Does your Auckland home need electrical rewiring?

Unsure if your home requires electrical rewiring? Your home is a sanctuary, and ensuring its safety and maintenance is of utmost importance. It’s recommended to have your home’s electrical systems evaluated by a professional Auckland electrician if it was built more than 30 years ago. Here are some signs that may indicate that your home needs to be rewired:

• • Age – If your home was built over 30 years ago, you may need to have its electrical systems evaluated.

• • Switchboard – A visual inspection of your switchboard can give you an idea of its condition and safety. One of the main issues that old switchboards have is old circuit protection. Often there is old wire fuses and usually no RCD protection, because of this your switchboard does not comply with the new NZ standards. This becomes a problem when you need to add additional power circuits and lights. Electricians must be able to protect all new circuits with RCD protection for the new works to comply. In addition, old switchboards quite often have loose connection that are one of the most common causes of home house fires.

• • Faults – You may have noticed that your fuses or circuit breakers are tripping regularly and needing to be reset or replaced. This is a sign that circuits may be overloaded or poor wiring conditions. Quite often these faults become apparent when winter comes around as people tend to start using more heaters and general power during the winter months.

• • Adding new lights or power sockets – You have asked an electrician to come and install a new light or power socket and he has informed you that the circuit wiring is in poor shape. Electricians must make sure that any new electrical equipment installed by them is safe and complies with the NZ standards. This includes the existing wiring that is needed to replace the new light you have purchased. If the existing wiring is of an older Vulcan Indianised Rubber (VIR) or Tough Rubber Sheath (TRS) cable, it is a known fire hazard and will usually need to be rewired before the new light can be installed. Additionally, if the new light needs an earth bond sometimes the older homes were wired with a two-core cable missing a green earth bonding core. This lighting circuit will also need to be rewired.

• • House insurance compliance – Many people that go to insure their new home or renew their insurance will get notified that their insurance company requires proof that their house wiring complies and is safe before the insurance company is ready to grant you your insurance. Northern Lights can provide an electrical survey that can be used to prove your home has fulfilled this requirement. 

How much will a house rewire cost me and what’s involved?

• • Cost – Unfortunately, how much will electrical rewiring for my Auckland home cost is the proverbial “how long’s a piece of string?” kind of question. However, a rough guide for an electrician in Auckland to rewire your home (not including new power sockets and lights) is:
    
    
    • • Basic 2-3 bedroom home – $4,000 to $7,000
    • • Standard 3-4 bedroom home – $6,000 to $10,000
    • • Larger 3-4+ bedroom home – $10,000+

• • Time – Depending on the size and complexity of the project, usually your home can be rewired over 2-3 days. 

• • Do I have to move out? – You can usually remain living in your home if you are able to deal with the power being switched off during the day. The electrician can usually restore enough power and lighting circuits over each night to allow you to stay while the work is being carried out. 

• • Moving furniture – to help minimize disruption and make the job easier for the electricians, it is helpful to move furniture away from wall sockets to give the electricians more room to work.

• • House construction – In order to rewire your home, the electrician will need access to the attic and under the floor to pull in new cables. This means it is easier to rewire if you have an attic with access and a house built off the ground on piles. It becomes a much bigger job if there is no ceiling or under floor access and will usually involve a lot more holes to be repaired after the rewire is completed.

• • Wall repairs – While care and attention are taken when rewiring your home there is usually a few holes and remedial wall repairs needed. You should have a bit of budget set aside to get a plaster in after the rewire is completed.

• • Partial rewire – In many cases houses have mixture of old and new wiring. This means the older wiring can be rewired and the newer cables tested and left in place. This can save time and money. This option is usually more cost-effective and less disruptive than a full rewire.

• • New electrical switchgear and lights – When your home is being rewired is being done it is a good time to have a look at the condition of the lights and switchgear in your home. Northern Lights can offer options and advice for this. Upgrading your switchgear and lighting fixtures can improve the look and functionality of your home.

• • Switchboard and meter box location – Often in the older homes the switchboard can be in a awkward location. The new switchboard and/or meter box can be relocated to a new position during the rewire. and relocating it to a more convenient location during the rewire can improve accessibility and safety.

What benefits are there to the electrical rewiring of my home?

• • Safety – First and foremost is peace of mind. Your new wiring will reduce the risk of electrical fires and/or electrical shock hazards.

• • Certification – All works will come with either a Certificate of Compliance (COC) and/or a Independent Record of Inspection (ROI).

• • Future proof – Your new switchboard will have extra capacity for any future electrical needs such as Heat pumps, EV chargers, kitchen renovations etc.

• • Improved lighting – A rewiring job is an opportunity to update your lighting system. You can install new fixtures and switch to energy-efficient LED lights, which use less energy and last longer than traditional incandescent lights.

• • Improved functionality – With a new electrical wiring system, you can add new outlets, fixtures, and switches in areas where you need them. This can improve the functionality of your home and make it more convenient for you to use.

• • Increased property value – Updating the electrical wiring in your home can increase its value. A home with modern and up-to-date electrical systems is more attractive to potential buyers and can result in a higher resale price.

• • Insurance benefits – Insurance companies may offer lower rates for homes with updated electrical wiring systems. This is because these systems are considered to be safer and less likely to cause a fire.

We hope this information has been helpful and informative in guiding you towards making an informed decision about the electrical rewiring of your Auckland home. It’s important to remember that the costs mentioned are in NZ dollars and the estimated amount can vary greatly depending on the size of your house, the complexity of the electrical system, the materials used, and the location. 

To get a more accurate estimate, we highly recommend reaching out to a professional electrician. Northern Lights Lighting and Electrical offers a free, no-obligation quote from one of our friendly team members. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today!