Hi Everybody,
We are getting quotes and specifying a re-wiring job on our house at the moment and would like to get some opinions on two different schemes that have been proposed.
Some of the electricians are proposing to wire our sockets by digging channels into the walls (chasing I believe is the term?) and then putting the electrical cable into a tube embedded into the wall which we then plaster over. This cabling would be fed from above - so on the ground floor the sockets would be fed down from the first floor, on first floor they are fed from attic (I think).
Others are proposing to replace the existing cables that are there and come up from the floor which is the way the existing sockets are connected. This would apply on both the ground and the first floor.
In both cases the sockets will be moved from their current position on the skirting to the height defined by current specifications (15/16 inches I think from the floor).
Based on quotes to date the floor based cabling seems to be cheaper and this is probably because there is much less labour involved for the electrician.
However I am wondering if there are any pros or cons to either scheme apart from the cost - so even if it costs that bit extra is the better scheme to go with the cabling coming from above via the embedded channel?
I thought of the following points but they might be on the wrong track:
(1) Wiring coming from below means you have to lift floor for future maintenance - we will be laying wooden floors so maybe not ideal?
(2) Wiring coming from below means if there were ever a water leak on the ground floor you have a higher risk? (Flooding is not a worry in our area)
Thanks as usual for any advice and opinions.