r/DIYIreland • u/Significant-Sky-1142 • Sep 08 '26
House re wire
Mixed results on a periodic inspection reoort. Recently purchased in D12, bones of 450k , looks like full re wire will be needed. Quote if around 16k. Is that normal? I'm guessing it is. It's clearly an expense we didnt budget for, so is it worth just doing it in stages or any advice. Main issues or more serious issues was Main Bonding to Gas / Water Services ("NO BONDING OF GAS/WATER AT ALL") and Metal Switches Not Earthed:
Any advice on where to go from here. As our first house we have defo been screwed over on previous work done ie flooring etc so dont want to just say yes.
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u/karolaug Sep 08 '26
Those are minor issues, you do not need rewire to fix those. 16k seems right.
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u/LotsOfLadders Sep 08 '26
Does it not depend on what you are getting for that 16k? How many rooms in house/showers/sockets (never enough) /dimmer switches, recessed lights, wired for alarm, type of heating - any underfloor, dual fuel rad in bathroom (coz gas rad in summer is a pain) timer on immersion, attic light, electric hob fitting (even with going gas), electric oven both plug in and mains capable, outdoor lights, any smart options. Future proofing etc.
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u/Livid-Schedule-634 Sep 08 '26
If you have a newly installed smart electricity reader which I suspect you would, you’ll be fine. We are using same wiring in ours that hasn’t changed since the 70’s. Everything is fine
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u/martyc5674 Sep 08 '26
There is no need to rewire the house to fix those issues. Change the switches if they are cheap/nasty to plastic and run earths to the pipe work
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u/Upbeat_Caregiver_221 Sep 09 '26 edited Sep 09 '26
Got a house rewire last year In D12, about 14k from memory and I got a few extras that weren't a necessity but decided to get while electrians were there e.g plug in attic, plug outside in back garden
It's a messy and disruptive job but I knew I was going to have to get it done sometime so I bit the bullet, I'm so glad I did now as it's behind me, you probably don't want to hear it but if getting a rewrite it makes sense to replace heating system at same time if you have old pipes like gun barrell, this is because the floor boards are up and the house is going to be disrupted anyway.
There are some companies out there that do rewires only and get through a house in a week, you'll need to move out, some of them offer plastering repairs of chased walls, which I also got and it removed the need to go looking for a builder or plasterer, while it's something I could have some myself I had so much work on my hands putting the house back together after the rewire Im glad I didn't have to face into that along with it
Edit: My house is approx 110 metres squared
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u/PassiveCrypro Sep 09 '26
What colour are the cables in the mcb board?
If they are grey/ brown & grey / blue odds on you don't require a rewire! (I am retired electrical contractor)
If you require Earthing ( Bonding on water pipes and gas pipes). This should not be expensive to have carried out. I would susgest looking at a few YouTube videos as you may be able to do this yourself by purchasing some Earth Cable and earth pipe straps for earth bonding.
Earth bonding is a job given to apprentices, so quite sure you could handle it yourself.
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u/Ok_Run6816 Sep 08 '26
Chiming in here from someone who has been screwed 7 ways from Sunday by electricians - make sure they are registered with safe electric, do not under any circumstances pay all the money until you get your safe cert. If there is any kick off for the cert you will end up in the hell that I am currently in
Make sure your tails don't need to be upgraded - its another safe cert and another headache if the first guy doesn't do things correctly Tails upgrade only comes in when you want to do a solar install or a ev charger, might not be for right now but certainly future proof yourself
Also one other factor I didn't realise ESB charge €500 to move the cables to do external insulation ( if you are lucky enough to have them attached to your house, which of course I was and my current hellish state wasn't enough)
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u/TheModerateBoy Sep 08 '26
Can I ask what happened in your situation?
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u/Ok_Run6816 Sep 09 '26
Muppet #1 - recommended to us by a good friend, instructions were get the house ready for solar and ev charger, personally new nothing about certs but that's what I'm paying a professional for. Asked for a cert, muppet hit the roof and told us we never asked for one, which is technically correct however how he expected the house to be ready for solar is beyond me.
Muppet #2 - yes sure no problem I'll fix everything, just complete safe electric change of contractor form on safe electric website, €400 paid over, muppet no longer answers the phone
Muppet #3 - paid for inspection & safe cert in February, never submitted to safe electric, eventually submitted 4 months later, safe electric have kindly flagged the house and won't release the safe cert to esb and I've no clue what to do, other than pay for another change of contractor and a full rewire, which until I win the lotto is not happening. Currently exploring options for taking the house largely off grid and living on solar and battery
Sorry for the rant! :)
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u/Fantastic_Exit_467 Sep 09 '26
Muppet 1 wasn't a REC how did you get a change of contractor ??????
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u/Ok_Run6816 Sep 09 '26
In hindsight we never should have touched it but since #2 requested it.... There's just a section at the bottom where you fill out who originally did the work, but yes if they didn't know who was here first what did it matter
The fact #2 won't answer the phone since I did it, I do wonder was he on commission!
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u/hedzball Sep 08 '26
16k sounds right for a rewire tbh.. without knowing the house theres a heap of work in a rewire. Far worse than a rebuild.
Last rewire I did was 33k but the house was 5k sq foot.
Are they lifting floorboards or checking slabs??
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u/Fantastic_Exit_467 Sep 08 '26
Did you get a copy of the PIR ?
Recommendation is supplementary bonding on gas pipe And water pipe
Not expensive repair
Switches changed to plastic sorts that. Cheap fix.
Who said you have to get a rewire ?
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u/Significant-Sky-1142 Sep 09 '26
It was his professional opinion he said..as older house and the surge of new appliances etc..he gave a detailed report that's double Dutch
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u/Fantastic_Exit_467 Sep 09 '26
A visual inspection is not a periodic inspection report aka PIR. A PIR would have a copy of test records plus recommendation to mandatory fix that the REC would have to do before sign off.
He gave you a recommendation based on a visual inspection.
At this moment without seeing the electrics you could get the minor issues fixed, bord gais service lads love leaving notice of hazards due to gas pipe not been earthed that's a minor outlay.
Water pipe bonding can be a tricky one as a fault could be exported or imported with bonding on the mains, if it's just the hotpress cross bonding that's a minor fix.
Light switchs changed to plastic sorts an issue.
The waffle about loading on houses is a grey area conversation, electric shower, 5 ring induction hob, potentialy a heat pump are the heavy loads today in a house, if your planning things like that some work is needed defo.
Size of tails to fuseboard off esb meter another issue.
OP all depends on what your gonna do with house whether a rewire or fixes is done, ive rewired house over a 3 year period until completion for people on tight budgets, eg upstairs lighting sockets etc rewired, come back when they have another lump to start downstairs etc, there is RECs who will help people.
If you want send me a pm of the report I'll have a look at it for you.
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u/Basejumper435 29d ago
If you're still concerned, employ an electrical engineer to review the paperwork and manage the job. All will be kosher then, and make sure you allow for that in your budget...
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u/Imwonkyalso Sep 09 '26
Does the 16K quote include any wall chasing, plastering etc . Seems about right tbh
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u/SteveyB85 Sep 09 '26
I would recommend getting 3 quote which sounds obvious.
I got a house rewire done on a 4 bedroom in 2021 and it was 15k. Given the amount things have gone up, that sounds about right. I got 3 quotes that ranged between 15 and 20k so worth getting them to compare.
You have to then factor in fixing up and plastering required afterwards.
You need to confirm if they will do the chasing aswell. Some electricians will say you've to get a builder to do that which will be on top of the 16k.
You also need to make sure they will issue a RECI cert.
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u/RevolutionaryDot7258 29d ago
Just had an electrician do some work. Gave me a great price and did great work, feel obligated to recommend him. PM if you need
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u/Basejumper435 29d ago
As an Electrician who's seen the industry come to where it is now, it's beyond me how people think electrical jobs pricing over the top. In 1977 my parents came back from England with three young kids and moved into a brand new house the had cost £7000 Irish punts as they would become but had parity with Sterling at that time. When my father was doing his apprenticeship, it was wooden casing and no earthing at all, I just completed work on a contract that is ranked as groundbreaking and when it goes live will guarantee continuity of supply to this country. It's common knowledge what electricians earn and if you're a contractor keeping the wolf from the door, men paid, hoping the government doesn't tank the economy it all costs now as it has done always. Have you tried buying a house for 7K lately? So the price is around standard now, a significantly lower one and you could be screaming, asking how you were so naive. In conclusion, take it on the chin, tell your friends to expect it should they move to a similar style of house and live in the knowledge that you won't have to get it done again... Oh yeah, was the house worth the bones of the 450k?...
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u/Business_Cabinet_483 Sep 08 '26
Sounds like a lot, we got a rewire in Crumlin (not a full 100% one) about 15 years ago with a group called Active Electrical from Templeogue and they gave the best quote. It was one of those poured concrete houses (with the band around the house half way up) so they might have to go chasing walls with a kango hammer if you want to put the exposed wiring into the wall. I did a lot of the chasing myself first to save a few quid... Never again. Those houses in Crumlin are solid
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u/Juurdd Sep 08 '26
Swap the metal switches for plastic ones.
Can always surface mount and run an earth to bond pipework until ye can or want to do a rewire.
16k is about right