Electrician Answers The Top 10 Questions Asked In 2023

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1) Are plastic fuse boxes illegal?

No, they are not. Simple. They may not comply with current wiring regulations but they are not illegal. We would install a metal consumer unit these days rather than a plastic unit but if you have a plastic unit that is not damaged in any way then the chances are it’s probably fine. If you are concerned about the condition of your plastic fuse box or consumer unit then its best to have an electrical inspection carried out. 

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2) Are my electrics illegal?

That depends. If you are connected to the electricity supply without an electric meter to monitor your electricity consumption then probably yes. If your electrics are just really old then no. They won’t be illegal. They will be installed to an earlier version of the wiring regulations and may no longer be considered safe. 

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3) Does my house need rewiring?

That is a question that cannot really be answered without having the electrics checked before a conclusion can be drawn. The other factors to take into account are things like, how long will you be living there? Have you just purchased the property? Are you likely to move soon? Are you having electrical problems right now? Without checking the electrics thoroughly there is no way to be sure if a property needs to be rewired. With very old electrical installations it may be possible to judge from a photograph if our customers send one but that is only in the case of very old wiring installations. 

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4) Are my electrics safe?

Maybe… Why? What is your concern? We are happy to chat online when the chat icon is available on the bottom right of the website. This is a completely free service we offer to everyone that needs it. All we ask is you leave us a review if you received some help. 😊The best way to know if your electrics are safe is to have an electrician carry out a test for you. This is the only way we can establish if the hidden stuff is ok. It’s the hidden stuff that is the most dangerous as well. If a cable is dangling, damaged or a socket is hanging off then EVERYONE knows it’s not safe. If there are hidden problems that can only be discovered with test equipment then ONLY an electrician will be able to see this with testing. 

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5) How old are my electrics?

Look at the fuse box / consumer unit. If it has trip switches then it’s probably not more than 40 years old. If it has fuse carrier / cartridge looking things then its AT LEAST 40 years old. Beyond that, we would be unable to advise as to the age without inspection and testing. When an electrical test is carried out, part of the requirement is for your electrician to estimate the age of the wiring and there are several clues to this. We look at the age of the sockets and switches, the position of lights in the bedrooms, the age of the fuse box and the visual colours and types of wires / cables in your box and sockets. This gives us a better idea of the age. 

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6) How much does a trip switch problem cost?

Anywhere from little to loads unfortunately. Many customers believe their trip switches to be faulty as they keep tripping. In fact, the opposite is more likely true. They are tripping because they are likely to be working perfectly. They are designed to trip in many cases. It is far more likely that there are electrical issues in your home than a trip switch has gone faulty. If you have this type of issue then PLEASE do not just keep resetting the switch. Lots of switches and consumer unit parts are now obsolete and a broken switch may end up meaning a new consumer unit!!! ☹ Consult an electrician as soon as possible if you have a trip switch problem. The cost could be anywhere from £80 to £££ depending on the problem. Most issues are straightforward and it’s rare that we ever utter the dreaded words “WE NEED TO REWIRE YOUR HOUSE”.

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7) Can I have garden lights?

There is nearly always a way to add garden lights to a property. The issues that we face that would prevent a straightforward and inexpensive job would be things like:

• Old wiring
• Old consumer unit / fuse box
• Access from the consumer unit to the garden
• Correcting any defects in the original electrics 

As electricians, it is our duty and obligation to correct any defects in the wiring system before we can work on that circuit. We have to ensure that the minimum standards of the wiring regulations are met before we can install new wiring. If your home electrics are old or have not been updated in a good while then it’s possible there will be some work to do before the garden lighting can be installed. Its normally not as simple as just installing some wire.

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8) How much is it to put electrics in the garden room?

This kind of job can run from £700 to £2000 or more. It all depends on the existing wiring condition, fuse box age and other factors such as the distance from the consumer unit / fuse box to the garden room. The other factor that affects cost greatly is the number of sockets, switches and general power demand that is required for the garden room. More electrical equipment requires a beefier cable, a longer run means more expense and construction factors such as insulation in walls where cables will run will mean more expensive cables need to be installed. 

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9) Is it expensive to have sockets in the garage?

It’s not too bad if your consumer unit is brand new and is already in the garage. Its pricey if your garage is away from the house and your electrical supply is ancient. 😊

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10) What is the light fitting installation cost?

Typically, this is our minimum charge cost. This will very between electricians and is generally a straightforward job taking up to an hour. If the light fitting requires more assembly, then the cost may increase. Some large chandeliers in large homes require scaffold, ceiling strengthening and a lot of time in order to install.

Got a question we haven't addressed yet? Let us know! 

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