Wiring a bungalow..... from above or below?

[Jonnyfrance]

Looking for opinions on this guys.... I visited a rewire on a bungalow, classic build, a concrete floor slab with gap above then floorboards ( the gap is probably 45cm/18 inch) built in the 70's
the original wiring is under the floor. (except for lighting obviously!) The electrician doing the job has chased down from the empty roofspace to each socket in the house. Would you do it this way?
or would you wire under the floor as per the existing? just curious.....

 

[Dave OCD]

I think I'd be inclined to run the new socket cables under the floor to save on a lot of chasing.

 

[littlespark]

Totally depends on how easy it is for underfloor.
Is there a ton of hatches where you need them, or have the boards been lifted?

I’d come from above. Up there anyway for the lights.
Would only go under if there was a substantial crawlspace and I lost about 3 stone.

 

[davesparks]

My instinct would be to do it all from above, it's just the way would normally do it when I was doing domestics.

Unless it's a live-in rewire and not associated with any other works. In that case going under may be preferable to minimise disruption.

 

[littlespark]

I think the disruption has already happened if the spark has chased down from the ceiling to every socket.

 

[Dustydazzler]

If its a live-in Rewire I would do what ever is needed to keep the wall chases to an absolute minimum. i would try to pull in new cables using the old cables under the floor etc

If it was a completely empty bungalow then probably get the wall chaser fired up and do everything with drops from the loft above

if the current sparks has already started wiring from above then just carry on with this

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Under the floor would be my preference for all but lighting, if reasonably feasible to do so. Insulation in the roof space is likely to put the cables in ref 101, which means larger cables for socket circuits etc.

 

[brianmoooore]

Whether or not there is 12" of glass wool insulation in the loft would have some bearing on my decision.