Rewiring a house or apartment – what’s involved?
You may have heard of rewiring at some point, but do you know what it really means? A complete home rewiring is a fairly large project, installing wires and cords around your home and connecting them to your outlets and fixtures.
The benefit of rewiring is that it gives you the opportunity to comprehensively plan where you need outlets, switches, and lighting, make your life as easy as possible, and create a future-proof home for your modern life.
You might even consider installing smart home features as part of the rewiring, with devices like automatic lighting, speaker systems connected to smart devices, or smart blinds as part of the rewiring
This is tough work as these cables need to be run under the floor, in the walls, and in the ceiling, so ideally this should be done when the house is empty – as your electrician needs to be able to reach the floor and “carve in” Walls’ ‘, which means that refurbishment or plastering may be required afterward. So if you don’t want to do the work yourself, you may want to consider additional contractors such as plasterers and decorators.
Rewiring happens in two parts – the first part is called initial repair and basically installs new cables and wires around the property. In the second part, called Second Fix, power up and install the front surface of the sockets, switches, and lights. Between the first and second repairs, there is a lot of work unrelated to the electrical system, such as Putting the carpet back, filling holes, and possibly refinishing.
Rewiring an entire house is usually a long (7-10 business days) and quite a daunting task. It includes stages such as:
The first stage is the preparation stage, which involves opening the ceiling or floor, depending on the route of the cables. Always cover carpet or floors for protection, remove all drywall, and have an electrical plan.
When all old wires and electrical points have been taken out. Make new carvings, drill new holes and pull in cables.
Then, after plastering the walls, repairing the ceilings and floors, and setting up the kitchen countertops, the protruding cables are connected to switches, sockets, lights, appliances, and finally to the consumer.
Finally, when everything is connected, inspections will be made to verify and prove the electrical condition.
At Arrowtech Electricians, we are home rewiring experts, so we’ll work with you to understand your home’s needs. We always clearly explain the work we carry out and treat your home or business with the utmost respect.
What must I do before rewiring?
Rewiring your home can be very disruptive, so you need to keep a few things in mind about your electrical plan so your electrician can get started.
New wiring needs to be installed in ceilings, under floors, and in walls, and beyond that, you’ll need to clear all room furniture and raise any carpets or floors.
You may also need to clean your attic so your electrician can easily access the top ceiling of your property. You must provide an electrical plan or you can order an electrical plan from Arrowtech Electricians.
When you book a rewiring with Arrowtech Electricians, we’ll explain what to do and what you need to do before we arrive, so your rewiring doesn’t experience unnecessary delays.
How long does it take to rewire?
Much depends on the size of your property and the complexity of the work involved, and it’s not always related to the size of your home or Office. For example, if you need a lot of sockets or light switches, it may increase rewiring time.
In some cases, wiring and wiring can be more complicated than usual, especially in the case of apartments, where access to the ceiling can be restricted, so this can also take extra time.
On average, a three-bedroom semi-detached home or Office takes around 7-10 business days, but please contact us for a custom quote.
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How Often Should You Rewire Your House?
In some cases, your home or Office may need to be rewired. In Kenya, many older properties have not had any electrical work done for over 25 years, as homeowners often leave it until the property is sold due to disruptions caused by rewiring.
If you see signs such as replacing an old fuse box on a modern consumer unit or a socket connected to a baseboard, it’s time to think about electrical rewiring in Nairobi. If you’re buying a property that recommends rewiring, in most cases this should appear in your building survey (by an independent surveyor, not your mortgage lender). In these cases, rewiring should be one of your top priorities, as potential hazards include the risk of fire or electric shock.
Rewiring may also be required if you are renovating your property, for example, if you are building an add-on and you need to provide electricity for a new room or extension or attic remodel in your home or Office, in which case Additional wiring will be required to supply the new part of your house.
In some cases, you may want to rent and need to follow renter safety regulations.
Whatever the reason for the rewiring, Our trained electrician can help. We work with you to plan for rewiring, always considering small additions that can make a big difference.
For example, garden lights, sockets and switches, under-cabinet lights in the kitchen, extra plugs, and phone sockets give you more flexibility when laying out your furniture and installing your smart home or Office.
All of our electricians are trained to the highest standards.
Rewiring of Nairobi Buildings
If you need to rewire in Nairobi, please consult Arrowtech Electricians.
Although smaller, rewiring can sometimes be a bit more complicated than rewiring a house due to issues related to ceiling and floor contact.
So, if you’re looking to rewire your home or Office, know that you’re hiring an experienced electrician who understands the work that may be involved in rewiring your home.
Install new sockets in the kitchen
In some cases, you may want to rewire part of your home or Office, not because it’s dangerous or old, but because you need extra outlets or light switches to make modern life easier. A classic example is your kitchen. When making a kitchen remodel, you may find that you need extra power outlets to have the appliances you want.
Modern kitchens go far beyond simple household appliances, and you may be considering installing other appliances like a wine fridge, coffee maker, or dishwasher.
You may also find that your kitchen doesn’t have enough sockets to handle the number of appliances you might use, such as food processors, blenders, and even the humble toaster.
In these cases, you may need to rewire the kitchen for the desired functionality. At Arrowtech Electricians, we understand the requirements of a modern kitchen and will first work with you to understand what might be required.
From new downlights under kitchen cabinets to USB-capable sockets, whatever your new kitchen needs, we’ll help you ensure you have the right electrical system to ensure your kitchen has full power for modern living.
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