Domestic rewire - anyone?

Hello everyone,

Issue is rewire of 70s 3 bed semi which has a concrete ground  floor -  I've been told that means chasing down the walls from the first floor void.  I'm ok with this as the nicest thing about the house is the oak floor the previous owner put down.   MK sockets,  can't recall the CU brand, pendants and 6 LEDs in the kitchen, 2 external lights and one in loft,  no fire/smoke alarm or burglar alarm.  Property will be vacant.   I've been quoted 4.5K from a local firm and I'm waiting for other quotes.   St Albans, Hertfordshire area.   

My (apologies for not very interesting) question is:  Does 4.5 K sound about right?   Bloke took ages to quote and I'm thinking he maybe doesn't want the work.  Or he was having a well-earned holiday seeing as it's August.   

Most sparks are busy often with work booked for weeks ahead... So the urgency may not be there.

As for the price, only a site visit and customer spec can tell that.

You say no smoke alarms are included .   They should be included as part of a major refurb  .

Obviously we havn't been to site but a quote of £4500   .00   is not excessive without looking .    There will be  a fair amount of re-plastering to do as they are all drops  but it helps that the property will be vacant .   

Just had a chat 5 mins ago with a bloke about the smoke alarms and he agrees with you Evans Electric.  My other quote said they are optional if it isn't a newbuild.    I've read some of  (not all!) Approved Document B - vol 1 of the Building Regulations 2010 and hopefully understand a bit better.  It clearly states detection and alarm systems should be mains operated with a standby power supply.     Yes, we're having mains fire detection system.

70's house probably means chipboard floors which are a pain in the neck. 

4.5 k is about right, we would charge that at a minimum plus vat. Your just a little too far for me to pop over if your after the cheapest  quote as i would be happier with 5-5.5 k + vat  but include smokes aerial points etc

SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH said:

70's house probably means chipboard floors which are a pain in the neck. 

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If Slipdash & Slaphead  is correct about the sheet flooring ...   then speaking for myself , I'd be walking away  .   Just walked from  one yesterday  which was  an extended kitchen,  bathroom   and integral garage  turned into a dining room .      Builders fitted one only , smoke detector  in garage ,    .     Building control  are insisting  on another in the kitchen  and interlinked to two more existing .

Builder ,as usual , not coming back to put it right  so they asked us .    Because  we knew the house was  1930's we , ( stupidly)  assumed floorboards  .   A total & absolute nightmare to  get a cable  from A to B   under sheet floor , laminate   & bathroom tiles .  

Left them to consider radio linked .       

Malarky said:

Just had a chat 5 mins ago with a bloke about the smoke alarms and he agrees with you Evans Electric.  My other quote said they are optional if it isn't a newbuild.    I've read some of  (not all!) Approved Document B - vol 1 of the Building Regulations 2010 and hopefully understand a bit better.  It clearly states detection and alarm systems should be mains operated with a standby power supply.     Yes, we're having mains fire detection system.

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Get them to quote for AICO alarms with the 10 year lithium battery....not cheap but bombproof!

if they mention HiSpec or BRK etc then run away, run away very quickly

just advising

Having a rewire and not including mains powered, hard wired interlinked alarms is a big mistake imho

there is no regulation, that I’m aware of that means mandatory fitting of smoke alarms

as usual, a major failing of the UK building regs ....

I thought the 16th recommended  Smoke alarms  to be included  in any major electrical works.     Probably dreamt it .

Evans Electric said:

I thought the 16th recommended  Smoke alarms  to be included  in any major electrical works.     Probably dreamt it .

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Pipe dream.....pipe smoke dream?     :coat

Evans Electric said:

I thought the 16th recommended  Smoke alarms  to be included  in any major electrical works.     Probably dreamt it .

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BS 7671 does not extend to fire alarm systems ....

Thanks everyone for the tips.  All use AICO so not running away yet.    After adding on smoke detection and everything I'd omitted from the original quote (all the LED downlights, wall lights,  extra appliances) it's looking like 6K plus VAT.    What a voyage of discovery this is.   Some fill the chases and some leave them unfilled.  Foam infill anyone?    Doesn't it react with the PVC cable over time?    If I had time I'd have a go at filling them in with bonding plaster myself - we've found a good plasterer who says he'll do it in a day.        Lastly, sorry if this is in the wrong forum....    how do you rate Greenbank fire-rated LEDs?  

Malarky said:

Thanks everyone for the tips.  All use AICO so not running away yet.    After adding on smoke detection and everything I'd omitted from the original quote (all the LED downlights, wall lights,  extra appliances) it's looking like 6K plus VAT.    What a voyage of discovery this is.   Some fill the chases and some leave them unfilled.  Foam infill anyone?    Doesn't it react with the PVC cable over time?    If I had time I'd have a go at filling them in with bonding plaster myself - we've found a good plasterer who says he'll do it in a day.        Lastly, sorry if this is in the wrong forum....    how do you rate Greenbank fire-rated LEDs?  

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VAT is only applicable if the trader is registered for VAT .......... so best check you don't pay 20% more that doesn't go to HMRC .................. it does happen.

never heard of Greenbank, but there are loads of LED suppliers - look for 5 year warranty on fittings.

As for filling wall chases, I don't do that as such, I rough fill with easi-fill or similar product, but final finish is for decorator / customer. Having had years of practice, my rough filling is near enough a fial finish, but get a smooth finish requires lots of time with sandpaper. If walls fall apart, as they do sometimes, then it's a plastering job.

Never heard of/used  Greenbank lights

i have used their timers and PIRs......they are passable BUT just somebody else's badged up

Downlights I would suggest Scolmore Inceptor, JCC, Aurora, Luxna ( YESSS Electric own badge but actually OK), Halers

We fill chases with bonding but leave  final finish  to customer.

Seems i was in the  right area price wise.

Greenbrook NOT Greenbank    :coat            http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/products.php?cat=351 

I've used Greenbrook   they were OK  ..as good as any other I think .  

I have only known Greenbrook  as fan manufacturers, good stuff. I guess they are just badging up other stuff now.