Socket and Switch replacement quote sanity check.

shadowski666

Hi all, I wanted to have a sanity check on the pricing for the socket and switches replacement in the house.

Basically bought a house that needs a lot of maintenance, and the first thing i wanted to do is to change all sockets and switches in the house as most of them are very old and few even damaged.

The handyman(not certified electrician) quoted around 550 euro for replacement of all the switches+sockets which is a total of around 30 in house, plus the consumer board panel replacement(the panel will be replaced with a donor one which i have spare in the house). Told that it is around 2-3 days job.

Can anyone provide if this is a reasonable quote here?

I am living in Dublin west area.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058358659/socket-and-switch-replacement-quote-sanity-check

Don't let him go anywhere near the Consumer unit whatever you do. He is not a certified electrician and if anything were to happen you will have no comeback if it went in fire for instance.

Whatever about letting him near the switches and sockets. Sockets maybe but switches no way. It will cost you more in the long run if he messes any of the 2 or 3gang+ switches up and can not fix them. You will have to pay for a qualified electrician then anyway. Just get it done right first time. Get a qualified electrician to do it.

If your going to do a job do it right the first time or get it done right the first time.

iba

Only qualified electricians can replace the consumer board.

You could do the sockets and switches yourself.

If a sparky does the whole lot, shouldn't take more than a day.

shadowski666

He won't be replacing the consumer board, just the cover panel, as the previous one was damaged.

He claimed he was certified electrician before, but lost his license and in process of renewal.

I know I can do sockets and switches myself, but a bit afraid to work with anything that is potentially high voltage, so wanted to offload it with people with more experience.

Hence asking what would be the normal quote for replacing all sockets and switches (30) total in house?

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350327#Comment_122350327

230v is low voltage 🙂

You need a REC out for an inspection and don't be deciding what needs doing yourself

shadowski666

If anyone has a recommendation for a REC with reasonable prices, send me DM. Just trying to get ballpark figure for the works required.

mulbot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350327#Comment_122350327

License?

shadowski666

Annual REC renewal I assume.

Rrgardless I would be looking for REC to do the work.

But my original topic question still stands, what is the ballpark cost of replacing 30 sockets+switches by REC?

TheSunIsShining

Are you sourcing the switches/sockets yourself? Or is the 550 just his cost? Would you not do 1 of each yourself and see how comfortable you are doing them? You're allowed do the switches and sockets yourself as they are like for like.

shadowski666

550 is the material+labour was quoted.

I will check if I can do it myself, but if there is possibility someone else can do the job with experience, wouls prefer that.

Escapees

I'm surprised the OP is being encouraged to change the sockets themselves. Any loose wires or ones not properly clamped are a potential fire source when the socket or another on that ring circuit is used. Also, there's a risk of N-E shorts during the wiring of new sockets which could take out all sockets in the house and damage any sensitive equipment connected like PCs. While it may be allowed, I personally think there's a world of difference between wiring a plug and a wall mounted mains socket...

Edit: And I've come across an amount of plugs over the years with dodgy and dangerous wiring that was done by the consumer. People often seem blind to the risk of shock to others or a fire starting down the road when the wiring is done poorly (e.g. loose wires, cable not properly clamped, L and N reversed etc.).

policarp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122351160#Comment_122351160

If a person thinks they are competent to do the work and it's their house they can do whatever they want, but if they have an insurance claim they might be sorry.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122353010#Comment_122353010

Simple task for a REC

But theres no average homeowner that's going to replace switches and sockets without running into trouble with light switches

They will also invariably leave timebombs with loose connections and more than likely also reverse polarity on some sockets

This is it

Unless you're pretty handy I think you're better to get a sparks to do it. I bought a house built in '79 and have swapped a few switches and sockets. Most have very short cables, back boxes wrecked, etc. It's not an incredibly difficult task, but it can be a pain in the arse.

If you do give it a go, make sure you mark your switch cables!

I swapped a pendent last Friday and the neutral was stretched. As soon as I unscrewed the terminal it snapped back into the ceiling... 😭 had to run a new single. Thankfully it was upstairs so I had easy access.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122356791#Comment_122356791

A competent electrician is the only way

The handyman/homeowner way never works

The good spark will know how to tighten connections and check fault loop on sockets and light switch wiring

You're guaranteed problems going the other routes

And this is at the simpler end of works

drury..

Anyway as said the op is merely speculating as to what needs doing

He needs a REC out to do an inspection

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350767#Comment_122350767

Are they simple white plastic sockets and switches are chrome/fancier ones?

I replaced the switch for my hall/kitchen last weekend with a nice steel 3 gang and the switch itself was 17 quid.

So 30 of them in materials would cost you 510 euro.

Seems like a fairly decent price I reckon, even if it was cheaper switches and sockets.