If your home’s wiring is outdated, a full house rewire may be necessary to bring everything up to modern standards. Rewiring is a significant electrical job, but it’s also a worthwhile investment that improves safety, performance and future-proofs your property for modern living.
At West Coast Electrical, we carry out full and partial rewires across Blackpool and Lancashire, including extensions, renovations and upgrades for older properties. Whether you’re planning a renovation or your existing wiring is showing signs of age, here’s what you can expect from the process.
How Do You Know If You Need a House Rewire?
Wiring that hasn’t been updated for 30–40 years is unlikely to meet current safety regulations. Common signs that may indicate the need for a rewire include:
• Frequent blown fuses or tripping breakers
• Flickering lights
• Sockets or switches that feel warm to the touch
• Old-style fuse boxes with ceramic fuses
• Lack of earthing
• Fewer sockets than you’d expect in a modern home
If you’re unsure, a professional EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) will provide a clear overview of your system’s condition.
What Does a Full House Rewire Involve?
A house rewire replaces all the electrical wiring, sockets, switches and the consumer unit (fuse box). The process is typically split into two stages:
1. First Fix
The first fix takes place before any plastering or decorating. During this stage, our team:
• Removes the old wiring
• Installs new cable runs for sockets, lights, and appliances
• Prepares positions for light switches, sockets and light fittings
• Fits the back boxes in walls for sockets and switches
• Lays cables ready for the new consumer unit
To keep the work as tidy as possible, we use a Metabo wall chaser – a specialist tool that creates clean, neat channels in walls for cables. This minimises dust, speeds up the process and allows for a cleaner finish when it comes to plastering.
2. Second Fix
Once the plastering and any other structural work is complete, we return to carry out the second fix. This involves:
• Connecting all the installed cables to switches, sockets and lighting
• Installing the new consumer unit
• Testing and commissioning the full system to ensure everything is safe and working correctly
• Issuing the relevant certification (such as an EIC)
We also take care to leave your home tidy, and we’re always respectful of your space throughout the rewire.
Planning a House Rewire During a Renovation or Extension
Rewiring is most straightforward when carried out alongside building work. If you’re planning a renovation or extension, it’s the ideal opportunity to upgrade your electrics while walls and floors are already being altered.
We’ll work alongside your builders, kitchen fitters or other trades to make sure the electrical layout supports your plans. That could mean adding more sockets in key locations, wiring in underfloor heating, or pre-wiring for future technologies like EV chargers or smart home systems.
Future-Proofing Your Home with a Rewire
A well-planned rewire doesn’t just make your home safer – it also gives you more flexibility and convenience. You can upgrade your electrical system to include:
• More socket outlets in key rooms
• Modern LED lighting
• USB charging sockets
• Smart lighting and heating controls
• Outdoor lighting or garden power
• Smoke and heat detectors
• Data points for improved Wi-Fi coverage
We’ll talk through your goals and design a system that fits how you live. Whether you’re a growing family, working from home, or thinking about future upgrades like solar panels or a heat pump, a full house rewire gives you a solid electrical foundation.
How Long Does a House Rewire Take?
The time it takes depends on the size of the property and the extent of the rewire. As a guide:
• 1-bed flat: 2-3 days
• 3-bed house: 4-7 days
• Large properties or complex layouts: 1-2 weeks
We’ll give you a clear timeline before we start, and we’re always happy to work around your schedule. In lived-in properties, we can phase the work room by room to minimise disruption.
Is a House Rewire Messy?
There’s no way to sugar-coat it, rewiring is a disruptive job. However, we take every step to reduce the mess and make the process easier for you. Using our Metabo wall chaser, we keep cable routes clean and avoid unnecessary damage. We also protect your furniture and flooring as much as possible and we clean up as we go.
If you’re not currently living in the property, the process is quicker and simpler, but we’ll always find a solution that works either way.
Ready to Book Your Rewire?
If your electrics are showing signs of age, or you’re planning a home renovation, a full house rewire could be the right move. We’re NICEIC approved contractors and TrustMark registered, working to the highest safety and installation standards across Blackpool and the surrounding areas.
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