Installing New Wiring in Your Home

Should Your Hire an Electrician to Inspect Your Fixer Upper?

20 July 2018 by June Alvarez

If you're buying an old house that has seen better days with a view to fixing it up, then you will be able to see a lot of the work that needs to be done. However, under the surface, your fixer upper may be hiding more defects and problems than you may have anticipated. To get a really clear idea of what it will take to turn a fixer upper into a liveable home, get an electrician to check out the property's electrical system before you buy it. Why is a pre-purchase inspection a good idea?

Check for Basic Safety

If you don't have experience as an electrician, then you can't tell how safe the property's electrical system is. A lot of the building's electrics will be out of sight; even the stuff you see may not be safe to use. If your fixer upper is an older property that hasn't been maintained well, then you can probably bet that its electrical system doesn't meet current standards and, if it hasn't been looked after or given essential upgrades, then it may even be dangerous. An electrician's check can assess how safe your system is and can tell you anything you need to do to bring it up to modern safety standards.  

Check if You Can Bring the Price Down

It's better to find out if your electrical system needs work before you buy the property and get started on other projects. If your electrician recommends that you should completely renew your electrics, then this can significantly add to your budget. If you have evidence that a lot of work needs to be done to make the property safe, then you may be able to negotiate the price down to compensate for these additional costs. If this doesn't work, then at least you'll know what you need to spend to get your electrical system back into good working order before you start work on your new home.

Check That Your Electrics Meet Your Plans

While your electrician may pass your electrical system as basically being safe and ready to use, your plans for your fixer upper may affect the stability of your system. Older homes weren't set up to cope with all the modern gadgets and smart systems that people use nowadays. So, for example, you may want to add a lot of power points to the property; you may also be running a lot of electricity-dependent items through your home.

If you talk to your electrician before the inspection about the ways you will consume electricity, then the check can also include some future-proofing. If your electrician recommends changes, then these costs may help you decide if the property is a good buy or not.

To find out more about having a property's electricity system inspected, call a few local electricians. They will be able to explain exactly how the process works and what an inspection will look out for.

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