Tips for rewiring your space

There comes a point in the life-cycle of any property when simply changing the wall socket will no longer do. The time has come for something a bit more drastic and comprehensive.

Electrical work can be daunting especially if it’s the first time you’ve encountered it and of course we all need power to run our daily activities. There are many things to consider when rewiring a property and in this article we go through some key points to keep in mind when undertaking this task.

Take stock of all the current available points

Make a list of all the current power points in the property and check if they all still meet your current needs. For example if your kitchen only has one power outlet which runs the kettle, toaster, fridge and appliances now would be the perfect time to allocate more points.

Assess the main power box or board

In South Africa especially there is somewhat of a disconnect between the infrastructure in older houses and new developments. If your current box is still running a manual clock like dial that counts electricity units this can also be a good time to consider updating to a newer technology.

Find out where the current physical cables and wires are chased

This is one area where some time and effort can possibly be saved. By finding out where any current wiring may be the space can sometimes be re-used which will save any extra physical drilling or reconstruction. For example if the current wires are chased through a gap in the ceiling this space may be re-usable.

Keep track of any specific switches

If you have four rows of downlighters in a room you may want each row controlled individually by its own switch, ensure that any requirements such as this are noted down.

Brief your electrician comprehensively

From the current setup and the one you want to achieve ensure that your electrician fully understands your needs including everything from where switches and power points should be as well as how they should work. Knowing the types of appliances that will be used on any point will also help the electrician advise and build out a plan of action tailored to your space.

If you need advice or assistance with electrical work, building or maintenance why not let Pancare Properties assist! you can visit our contact page or check our details below.

The opinions expressed in this article are guidelines only. All spaces are different and before embarking on any renovation an assessment of the space should be done.