Too high or about right?

[Englishman]

There is something strangely satisfying removing all the redundant cables! I like to weigh it all in before Christmas, normally get around a ton and then usually buy some work gadget of some description. Not to mention it's a bit of recycling. And with recommending LEDs all the time also I feel like a right tree hugger!!

I keep banging on about energy consumption to the missus and I feel like one of the loony left climate change freaks as well. However, I'm just tight and want to keep energy bills as low as possible haha.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Well it's been an experience!

I will have completly finished the 2nd fix and testing by this friday. There was a fair old break after the first fix as the client's wanted to do ALL the plastering themselves, bit by bit, so it took weeks to complete and dry. They had the basics working for christmas and it was all agreed upon before hand what I would keep working for them throughout the rewire, bit of a struggle (or rather time consuming) to work out the logistics of keeping specific parts live though!

Things I have learnt from this:

1. Charge more.
2. Do not take on a 'lived in' re-wire (luckily this was half lived in - all carpets up, rooms fairly bare).
3. The DNO are quite nice chaps.
4. It takes a lot longer than 1 day (1 day rewires- no way!)
5. Have a proper look in the loft before you start.

All in all I enjoyed it, a good experience. Thouroughly enjoyed designing the layout/circuits from scratch making them as efficient as possible. I must admit it got a bit stressful at times during the first fix and maintaining power in certain areas. I can imagine a 'live out' rewire would be a complete joy compared to 'lived in'.

Well, thats the final update, I hope I get another re-wire soon.

 

[GMES]

Well done mate even though it's lasted longer than an eastenders storyline

 

[GMES]

Also on the few rewires that I have been tricked into it is always been a deposit whenyou arrive with materials, then a further payment when 1st fix complete, then go away for the cake icers then final payment at end when certs are handed over.

 

[HandySparks]

5. Have a proper look in the loft before you start.

What was in the loft that caused trouble?

 

[Octopus]

What was in the loft that caused trouble?

50 years of junk maybe?

 

[Midwest]

My favourite is working in peoples houses, where all their rooms look like their lofts and nowhere to reposition the junk.

 

[davesparks]

How can you have a first fix and second fix stage of a lived in rewire?

 

[BES]

What was in the loft that caused trouble?

3 ft deep in a sea of insulation

 

[HappyHippyDad]

What was in the loft that caused trouble?

Huge amounts of piled up loft insulation! That would have just about been ok by itself but there were also perhaps 30-40 scaffolding planks. I sawed maybe 3/4 of them in half and took them out of the loft as it was just too difficult to move them all the time to get to where I need. The last 1/4 I kept up there as they were handy to walk on.

The home owner looked a bit despared when they all started coming out of the loft as he didn't know where to put them, he just wanted them gone. I then opened my big mouth and suggest he use them for his new wood burner, which was exactly what I was planning to do with them. He then kept them...

 

[HappyHippyDad]

How can you have a first fix and second fix stage of a lived in rewire?

Through careful precision, taking your time (see post 43), putting the customer first ahead of your pockets and an ounce of common sense young Dave.

 

[davesparks]

Through careful precision, taking your time (see post 43), putting the customer first ahead of your pockets and an ounce of common sense young Dave.

All the lived in rewires I have done were whilst I was on the cards, so the longer it took the more I would be paid so no question of putting profit over quality.
I've got more than an ounce of common sense.

I was taught that in a lived in property you always leave the installation fully working every night when you leave and always put back all of the furniture every day (except maybe a spare room if the customer agrees)

 

[the pict]

I would be nearer £4500,
P