Electrical Hazards
Electrical Hazards | Whole Home Rewires | Electrical | Kelso
When the wires behind your walls are outdated or damaged, every switch you flick becomes a gamble. HEP’s skilled electricians take the danger out of daily living in Kelso, delivering meticulous whole home rewires that replace brittle cabling, overloaded circuits, and obsolete fuse boxes with modern, code-compliant infrastructure. From the initial safety inspection to the final panel upgrade, we treat your property with care, work cleanly, and keep you informed at every step.
A fresh rewire isn’t just about eliminating shock risks—it unlocks the freedom to power today’s tech-heavy lifestyles without the nagging hum of breakers tripping or lights dimming. Trust HEP to future-proof your residence, boost its value, and safeguard your family, all while respecting budgets and timelines. Discover how effortless peace of mind can be when Kelso’s local experts handle your whole home rewires.
FAQs
Why might a Kelso homeowner need a full-home rewire?
Many houses in Kelso were built before modern electrical standards existed. If your wiring is 25–30 years old, still uses fuse-wire consumer units, or relies on rubber, cloth or aluminium cabling, it may no longer meet BS 7671 or Scottish Building Standards. A full rewire replaces every cable, socket, switch and the consumer unit, eliminating hidden faults, increasing circuit capacity for today’s appliances and sharply reducing fire and shock risks.
What electrical hazards can outdated wiring pose?
Ageing cables become brittle and can overheat, insulation can crumble, and overloaded circuits can arc or short. Common hazards include: • Electrical fires caused by overheated conductors behind walls or in lofts • Electric shock from degraded insulation on switch or socket terminations • Frequent tripping or blowing of fuses that can mask dangerous faults • Lack of RCD protection, meaning a fault might not disconnect quickly enough to save a life. A rewire introduces new PVC twin-and-earth cabling, RCBO/RCD protection and properly sized circuit breakers to eliminate these dangers.
How long does a typical whole-home rewire take in a Kelso property?
For an average three-bedroom house, allow 5-7 working days. Smaller cottages can be completed in 3–4 days; large farmhouses may take two weeks. Timescales include first-fix (running new cabling), second-fix (installing accessories), testing and issuing the Electrical Installation Certificate. We can phase the work room-by-room to keep essential circuits live as long as possible.
Will a rewire disrupt my daily life and will I need to move out?
Rewiring is dusty and noisy because floors are lifted and chases are cut into walls, but many Kelso clients stay in their homes. We isolate one area at a time, keep lighting in key rooms, and reinstate power each evening. If you work from home or have young children, you might prefer to stay elsewhere for the first-fix stage; we’re happy to schedule work to minimise downtime.
Are permits and inspections required for rewiring in Kelso, and do you handle them?
Yes. Scottish Borders Council usually requires a building warrant for a full rewire. All work must comply with BS 7671 (18th Edition) and be certified by an Approved Certifier of Construction (Electrical). Our team arranges the warrant, carries out all mandatory inspections, performs initial and periodic testing, and lodges the completion certificate with the council, so you don’t have to deal with paperwork.
How much does a complete rewire cost and what factors affect the price?
Costs in Kelso typically range from £3,000 for a small two-bedroom bungalow to £8,000+ for larger, stone-built properties. Price varies with: • Size and layout of the house (number of circuits, floor levels) • Accessibility (solid walls vs. stud, loft access, under-floor voids) • Specification of fixtures (standard white plates vs. decorative) • Added extras such as data cabling, EV charger feeds or smart-home controls. We provide a fixed written quotation after a free on-site survey and thermal imaging inspection.