H
Haus_käufer11 Nov 2019 19:53Hello Dear Community,
We have bought a house and have renewed almost everything that needed updating.
Only one thing we were a bit naive about and postponed to “sometime later” was the electrical installation.
The house was built in 1958, and some electrical work was done in the 1970s. Nothing more.
Of course, everything works, but there is still a big concern that something might happen eventually.
Just out of curiosity… is it possible to completely renew the entire house wiring while still living in the house? And if yes, how long does such a process usually take and what might it cost?
Thank you very much in advance, and I wish you all a pleasant evening.
We have bought a house and have renewed almost everything that needed updating.
Only one thing we were a bit naive about and postponed to “sometime later” was the electrical installation.
The house was built in 1958, and some electrical work was done in the 1970s. Nothing more.
Of course, everything works, but there is still a big concern that something might happen eventually.
Just out of curiosity… is it possible to completely renew the entire house wiring while still living in the house? And if yes, how long does such a process usually take and what might it cost?
Thank you very much in advance, and I wish you all a pleasant evening.
I would first have it checked by a professional. It might be enough to make changes in the distribution boxes. These probably need to be larger to meet current regulations.
The boxes are delivered fully assembled, allowing for a quick replacement within one day.
As soon as you need new wiring, you will have to open up the walls in every room. This means a long process and significant effort. However, this also gives you the opportunity to install the network (Cat cable) and possibly BUS cabling at the same time.
A rough estimate for just the cabinets with installation in a single-family home is around 15,000–20,000 (currency). It is currently difficult to find an electrician.
The boxes are delivered fully assembled, allowing for a quick replacement within one day.
As soon as you need new wiring, you will have to open up the walls in every room. This means a long process and significant effort. However, this also gives you the opportunity to install the network (Cat cable) and possibly BUS cabling at the same time.
A rough estimate for just the cabinets with installation in a single-family home is around 15,000–20,000 (currency). It is currently difficult to find an electrician.
Two years ago, I paid about 13,000 for everything new, including basic network installation and satellite setup.
All costs were roughly within that range.
As I said, have it checked. If everything needs or should be replaced, then go for it. Old electrical systems can really become dangerous. The installation back then was by far not designed for the number of devices used today.
All costs were roughly within that range.
As I said, have it checked. If everything needs or should be replaced, then go for it. Old electrical systems can really become dangerous. The installation back then was by far not designed for the number of devices used today.
H
Haus_käufer12 Nov 2019 08:48Thank you all for your responses. Our mistake was simply that we wanted to move into the new house too quickly and rushed things.
We thought, “Well, if the electrical system has been working so far, it will continue to work.”
Unfortunately, that was completely wrong because, for example, when we use our blender in the kitchen, the floor lamp in the living room starts flickering. There are really nice cream-colored wood ceilings with recessed lights installed on the ground floor. I’d rather not even know how the electrical connections for these lights were done, because the previous owner was quite careless. He didn’t do the work that was necessary, but he did everything that was unnecessary. Well... I guess I won’t be able to avoid dealing with this in the near future. Still, many thanks for your information.
We thought, “Well, if the electrical system has been working so far, it will continue to work.”
Unfortunately, that was completely wrong because, for example, when we use our blender in the kitchen, the floor lamp in the living room starts flickering. There are really nice cream-colored wood ceilings with recessed lights installed on the ground floor. I’d rather not even know how the electrical connections for these lights were done, because the previous owner was quite careless. He didn’t do the work that was necessary, but he did everything that was unnecessary. Well... I guess I won’t be able to avoid dealing with this in the near future. Still, many thanks for your information.
T
tamtamtam12 Nov 2019 09:56Hello,
I would also like to point out that some insurances no longer cover damages if the electrical system is over 30/40 years old.
You can basically answer the following questions yourself:
Are RCD (Residual Current Device) breakers installed and are all circuits protected?
Has the grounding conductor been used correctly?
Are aluminum wiring cables installed? (risk of breakage and performance issues!) I have seen myself that the wires glowed when the vacuum cleaner, TV, and PC were on (the insulation melted onto the conductors), or that the cables simply broke due to aging.
In my case, various cable colors were mixed together (East Germany), and the grounding conductor was connected to the neutral conductor. Therefore, it was incompatible with current breakers. The aluminum wiring was brittle and had broken. That’s why I removed everything and redid it completely. At the same time, I increased the number of outlets and equipped every room with LAN sockets.
I carried out all this work as part of a complete renovation.
If I had to do it later, I would go room by room. It’s best to start with the rooms that will soon be (re)renovated since it’s a messy and very dusty process.
Once you have pulled the new cables, it’s no problem to connect everything properly according to regulations.
I would also like to point out that some insurances no longer cover damages if the electrical system is over 30/40 years old.
You can basically answer the following questions yourself:
Are RCD (Residual Current Device) breakers installed and are all circuits protected?
Has the grounding conductor been used correctly?
Are aluminum wiring cables installed? (risk of breakage and performance issues!) I have seen myself that the wires glowed when the vacuum cleaner, TV, and PC were on (the insulation melted onto the conductors), or that the cables simply broke due to aging.
In my case, various cable colors were mixed together (East Germany), and the grounding conductor was connected to the neutral conductor. Therefore, it was incompatible with current breakers. The aluminum wiring was brittle and had broken. That’s why I removed everything and redid it completely. At the same time, I increased the number of outlets and equipped every room with LAN sockets.
I carried out all this work as part of a complete renovation.
If I had to do it later, I would go room by room. It’s best to start with the rooms that will soon be (re)renovated since it’s a messy and very dusty process.
Once you have pulled the new cables, it’s no problem to connect everything properly according to regulations.
To answer your question:
No, it is not possible to renew the electrical system in an occupied house.
Everything needs to be replaced, including the wiring.
This means a lot of dust and dirt, and afterwards the entire house will require repainting.
From my own experience, it is not practical to live in the house during this time; basically, it has to be completely cleared out.
Electrical work is one of the trades that must be completed during renovation before moving in.
Regarding the risk of fire, I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
If you are generally satisfied with the existing fixtures, those can still be used.
No, it is not possible to renew the electrical system in an occupied house.
Everything needs to be replaced, including the wiring.
This means a lot of dust and dirt, and afterwards the entire house will require repainting.
From my own experience, it is not practical to live in the house during this time; basically, it has to be completely cleared out.
Electrical work is one of the trades that must be completed during renovation before moving in.
Regarding the risk of fire, I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
If you are generally satisfied with the existing fixtures, those can still be used.
Similar topics