There are many different home improvement projects you can consider in an older property. One of the best options Tamworth Electrician suggests is to upgrade the wiring entirely. The wiring in newer homes is generally up-to-date. However, if you live in an older house with its original installations still intact, rewiring could be a massive improvement in regards to safety and functionality. So how much does it cost to rewire a house? Read on to find out more about the benefits and associated costs.
Why Is Rewiring Your House Important?
If you’ve recently purchased a property with unreliable electrical wiring or are carrying out renovations, you must consider upgrading your property’s wiring. This aspect of a house is generally overlooked as it’s not in sight. Unless an electrical problem arises, these features go relatively unnoticed.
However, to prevent fires, electrical hazards, and shocks, you must ensure that your property’s wiring is up-to-date and in compliance with Australian standards. This is particularly true for older properties that have most likely only had minor electrical work done over the years. The wiring in such structures could be outdated, dangerous, and incorrectly installed.
Plenty of older homes have a single circuit that powers outlets, and all appliances are plugged into it. If you notice that the fuse blows every time multiple devices like the heater, hairdryer, and dishwasher, etc. are switched on simultaneously, consider rewiring your entire house. It will eliminate power trips entirely; you can split the outlets over several circuits to prevent them from overloading.
You must also ensure that you have the latest earthing system and switchboard. The importance of Residual Current Devices for maintaining the safety of your house and family cannot be overstated. A rewiring project generally consists of replacing the old wiring, inspecting the earthing system, installation of new power points and switches, and upgrading all components of the main switchboard.
Hire a Licensed Electrician
You should avoid carrying out dangerous DIY projects on your property’s electrical wiring unless you have certification for it. You should instead call in a licensed professional to carry out all electrical services. The cost of the project depends on the property’s size and the materials and labour required. Expect to pay roughly $80 to $120 per hour. Contact your landlord or real estate agent if you’re renting a property, as it is their job to organise this.
Building Permits
Your electrician will let you know what permits are required for carrying out electrical work. In some cases, they can also acquire them on your behalf. Based on the area you live in, these permits are not that expensive but have to be included in your budget.
Upgrading Electrical Switchboards
In older properties, the electrical switchboards run off fuses. If your house has one of these, you should consider replacing your entire electrical switchboard. This will cost you approximately $1000.
New Installations
Factors like the size of your property and type of upgrades you require (the installation of dimmer switches or new outlets) have to be taken into account to determine which materials will be used during the rewiring and electrical upgrade project.
The Benefits of Rewiring Your House
1. Safety
Old wiring slowly deteriorates over time, and if not replaced, can give rise to a fire hazard. To maintain the safety of your family, consider calling in a licensed professional to examine the wiring and earthing system. Besides, it also ensures that you are in compliance with Australian Standards.
2. Separate Circuits
An additional benefit of rewiring your house is that you can now set up separate circuits for essential elements like your security alarm system or the hot water heater. This will prevent less important appliances from tripping their own circuits, in turn affecting the more critical elements in your house.
Rewiring your house presents you with the perfect opportunity to customise your living spaces for comfort. You get to place the electrical outlets you need in areas where they will be utilised the highest. Older properties were not designed with numerous electrical appliances in mind. You can also incorporate dimmer switches and motion sensor lights into your new rewired system.
For any more information, feel free to contact Tamworth Electrician at 1300 00 2340 or write to us at this email address and we will call back shortly. Our experts will discuss your requirements in detail and will make sure they provide solutions that work perfectly for you and fit right into your budget.