What questions, apart from "how much", do I ask an electrician who may be rewiring my house?

Question

An electrician is calling this evening. Do you have any suggestions on relevant questions to ask or relevant matters to clarify.

Answer 1

Firstly, get a detailed written quote from him and at least two others. By all means tell each of them you are doing so - that way they will be less likely to try to rip you off and may try harder to keep their charges down. Also, it means that if there are problems, you have something in writing.

Secondly, make sure that they are all members of N.I.C.E.I.C., the UK's consumer safety organisation and independent regulatory body for the electrical industry (website listed below). Their website is full of helpful information and you can check to see who your local members are.

Thirdly, you are the customer here: that means you're in charge. Draw up a list of jobs you want done, things you want replaced or added to. If there's something you don't understand, ask (and ask each of the electricians, so you can compare their answers). And then get them to confirm it all, in detail, on paper.

Fourthly, the questions: several people here have come up with good ones. One approach might be to ask your electrician what he will be doing, and then ask the questions. Don't forget to ask how much these extras will cost - it may be that, while you would prefer this switch go there, the cost in time (and hence labour) makes it not worthwhile. If you don't know how much each job will cost, you won't be able to make informed decisions and might regret it afterwards.

So at this point I would go from room to room, making notes as to what you want done in each area, what moved, what added, what taken out (after all, if you're having the whole place rewired, now would be the best opportunity to make all those alterations).

Consider replacing all the single sockets by doubles, and add more sockets in the kitchen (you can never have enough kitchen sockets!).

Are the lights in the right place, and bright enough or too bright? How about dimmers, or extra switches?

Can you reach everything, or are some switches or sockets inaccessible? It might be worth moving them.

Do you have trailing leads or multiple plugs on sockets? Have your friends or family complained about a lack of socket in one corner? If so, add more sockets, closer to the appliances.

Any good handyman or electrician is likely to be busy, so he may not be able to come quickly. Ask him when he will be able to start the job and how long it will take.

Will he make good afterwards (this means replastering where necessary)?

What hours does he work (will he be waking you up in the morning?)?

What will you need to move out of his way beforehand?

Will he provide you with a certificate at the end of it all?


That's about all I can think of.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Ask him what type of sockets, etc he will be fitting, a lot of these guys will cut corners by using cheapo stuff. If you want the sockets to have switches on them, you need to say. A lot of people will specify MK sockets, they are acknowledged to be the best but not necessarily the most profitable for the electrician!

If you are having the fuse box renewed, you need to ask for a few extra "bays" so you can extend or add circuits in future.

Other than that- and it may be stating the obvious- you need to make sure that he is clear on having the WHOLE HOUSE rewired. I had a situation once where the guy had just used the existing cable and had only changed the light fittings and switches. When I pulled him about this he said the cable had looked OK and it would just have caused too much mess to replace it (!?) I think the reality was that it was too much BOTHER for him. He hadn't offered to reduce his price either.

All I am saying is that if you are entering into a verbal agreement on a fixed price job, make sure you both agree on what is being done.

You might also want to clarify that he will "make good" any damage to plaster. It's inevitable that plaster will be damaged when the cables are renewed.

You should also ask if he is qualified to rewire domestic installations!! I'm assuming he will be but they keep changing the rules. I think at present they need their "13th regs" or something like that?

Answer 3

Ask him for a detailed qoutation if he will only give an estimate make sure it is detailed. You will need to know if he is changing the points (plugs) and switches or is he rewiring to the existing.

If he tells you need a new consumer unit ask why and make a note you can check by looking at or contacting http://www.niceic.org.uk/

Tell him you always get three estmates minimum so you will be comparing like for like and therefore the more detail the easier it is to make a comparison as one with a lot of detail may look like more for the money than another.

Be nice and friendly but show confidence and you should avoid being ripped off. I may add most electricians are reputable but like everything else it is the few that spoil it.

Answer 4

You will need for your behalf a permit tell him all his work is going to be inspected and if there is any wobble from this person then you know the person is not for you , many places will cut corners and are not up to building codes , so this is why they have the department of public services for you, OK, and make sure there are no hidden charges and clean up must be done by him and he must be licensed and bonded if anything happens and he is not bonded and you house burns down hes not liable so have his credentials check out , with the city and see if any complaints have been issued on him or this company it will be on public record at the city office the city your in, good luck hope everything work out for you, take care

Answer 5

Just remember that you are the customer. Tell him what you want as at rewiring it is a great opportunity to add those extra power points and light switches. Have a new distribution box which is easy to reset if what used to be a blown fuse occurs. The new box requires you to just reset a switch. Have the box put in an accessible place. Mine is in the garage and when it needs to be reset I need to go outside in perhaps rain, snow, ice etc to deal with it.
Get at least 3 quotes not estimates, quotes. You will then know what the final bill Will be. If you add to your requirements after the quotation has been accepted then this is when you will pay the top prices for labour and materials.
Pay nothing until completion and pay attention to the other answers regarding certification etc.

Answer 6

The law has changed.
Firstly you need an electrician, who can self certify.
NICEIC registered.
They are regulated and regularly inspected.

tap in the niceic on your search engine.
Know exactly what YOU want. everything is possible, and he should be able to help in keeping you within regulations.
Agree on the making good, cleaning away of all their mess.
Ask if you can see a current and completed job, or given a reference.
Agree on what fixtures you require. Basic cheap plastic, MK, or chrome etc.

Make sure you have all your requirements covered.
AGREE A PRICE.

Answer 7

When can he start? How long will the job take? Will he have to cut supply to all the house? What can be done to preserve your freezer/fridge food in the meanwhile? What sort of mess can you expect? Can he work in one room at a time? So that the whole house isn't a rebuilding site. Protection for your furniture if he is chasing any walls. Will he be lifting any of the floor boards, if so which ones? Carpet and mats protection or removal? Anything else you can add to the list.

Answer 8

How much he will charge and for what, when he can start the work and when he will finish, how much disruption will the work cause, what time he will start/finish each day and will he issue a certificate of work at the end of it all. Don't be tempted to pay 'by the day' they can take as long as they like then and you pay for the priveledge!! be prepared for a mess, mine was like a bomb had hit, and put any stuff away possible because the dust gets everywhere. Make sure the guy is fully qualified.

Answer 9

Ask him HOW LONG WILL THE JOB TAKE? Do you know of any other electrical jobs he has done in the area where you live? Will you be required to disconnect the main power supply, and if so, for how long - you probably have a freezer full of meat and other stuff that could spoil if the power is off for too long. Don't forget to turn all your appliances off when he is actually doing the job.

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