard" ceilings are not asbestos. I did some work in a kitchen once (not electrical) and the ceiling was lined with something called 'asbestolux'. It was an ex-council house I think. We had to get the guys in white suits in to dispose of it.

The house has been checked and it's all fine (y)

 

[sctyc16]

Thanks for all the help and comments! It seems that both are possible, but as the ceilings are coming down anyway, this is the way forward.

 

[stevethesparks]

Coincidently, having just wired a Kitchen refurb this week where a wall was knocked down and turned into a kitchen/diner - It was the lady Plumber that instigated the removal of the ceilings, as the flooring above is chipboard.

Am I glad the ceilings were down, plotting the downlights to look both sensible and to align both sides took a good couple of hours of measuring and re-measuring.

This would have been near impossible from above.
Additionally, two walls came down on Tuesday, the steels went in yesterday (Wed), and the ceiling is being re-boarded today (Thurs). Absolutely no time scale allowed for wiring.