House purchase - old electrics

[Chrisbee]

My Daughter & husband are thinking of offering on a house they really like.

They've taken these pictures of incoming supply, consumer unit etc.

What are your opinions of likely both immediately needed and recommended upgrades?

What might the foil wrap be for, on the incomer?

 

[UNG]

You don't say how old the property is but looking at the distribution equipment it would suggest that some parts of the installation are more than likely in need of a rewire and an overall upgrade to include RCD / RCBO protection
The foil on the incomer may be to prevent any resin or pitch leaching from the cable covering damaging items stored close to it in the cupboard
While it might be worth getting an EICR done it may be better to invest the money in updating the electrics instead
I always tell people who are considering purchasing a property to count the number of sockets as usually there is not enough to cope with modern living and a rewire is the best way to solve it

 

[Chrisbee]

You don't say how old the property is but looking at the distribution equipment it would suggest that some parts of the installation are more than likely in need of a rewire and an overall upgrade to include RCD / RCBO protection
The foil on the incomer may be to prevent any resin or pitch leaching from the cable covering damaging items stored close to it in the cupboard
While it might be worth getting an EICR done it may be better to invest the money in updating the electrics instead
I always tell people who are considering purchasing a property to count the number of sockets as usually there is not enough to cope with modern living and a rewire is the best way to solve it

That's a good point about saving on EICR costs by committing to a rewire.

I get that a new CU would be of benefit and safer. The great big fused switch could go too, my guess is that that feeds the shed, but that is only a guess. They didn't get to see in the shed.

Seems they didn't notice the number of sockets etc.

We're guessing on 60s for the age of the property, see photo.

 

[binky]

various ages of cable, but what I can see is white PVC which is not as old as the house, and I suspect is still in good condition. What other cable I can see is light grey, so not that old either. Original looking dark grey cable (painted white) seems to orginate from the old brown board, which I would say has 3 rewirabe fuses in it for lights sockets and cooker, but maybe redundant judging by bear ends of cable we can see next to it. At a rough guess you wont find much wrong with it.

Recommendation is test to acertain actual condition of the wiring, and update boards. No doubt you will be doing works to update the property, like add sockets, redecorate etc etc. So dependent of the test results, if you need to rewire anything, that's the time to do it, and you can complete works on a room by room basis, splitting circuits to make the system more reliable if necessary.

 

[Chrisbee]

Many thanks for both replies.

I'll suggest they budget for a CU replacement and cupboard tidy up.
At which point the electrician will be able to advise on the rest of the wiring.

I think rooms will be redecorated one by one as money allows. Extra sockets can be added at this point.

A kitchen extension or knock through is also on the cards so there's another project that can include replacement electrics.

 

[Murdoch]

I would strongly advise they have an EICR prior to purchase. Sure it'll cost BUT then they will knwo what they are up against.

I've got customer who spent £1, 150, 000 on a home and its riddled with all sorts of faults - least of all loads of electrical ones. They didn't have an EICR .................

 

[Chrisbee]

I would strongly advise they have an EICR prior to purchase. Sure it'll cost BUT then they will knwo what they are up against.

I've got customer who spent £1, 150, 000 on a home and its riddled with all sorts of faults - least of all loads of electrical ones. They didn't have an EICR .................

OK, I'll show them this post too.

I know it's a very open question but what would a ball park cost be for a pre purchase EICR? (3 bed detached in Staffordshire, house is empty).

 

[Murdoch]

Can't guess for Staffordshire - but the fact the house is empty sis definitely helpful

 

[UNG]

I would strongly advise they have an EICR prior to purchase. Sure it'll cost BUT then they will knwo what they are up against.

I've got customer who spent £1, 150, 000 on a home and its riddled with all sorts of faults - least of all loads of electrical ones. They didn't have an EICR .................

The problem with EICR's these days is finding someone who can actually produce one that is worth the cost and the paper it is printed on, the state the industry is in you have to dispair at the quality of what is passed off as an EICR at the moment having looked at a couple EICR's in the last few days that are clearly works of fiction and that is without going near the sites

 

[Murdoch]

The problem with EICR's these days is finding someone who can actually produce one that is worth the cost and the paper it is printed on, the state the industry is in you have to dispair at the quality of what is passed off as an EICR at the moment having looked at a couple EICR's in the last few days that are clearly works of fiction and that is without going near the sites

Thats true to an extent and locating an honest spark can be tricky.

Best avoid ones recommended by estate or lettings agents.

 

[binky]

Can't guess for Staffordshire - but the fact the house is empty sis definitely helpful

@Badger your area?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Unless you already know a good reliable, competent electrician, capable of doing an accurate periodic inspection, spending money on an EICR on a property you still haven't actually purchased can be a bit of a "heads they will", "tails you lose", pi55ing in the wind exercise...

And could just be giving money to a dubious tradesperson for a useless report on a potential property purchase, that your offer is not accepted for anyway!

If there are no previous paperwork records, or certificates, available then some of the labour for EICR is just to find out which circuits supply which rooms/accessories..

I have recently spent just under two days doing comprehensive inspections on a property one of my previous customers has just moved into. There is some work that needs doing but most of the physical wiring is still electrically intact and serviceable. (We now have a list of essential work, Changes they want done quickly, & Changes they plan for later next year.)


If you do actually purchase the property, then more often than not you have some of your own personal alterations and/or additions that you want to do anyway, which could have implications on recommendations for what the installation needs to bring is up to current standards.

I would say you need to make a few general assumptions such as:-
The main consumer units and protective devices need upgrading.
Equipotential bonding may need improvement.
The majority of the circuit wiring is probably electrically sound.
A reasonable number of accessories, sockets/switches/pendant lights etc, are probably a bit worn and would benefit from replacement.
Most likely you would need some additional socket positions, or sockets moved and/or sockets converted to double outlets and/or sockets converted to those with USB charge outlets.
Outdoor wiring and accessories will have deteriorated more than internal accessories due to exposure to weather UV light etc..

Basically allow a reasonable sum to undertake a few electrical improvements, and equate this into your offer price..

From the photo is doesn't look like a wreak of a property, but you certainly need to be thinking of four figure sum rather than hundreds to tidy up and check over the electrical work..

What are the first 3 digits of your postcode..?
There may be someone on here who can help?

 

[Chrisbee]

Great advice, taken on board, many thanks.

Postcode for the house in question is in ST17.

Nothing can really be done until they find a buyer for their current house.

 

[mort2376]

If this is going to be a long term home then get it rewired as that's 30years without worry. Plus all accessories are new and numbers can be made upto recommendations now.

I would budget 5-6k for a full rewire. More if they want extras such as downlights.

 

[UNG]

Unless you already know a good reliable, competent electrician, capable of doing an accurate periodic inspection, spending money on an EICR on a property you still haven't actually purchased can be a bit of a "heads they will", "tails you lose", pi55ing in the wind exercise...

And could just be giving money to a dubious tradesperson for a useless report on a potential property purchase, that your offer is not accepted for anyway!

If there are no previous paperwork records, or certificates, available then some of the labour for EICR is just to find out which circuits supply which rooms/accessories..

I have recently spent just under two days doing comprehensive inspections on a property one of my previous customers has just moved into. There is some work that needs doing but most of the physical wiring is still electrically intact and serviceable. (We now have a list of essential work, Changes they want done quickly, & Changes they plan for later next year.)


If you do actually purchase the property, then more often than not you have some of your own personal alterations and/or additions that you want to do anyway, which could have implications on recommendations for what the installation needs to bring is up to current standards.

I would say you need to make a few general assumptions such as:-
The main consumer units and protective devices need upgrading.
Equipotential bonding may need improvement.
The majority of the circuit wiring is probably electrically sound.
A reasonable number of accessories, sockets/switches/pendant lights etc, are probably a bit worn and would benefit from replacement.
Most likely you would need some additional socket positions, or sockets moved and/or sockets converted to double outlets and/or sockets converted to those with USB charge outlets.
Outdoor wiring and accessories will have deteriorated more than internal accessories due to exposure to weather UV light etc..

Basically allow a reasonable sum to undertake a few electrical improvements, and equate this into your offer price..

From the photo is doesn't look like a wreak of a property, but you certainly need to be thinking of four figure sum rather than hundreds to tidy up and check over the electrical work..

What are the first 3 digits of your postcode..?
There may be someone on here who can help?

This expands somewhat on my earlier thinking, it is very rare to find someone who buys a house that they don't modify to suit their own needs especially these days with so much tech needing power