Renovating and extending - what order to do work in?

[Closetlibrarian]

We're buying a house that needs complete renovation and extending, hoping to complete in July. Very excited, but daunted too. I'm getting myself in a tangle trying to work out the order getting stuff done. Specifically - the house needs rewiring (it's safe, but hardly any sockets and some older style in bedrooms meaning we can't plug in anything in those rooms). However, we are also planning to do an extension and change the use of some rooms (change a bedroom to an en suite). Does it make any sense to get it rewired before getting the extension done? I'd like to live in the house for a bit before deciding on the extension plans. I'm worried about paying for rewiring work that is ultimately unnecessary (because, e.g. we'll be ripping the kitchen out as part of the extension) or might later re-doing during the later extension/ renovation work once we know how we want to use the space. But, equally I'm worried about how we're going to live in a house that only has 2 sockets in the kitchen.

Yes get it rewired now. You have no idea what kind of state it’s in at present. The kitchen wiring might be crossed with the bedroom or on the same circuit as the hall etc. You don’t want to start your extension and find out the wiring is a nightmare. Ideally you want it set up so your kitchen is on its own circuit and it’s easy to add on your extension.

Thanks SosigDog - that makes sense. I hadn't thought about it from that perspective. And is good news actually as I would rather get the rewiring done as soon as possible as then I won't feel rushed into the extension/ major renovation works because the lack of sockets drives me to it!

Nice new fuse box with a single circuit for the kitchen and a decent cooker cable will be a good basis for when you start your extension 👍

Sounds good. And presumably they can do the same in terms of allowing for potential more rooms elsewhere? (Might be a 2-story extension with additional bedrooms above the kitchen or a loft conversion, not sure yet)

They will just leave a spare circuit on the fuse box for your other extension to be connected later. I believe the fuse boxes come in different sizes depending how many connections you need.

We've just done this, and our ordering was all wrong! I would go for :
1.strip wallpaper, remove carpets,dodgy skirtings etc. Basically as much as you need out. Possibly also bathrooms and kitchens (but leave a loo and sink!)
2.new windows.
3.rewire and sort any plumbing changes
4.get any re plastering that is needed done
5.fit new bathrooms /kitchens
6.new skirtings
7.paint, then carpet /floors

Our extension was self contained, so the electrician and plumber just set everything up according to our plans so it was easy when the extension went up. E.g. Added the appropriate circuits, including one for an electric shower. If the extension will include knocking through into an existing room or something, I would think you can go ahead with the rest, but let all the trades know your extension plan so they have an idea what would be required for that.

Having done this I would disagree. As long as the wiring is safe, which you say it is then don't do anything with it until you do the extension.

The mess that having an built means you need to do that first and follow on. I would suggest when doing a tender for the extension to include the full house rewire in with the contract, or when contracting the electrician for the contract then do the whole house. You don't want to be splitting all the circuits when you are doing it all anyway

Another reason for doing the electrics in one go. They have to be certified so you want ONE electrician doing it all. If you have any problems once completed they will just blame each other and you will never prove otherwise

Hmm, I see your point Marie. Now I'm confused

But the house does need a new heating system and windows as well as rewiring so I do wonder if it is better to wait and do all that disruptive stuff at the same time/ during the extension works...

But how to live in a house with insufficient sockets (possibly even none in some rooms as they're the old round-pin sockets)

We didn’t need the whole house rewire signed off. You’re permitted to rewire your house. The council only wanted the electrician to provide a Part P certificate for the electrics in our new extension, as that was technically the only bit being signed off. They couldn’t care less about the rest of the house, it was pre existing therefore outside their remit. (OP remember to check your electrician is Part P registered before starting, otherwise he won’t be able to provide the documentation that building regs will want to sign off your extension).

Sosigdog

The OP has already said the whole house needs rewiring. If the new extension electrics are connected to the old circuits, then how will the OP know what is causing problems if they occur...old wiring or new? The only way around is to wire the extension in isolation so all the circuits are brand new and connected direct to a new upgraded consumer unit. In addition, why spend money adding new sockets to an ancient wiring circuit which has to be replaced anyway

To split the job, is IMHO crazy. Also, re the other work such as windows. It would be far better and more cost effective to include in the whole contract,

We did with our house. Extension plus replacement doors, windows, paving additions patio etc. If it needs doing, the larger the contract made it more attractive and overall cheaper pro-rata as opposed to getting loads of individual prices,

If the new extension electrics are connected to the old circuits
Why would they be? They’d be connected to the brand new circuits and brand new fuse box that were installed when the whole house was rewired.

Also, re the other work such as windows. It would be far better and more cost effective to include in the whole contract
Eh no. Anything the builder sources for you he will add his own profit margin to. Much cheaper to source as much as possible yourself.

Sosidog...having done exactly all of this, and tried pricing individually and then tendering the whole lot, I think I can firmly say tendering as a whole job was a hell of a lot cheaper, at least in our case it was. What actually happens is that the builder adds a % but they have far greater access to really good tradespeople who charge a lot less....ie the cost per unit for each composite external door and frame was £400 less and the quality of the fitments was beautiful. He specified exactly what he suggested installing

What also worked better was all tradespeople turned on bang in time. As one said to me, his loyalty is the builders who he contracts to as opposed to individual customers as the builders are the ones to provide his main work. When I wanted an urgent change to some plumbing, the plumber was back within 2 hours.

All I suggest is try splitting it up and if cheaper then go for it but I will be amazed. Also try finding a project manager or architect who would split it, and one reason is consumer and contract law....the builder is responsible for the whole build and not each individual tradesman which it would be if the contract is split

Ah we didn’t have a project manager or architect. We did that ourselves too.

We are having our extension built first, and I really do just mean built. Not litter out in any way.

Then we will hopefully do electrics and heating for whole place (original and existing), windows in original house then all the internal stuff. Hopefully all the plastering etc at once but really does depend on finances.

I think it’s swings and roundabouts as to whether it’s cheaper to employ separate trades or a builder. Definitely price up both options. I’m doing exactly that now actually for the extension. My one main worry with doing it that was is a professional game of Pass the Buck if something goes wrong a few weeks/months down the line when everyone has left.

Something to think about if funds are an issue for extending. Renovating existing house a little maybe help value for a remortgage if that’s what you’re hoping to do to fund it. We are hoping tne shell of our extension will add enough value to remortgage to pay off the hefty bank loan we’re planning to take to build it. We can afford the payments if not but it would certainly make life easier. We’re talking

fitted* not litter. Sorry for any other errors

We did similar - bought a 1950s house that hadn't been updated since then. Before moving in we did a wiring upgrade, boiler upgrade and new radiators, wired smoke alarms, new lights, new doors, new flooring and full redecoration plus new kitchen and bathroom. It looks great. Next year we are planning to do a side extension.

Mygingercat.....we went down the route of tendering together so the builder was responsible for the whole contract, not just in cost, but because of experience with another extension previously whereby we did contract individually and got as you describe the professional game of pass the buck. Whenever anything went wrong, they all blamed each other. If one trade hadj t finished bang in time, the other one went off to another job and said it was our fault as we hadn't got that part finished on time.

Given the demand now for building trades, unless you have all the time in the world, under no circs would I contract it separately as I can guarantee the stress it will bring. As I said previously, the contractors to my builder were lovely but honest....our loyalty is to our builders...and individual customers are fitted in as and when I can do it! Says it all really and I can't blame them really