Cost of earthing a house?

[ivorypanic]

Eyup, just wondering if anyone here knows how much it would cost to earth the electrics of a house? Recently moved in and its a very old property...none of the electrics seem to be earthed. Is it a big job?

 

[kme]

Eyup, just wondering if anyone here knows how much it would cost to earth the electrics of a house? Recently moved in and its a very old property...none of the electrics seem to be earthed. Is it a big job?

Define "none of the electrics" please m8.

Do you mean there`s no main earthing cable? and/or main bonding? and/or cpc (earth wire) to lights and/or sockets??

Dependant on which of the above applies, and on the earthing system to the property, and possibly the makeup of the land the property is on, could all affect the cost.

"big job"? Maybe very major, maybe minimal (see questions above). BUT - unless you can perform the necessary tests, it isn`t something the ordinary householder could do in any case.

 

[welshwizard]

Depends on where you are and what type of house too.

ie: 3 bedder etc.

Regards,

Welshy.

 

[The Godfather]

An Inspection of the electrics would be of benefit here.

Don

 

[Theorysparky]

in hindsight it would have been prudent to have the electrics checked before purchase of house.

Hey as long as the HIPS was ok then theres no problem !!!!

Sorry OP if there was a major issue a good surveyor would have raised it but as already mentioned more info required

Spoke to an estate agent recently and since the HIPS came out about 30% of buyers are requesting the electrics are checked either visual or full PIR.

how long do u think before that gets added ??

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Eyup, just wondering if anyone here knows how much it would cost to earth the electrics of a house? Recently moved in and its a very old property...none of the electrics seem to be earthed. Is it a big job?

Hi..

As others have suggested the best course of action is to get a full electrical inspection PIR carried out that will identify all areas requiring attention...

i.e. if there are earths missing there may be other bits also need sorting..

best to get a cost (quote) for the lot..

it would probably work out cheaper overall.

I would guess it is only the lighting circuit that has no earth?

It would seem very unusal to have no earth to the sockets!! :| :|

It was pre 1966 or thereabouts that lighting circuits were only twin cables (no earth)

But I cannot think of a time when earth was not required for socket??

unless any other real old people on here can??

(hands up who's the oldest... send em out weve got the place surrounded)

Also probably main & supplimenatery earth bonding.. probably missing or incorrect cable sizes?

If any alterations have been carried out in the past 10 -15 years some of these bits should of been picked up??

unless it is really... really... really old & no changes !? ?:|

are some of the cables black rubber sheathed? :|

Or PVC

Or lead

It is not normally economical to just run earths to the fittings.

cuz while you are doing that you may as well put new PVC Twin & Earth cable to the lot!!

If it is really missing a lot one would assume it needs a new fusebox as well?

you are probably talking of a full rewire.....?

in which case you are probably looking between

 

[extension15]

in hindsight it would have been prudent to have the electrics checked before purchase of house.Hey as long as the HIPS was ok then theres no problem !!!!

Sorry OP if there was a major issue a good surveyor would have raised it but as already mentioned more info required

Spoke to an estate agent recently and since the HIPS came out about 30% of buyers are requesting the electrics are checked either visual or full PIR.

how long do u think before that gets added ??

A lot depends on what the surveyor sees, which quite often is just broken fittings/unclipped cables or a cluttered mass of cables in the property..

I do get an increasing number of requests for PIRS on house sales..

 

[kme]

This seems to be an upward trend ext.

We`re also getting more of these. I was given to understand that the PIR was originally going to be included in the HIP, then, for whatever esoteric reason, the gov`t kicked it out.

The main problem we`re seeing is that some of these "visual inspectors", or even surveyors, by necessity are not as au fait with regs as we are. They`ll either pass something with no comment which would scream "rewire" to most of us, or they`ll pick up 1 or 2 things, i.e. lead cables in the loft; yet not follow that to its logical conclusion.

Surely it would be better (from a safety point of view), if a PIR by an electrician was carried out on a change of ownership of premises, similar to the change of tenant in an HMO?

IMHO of course

 

[extension15]

This seems to be an upward trend ext.Surely it would be better (from a safety point of view), if a PIR by an electrician was carried out on a change of ownership of premises, similar to the change of tenant in an HMO?

IMHO of course

I think they will become mandatory, like the Gas..

 

[Mr Sworld]

If you're a smart cookie you can have it written into the exchange contract that while you'll pay for a PIR any dangerous or non-compliant electrical work will be put right at the sellers expense!

 

[kme]

I will be happy one day, when I can aspire to be a "smart cookie"; but I dont think I`ll ever have the ****ies for it. :^O :^O:^O

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

If you're a smart cookie you can have it written into the exchange contract that while you'll pay for a PIR any dangerous or non-compliant electrical work will be put right at the sellers expense!

Now that is sneaky;\ ; \ ; \

That ought to be in all contracts...

maybe nudge a few more peole to sort out their electrics more often???

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

whatever esoteric reason,

esoteric wow!!

fitting esoteric into a sentence at 23:45!!!! :O:O:O

You obviously not had enough beer M8?? ] ] ]

 

[kme]

You obviously not had enough beer M8?? ] ] ]

No my friend; but I`m attempting to rectify this situation as we speak (euphemistically speaking, of course). I don`t think its bad for 4 1/2 ............sorry, 5 pints of Guinness . `scuse me while I go on a wumpus hunt for my fridge.

Martyn

 

[ivorypanic]

Yeah I figured I was being a bit vague. Trouble is I don't think I can answer most of your questions I don't really know anything about this stuff. I guess I'll try and arrange for an inspection then...hope that in itself doesen't cost me much!

Thanks to all for responses, much appreciated!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Yeah I figured I was being a bit vague. Trouble is I don't think I can answer most of your questions I don't really know anything about this stuff. I guess I'll try and arrange for an inspection then...hope that in itself doesen't cost me much!Thanks to all for responses, much appreciated!

Inspection first definatley the way to go M8

Cost: it is very much a labour rate thing, size of property (i.e. No of circuits) and where you are in the country;

a really bad house would typicaly be quicker that one that is sort of mostley ok.

cuz on a bad property you cannot do some of the test's.

for example.. there is a thing called earth loop impeadance...

which if you aint got earths on all circuits you cant do the tests so is a bit quicker.

make sure whoever does the inspection is a member of one off the recongnised electrical contracting bodies:

NICEIC

ELECSA

NAPIT

BSI

BRE

(generally the first 3 are the most well known)

Make sure also that who does it IS qualified to City & Guilds 2391

('inspection & testing of electrical installations').

I am in the Midlands, when asked I typically advise it could be half to one day labour, plus a bit of admin for writing up the report .....

typlically somewhere form