House re-wiring - Opportunity to futureproof?

['daiking']

I have to get a house re-wired as its not been touched since it was built in the early 60s. I can't DIY so I know it'll cost a fortune and make a mess. Its a small 3 bed semi so the basic electrical side should be quite straight forward and the electrician will need to leave space to add a couple of house extensions to the distribution later on.

I'm just wondering what other wiring I should think about whilst they're doing the job? Internal walls are block or brick work so it makes sense to do anything now whilst the house would be vacant and the electricians are in. At the very least I could ask them to chase the wall even if I am able to run some cables that don't need to be Part P qualified.

I'm not expecting to wire every room for network, sat/cable, media, alarm, etc, etc but what might be a sensible precaution for future needs?

[Aspman]

Shielded Cat6 might be a decent option.

 

Even stinky old Cat5 has been around for 20yr and it still servicable.

 

If I had the oppertunity I'd wire the house with a Cat6 to every room plumbed back to a central point like an understairs cupboard. Stick in a mini rack, a patch panel, and a lot of power sockets (or a UPS) and some air extraction. Mmmm mini server room.

 

You'll be running next to power cables so whatever you put in make sure it's shielded unless you're going fibreoptic but that's a bit ott maybe.

Edited 9 February, 2015 by Aspman

[sw8296]

Put as much Cat7 in as you can fit / afford. Even now that would allow you to stream TV, movies, music, video calling, gaming etc anywhere you need it... the possibilities in the future are vast.

 

Suggest you also pick somewhere in the house to act as the aggregation point - i.e. all the cabling routes back to. Should be somewhere that can easily be hooked up to your broadband, and with space to put additional equipment if you wanted to.

[Richf]

I'd also fit some of those power sockets with built in usb chargers

[langers2k]

I'd also fit some of those power sockets with built in usb chargers

 

I wouldn't... Most of them are rubbish: http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100145109/web_usb-article-from-so32.pdf

 

Things may have improved in the last year but I'd rather just have two double sockets instead of one each side of the bed.

[Llanigraham]

Having had our 60's bungalow rewired recently.............

 

Think about the number of sockets you will need in each room, them treble it!

Make every socket a double.

With ours each room has it's own circuit breaker for the power and lighting. Might be OTT but it makes doing any work very easy without turning the whole house (floor) off.

Have at least 2 spare circuits on the board for future extensions.

Fit at least 1 double socket outside.

Wire a light and socket in the loft.

 

Get TV aerial and satellite cables to every where there is the slightest possibility you might want it.

 

Think about where you want your wi-fi and plan for that.

[Richf]

I wouldn't... Most of them are rubbish: http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100145109/web_usb-article-from-so32.pdf

Things may have improved in the last year but I'd rather just have two double sockets instead of one each side of the bed.

I think most are bs standard now

[Wardy]

Looking at this at the moment as well. Coming up with a socket diagram and planning for possible furniture moves and where sockets will be useful. I've drawing up some CAD diagrams. As said, don't scrimp on the number of sockets, while you have the ideal opportunity.

 

Network cabling - I'm also going to be running this, but bare in mind your costs for shielded CAT6. Not checked costs for a while but a 300m reel is around £100. But you can't really get away with standard non-shielded, given their proximity to the power cabling. Then as said, cable it all back to a single point - I'm using an under-stairs cupboard as well and will then terminate the cables to patch panels myself. 

[Aspman]

Blown fibre ducts

[Huskoda]

Sockets, sockets everywhere. You will never have enough.

 

If I was doing it, I'd also have shielded Cat 6 and if I wanted to do it properly, it would be via ducting installed in the walls, rather than just the cables, so it can later be ripped out and replaced with the next standard easily.

[andypandypoos]

do/will you live in the house, or is it rented out?

[kilted]

Sockets, sockets everywhere. You will never have enough.

 

If I was doing it, I'd also have shielded Cat 6 and if I wanted to do it properly, it would be via ducting installed in the walls, rather than just the cables, so it can later be ripped out and replaced with the next standard easily.

This - everything ducted if money is not the primary issue.

 

Makes future rewires/upgrades a breeze

['daiking']

do/will you live in the house, or is it rented out?

This will be to live in, hopefully for a long time with sizeable extensions to be added at some point in the future.

['daiking']

This - everything ducted if money is not the primary issue.

Makes future rewires/upgrades a breeze

I'm not sure at the moment, I'll need to speak to the electricians who will be quoting for the job.

['daiking']

Looking at this at the moment as well. Coming up with a socket diagram and planning for possible furniture moves and where sockets will be useful. I've drawing up some CAD diagrams. As said, don't scrimp on the number of sockets, while you have the ideal opportunity.

Network cabling - I'm also going to be running this, but bare in mind your costs for shielded CAT6. Not checked costs for a while but a 300m reel is around £100. But you can't really get away with standard non-shielded, given their proximity to the power cabling. Then as said, cable it all back to a single point - I'm using an under-stairs cupboard as well and will then terminate the cables to patch panels myself.

300m? I think that would be plenty its a small house. I'm just not sure how many runs are really necessary in the existing house. I'm trying to resist drawing it up in CAD.

['daiking']

Sorry, not going to manage to reply individually but yes, I think double sockets seems normal practice nowadays, I'm sure I read something about needing hardwired smake alarms in a full re-wire to, having the freezer on a non rcd circuit. Not an issue to start with as the current kitchen is only temporary.

And to be honest I hadn't even got as far as thinking about alarm wiring, although I'm pretty sure there is an alarm so that must be a relatively recent addition.

Just wires, wires, everywhere. I don't think there's under floor access so its boards up too.

[Wardy]

300m? I think that would be plenty its a small house. I'm just not sure how many runs are really necessary in the existing house. I'm trying to resist drawing it up in CAD.

 

Just that it's the usual reel length; hopefully you'll not need it all

 

CAD is the answer, you know it - just makes it far easier to play around with designs and changes.

[Huskoda]

300m is about as much as I would use running 12 sockets around the house. It goes faster than you think as you have to route it neatly around.

[gadgetman]

Only issue with running cat x around, is it'll always be in the wrong place later on.

Or would everyone recommend running to 2 points in each room to allow for "having a change around"?

The in-laws have had 3 different configurations of their front room, and sockets are always in the wrong place. Adding data cable into the mix would be a nightmare

[Huskoda]

Yeah, I would put network cabling to both sides of a room for that reason. Our furniture does the dance regularly enough that I'd be a fool not to Which is also why a 300m reel would easily go.

[Aspman]

If you put the patch panel close to where your extension will go it'll probably make running extra cables to it easier.

['daiking']

I'm not sure its worth wiring up every exisitng room let alone nmore than one point in rooms. Any extension is likely to get extras because it can be done more easily at first fix.

But I'm not quite sure how I would use anything other than data over the cable. I'm expecting things to move further toward data with streaming etc rather than keeping AV signals and wiring them in as such.

[fabdavrav]

besides the sheilded CAT6, masses of power points, get copper braid & copper foil satellite cable and use for DAB & TV....gone mine from screwfix.

 

Also check all the x-bonding & make sure all solid & use correct size.

 

Also install separate earth cable (max size to fit in earth on power point rear) (from main fuse board) to your main TV & HI-fi power points

 

Also think about a Marshall Tuflex power regulator device......basically smooth's the power to a constant 220v.....install between the incomer fuses & your main fuseboard...........

[V5-Steve]

Why would you install an extra earth to the tv and hifi points.

[fabdavrav]

Why would you install an extra earth to the tv and hifi points.

 

For a cleaner earth, also put the hi- power & tv power points on their own ring circuit......or put the kitchen on it's own ring circuit......................basically to stop as much mains borne noise affecting the electrics in the hi-fi & TV

 

Fridges & freezers & florescent tubes make the most......................even my LED light bulbs now pick up ( & dim/flicker) when I switch on the CFL bulbs on the same circuit!............

Edited 16 February, 2015 by fabdavrav