Did you know that there were nearly 2.5 million residential sales in the UK in 2014-15? Research carried out by Electrical Safety First found that only 37% of buyers had the electrics checked before purchase and less than half of home owners knew that these tests were necessary. A third of people went on to find electrical issues – this could have been prevented by organising for an electrician to test the electrics before they moved in. Buying your own home is a stressful and exciting time, with so much going on, it can be difficult to stay on top of everything. Let us at Harcon take the electrical stresses of buying your new home away. We have a few top tips to keep you on track.
1. Budget
If you are a first time buyer, there are lots of additional costs that you may not know about or accounted for. Be aware of legal fees, stamp duty, surveys and technical reports such as an Electrical Installation Condition Report. In other words, be prepared.
2. Big Savings
If you make sure you have a survey completed before you agree on a sale, you could save yourself a lot of money! If there are damages within the house found that you haven’t noticed, you’ll be in a position to negotiate on price. It could end up being a pleasant surprise.
3. Check electrics yourself before you agree
The wiring of a house is hugely important.The good integrity of the wires will decide the success or failing of the wiring. The only way to fully know the condition of the wires? Get them tested.
Also, an outdated or poorly maintained electrical circuit breaker (or fuse box) is not capable of withstanding the electrical demands of modern life, so it is better to talk to your electrician about updating it before moving to your new home.
4. Be aware of common electrical problems
When you own your own home, it might be useful to be aware of common electrical problems. Here is a list of just a few:
Aluminium wiring, double tapped circuit breakers, exposed splices and wiring, incorrectly modified electrical panels, more than one neutral wire in an electrical panel slot, outlets that are painted and ungrounded outlets and plugs.
Considering electrics when buying a new home is the key to saving money and staying safe in your new place. Having a basic awareness of which electrical issues are common, how to keep yourself and your family safe and how to to save money are potentially very useful skills to have. Want to know more? Send us an email or give us a call.