When it comes to buying an old home, sometimes it's best to be prepared for a few surprises. While older homes can be charming, building methods and codes in the past were much different than they are today. Even if your new home has been upgraded, there may be a few more projects left for you to do. The electrical systems in older homes, in particular, can be difficult. Old wiring can be a fire hazard and downright dangerous. Getting the electrical system updated in your home should be a priority, and calling an electrician can help. Here are three things to consider.
Electrical Inspection
Before you buy, you may want to consider investing in a full electrical inspection done by a professional electrician. While normal home inspections take a look at electrical systems, an electrical inspection goes more in depth to find potential issues. On average, an electrical inspection costs between $200 and $500. An inspection can help you determine what may need to be updated and how much it will potentially cost. It can also help you determine whether or not you should walk away from the purchase.
Electrical Repairs
Once you buy an old home, you may notice that a few things don't work after living there for a few months. Whether it's a light switch that doesn't work or other electrical issues, it can be tempting to do the work yourself. However, in most cases, it's best to call in an electrician. Even simple repairs can be very difficult in older homes, and working with wiring can be very dangerous if you are not a trained electrician. Electrical repairs typically cost between $160 and $504. Professional repair is a must when it comes to older homes.
New Wiring
In some instances, your entire electrical system will need to be redone. This is often the case with homes that have extremely outdated wiring, such as knob and tube wiring. While rewiring your home is a major project, it can make it safer and even increase your home's value. If you are considering other renovations, you may want to group your wiring project in with these renovations since walls will need to be opened up. The cost to rewire your home can vary depending on the size and how difficult it is to reach the wiring. Typically it ranges from $8,500 to $20,000 but can cost upwards of $30,000 if the wiring is difficult to get to.
If you are buying an old home, you will want to pay close attention to its wiring. Getting an inspection from an electrician before you buy will give you an idea about the condition of the home's wiring. You will also want to call in an electrician for repairs and if your home needs to be rewired.
When we purchased our first home, we realized that there was a problem with some of the electrical work. Some of the lights flickered when we turned them on, and others really seemed to have issues if they were left on long term. I thought the issues was the light bulbs themselves at first, so I replaced several of them. However, after making those changes, it seemed like things were still having trouble. I began going through and thinking carefully about how to identify and resolve the challenges, and it occurred to me that working with an electrician could be helpful. I turned to the professional for help, and it was a good thing I did. Read more about electricians on this blog.