Full & Part Rewiresin Loughton, Harlow & Epping

Most domestic circuits use twin-and-earth PVC/PVC cable to BS 6004, sized according to the load and cable run length, typically 1.5mm² for lighting circuits and 2.5mm² for a standard ring final circuit serving sockets, stepping up to 4mm² or 6mm² for cookers, showers and dedicated appliance circuits. Cable size is not a default; it is calculated against the protective device rating, expected current, and voltage drop over the run, particularly on longer runs to outbuildings or garages, where a drop that is fine over 10 metres can be non-compliant over 25.

Where a circuit needs to withstand mechanical damage or is run externally or underground, we use SWA (steel wire armoured) cable instead, terminated with the correct glands and earthed via the armour itself. Getting cable selection wrong is one of the most common issues we find in older or DIY-modified installations, undersized cable feeding a circuit that has been extended well beyond its original design, which is a genuine overheating risk under sustained load.

In a full rewire on brick or blockwork, cable is typically chased into walls and protected with steel capping or run at safe zones per BS 7671 to avoid accidental damage from fixings later. In timber-frame or dry-lined properties, cable is run through drilled joists and studs, again respecting safe zone requirements and joist notching limits so structural integrity is not compromised.

Lofts and underfloor voids are used for horizontal runs wherever access allows, minimising the amount of wall chasing and plaster making good required: a factor that affects both cost and how much redecoration you will need afterwards. Where a property has solid concrete floors, we plan cable routes around existing service voids or the loft space rather than breaking up flooring, which is both faster and less disruptive.

A rewire is almost always paired with a new consumer unit, specified with individual RCBOs per circuit rather than a shared RCD arrangement. This means a fault on one circuit, say, an outdoor socket, trips only that circuit rather than taking out lighting or the fridge-freezer circuit alongside it, which matters both for convenience and for food safety in the event of a nuisance trip.

Surge protection devices (SPDs) are increasingly specified as standard under the 18th Edition amendments, particularly where a property has sensitive electronics, home automation, or its own EV charger, and we discuss this at quote stage rather than adding it as a surprise line item.

Domestic rewires are scoped around rooms and circuits, lighting, ring finals, dedicated appliance circuits, and typically completed with the household living around the work in phases, or during a vacant period between tenancies or on a renovation project. Commercial rewires are usually scoped around zones, load type, and business continuity, with RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) documentation issued before work starts, since commercial premises often have staff, public access, or fire safety systems that interact with the electrical installation.

Commercial jobs also more frequently involve three-phase supplies, higher fault current considerations, and containment such as galvanised trunking or basket tray rather than chased-in cable, reflecting both the scale of the installation and the standard expected in a workplace environment rather than a domestic one.