To ask how much fixing this wiring would cost?

[Housebuyer37]

OK probably not AIBU but posting for traffic.

I'm viewing a house this week and it looks great, however I've just noticed this on the virtual tour (see pics). The wiring is outside the walls. Is this a big job to sort out. It looks awful!

Cost us 1k to rewire one floor recently, including new circuits. If the wiring is fine just but not hidden behind the walls they have to make trenches everywhere to hide the wires - in which case what is the deal with what is already behind the walls?
You could post it on my builder or check a trade to get some quotes from electricians

That would be a no from me. The disruption alone would be a nightmare.

Yeah it probably will be. Just so frustrating that we can't seem to able to find anything suitable. Whenever we like one it seems to have some big problem with it!

Yeah I'd be worried about why they weren't chased in when they were fitted and also if someone has scrimped and saved by doing this kind of install themselves I'd worry about what other home improvement disasters I was likely to find

If the house is relatively modern then it shouldn’t be too hard for an electric to cut through plasterboard to channel it in (not sure on logistics of an older property with solid walls) but if they just channel it in you will be left with strips across all walls and ceilings that have been remastered so everything will need redecorating which is another cost to consider.

Is it an older/period/listed house? If so, surface wiring is often chosen so as not to destroy the original fabric of the building.

For lighting circuits you can now get wireless/battery-free wall switches which might be a tidy option.

That wiring looks very unprofessional. I think you may have bigger problems. Most electricians would run the wires in trunking - in many cases that would be required to comply with wiring regs. You need to get a EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) - cost roughly £200 - from an electrician if you're contemplating this property.

Cost me £8k for a full rewire a couple of years ago. Old house with very old electrics needing entirely replaced.

For our old house they had to drill channels in the walls. It was unbelievably messy, and every room had to have wallpaper stripped and carpets removed first. We couldn’t have lived in the house while it was done, it was awful!

Its going to need making good and redecorating as well as the electrical work, I'd also be worried about any other diy horrors because there is no way a professional did that, it would be in trunking if it had to be surface fixed.

I assume they aren't providing elctrical certificates!

We had our kitchen redone a few years ago and we wanted a couple of extra sockets in the kitchen. One electrician quoted a price for two sockets to be channelled in. Got a second quote from the bloke we eventually used.

He told us that our current fuse box and wiring was out dated and whilst there was no requirement to update it if we left it alone, as soon as he started to do anything, then he would have to upgrade the fuse box and sign the electrical safety certificate to say he had done so.

In the end we decided to go for a complete rewire of the house at the same time the kitchen was being done. Complete rewire was about £6k, but we also had all the single sockets made into doubles and had a couple of extra sockets put in, especially in the kitchen and living room. This is what caused the most damage, the channelling out for the additional sockets. Every room needed a redecoration to some degree.

You could be looking at a big job. Ask to see the existing electrical safety certificate.

Yeah I think this house may be a no go. I'll view it to get a better idea.

It has been on for a while but initially looked great. I guess this could be the reason why.

That rings massive alarm bells about being a very poor DIY job so you need to factor in for a complete rewire including certification.
If they have done such an obviously botch job with the wiring, what else have they "had a go" at???? 🤔