Not All Rewires Are Actually Rewires
In part 1 of our rewire series we explored the joys of “The Cheapest Quote” rewire, where everything is done to the bare minimum, using the cheapest materials, there’s no time to doing things properly and shortcuts are taken everywhere.
Click here to read The Truth About Home Rewires – Part 1
Click here to read The Truth About Rewires – Part 3
Another type of rewire we commonly see is “The Cosmetic Rewire”
With the cosmetic rewire everything looks good on the surface, but the ugly truth is lurking just underneath.
With the cosmetic rewire you get a brand new switchboard, new power point fittings and switches and light fittings, and everything that’s visible looks shiny and new.
You even get a few short pieces of brand new cable disappearing up into the roof space.
Unfortunately those pieces of new cable are all joined to the old cable that’s still crumbling away in the ceiling.
It’s the same story with the switches and power points. The fittings are new but they are still connected to the old wiring. Quite often that old wiring is in very poor condition and is a real safety issue.
The worst part is that often the home owner thinks their property has been properly rewired. They believe their home is as safe as it can electrically be, with all the old dangerous cable gone for ever.
It’s a false sense of security based on false assumptions.
The home owner may have even paid for a complete rewire, but what they ended up with is quite different.
Cosmetic rewires are often found in homes that are offered for sale.
Potential buyers can see all the new fittings and they assume that everything is new. Sometimes the real estate agents are working under the same false assumptions as the home owner and advertise the property as being rewired.
To avoid being caught out by the Cosmetic Rewire you should always get a pre-purchase electrical inspection on any property you are considering buying. An investment of $150 can save you thousands of dollars in unexpected costs.
To avoid paying for a Cosmetic Rewire of your existing home you should always deal with a reputable electrical contractor and get a detailed quote that sets out exactly what extent of work will be carried out.
For a free quote and advice on rewiring your home phone Mance Electrical on 6331 4711
