When a house needs rewiring

Most of the rewire calls we take in Leeds start with something someone else has already noticed: a survey, an insurer, or cable that looks nothing like the grey twin-and-earth in a newer house. A single dead socket is not a rewire. A house that is still on the original lighting, with a fuse board to match, often is.

What old cable looks like

Rubber, cloth, and lead-sheathed cable belong to older installations. The insulation goes hard and cracks. You might see it in a loft, behind a light, or where a previous owner has already opened a wall. Grey modern cable in one room does not mean the rest of the house was done. Kitchens are often renewed and the upstairs lighting is left.

Age on its own is not a date we scrap an installation on. Cable that still tests as sound can stay. Cable that is rubber, perished, or already warm under load should come out. That is why we look at the house before we name the job a full rewire.

Full rewire or partial

A full rewire replaces the circuits through the house and usually includes the consumer unit. A partial rewire is one floor, a kitchen, or the circuits that have failed, when the rest is sound. We will not sell the larger job if the smaller one is honest.

• A survey or an insurer has asked for the electrics to be renewed
• You can see rubber, cloth, or lead cable
• The lighting and the sockets both trip, or run warm
• The walls are already open for other building work

Call 07383 846751 with the town and what prompted the question. A rewire is a planned visit. We agree which rooms are included, and how long the power will be off, before anyone sets off.