When it comes to electrical work, most rooms in a property can be treated similarly, but kitchens and bathrooms are unique and complex cases.

Kitchens feature the use of both electricity and water, so great care is taken to ensure all utilities and appliances are correctly and safely set up. The appliances in a kitchen tend to use more electricity than all the other rooms in your property put together.

When refitting a kitchen, installing new wiring is all part of the job. If you need a new distribution board though, that will be an additional cost.

WHY MIGHT MY PROPERTY NEED A NEW FUSE BOARD?

You will certainly need a new distribution board/fuse box if your current one does not feature RCD protection. RCD stands for Residual Current Device and this technology works by continually monitoring the flow of electrical current through the neutral and live wires supplying a piece of electrical equipment or a circuit.

RCD protection is now a legal requirement for all sockets and lighting circuits. UK regulations for the building industry have changed several times in the last decade so it is worth considering this when upgrading. Opting for the most recent and highest specification RCD protection will better future-proof your electrical setup. T Walsh Contracts can assess and advise on your current equipment. Quite often it is more cost-effective to replace the entire unit than attempt to upgrade it. As always, we will inspect and advise of costs and timeframe before we undertake any work on your behalf.

SOCKETS & WIRING

Kitchen sockets are typically placed higher then sockets in other rooms. The presence of countertops demands that sockets be placed in higher positions than normal. With a wide range of kitchen counter styles, remodelling a kitchen often results in sockets having to be moved.

As households are using an ever-increasing number of gadgets and appliances, in general as well as in the kitchen, it is often a good idea to add additional sockets while refurbishing your kitchen.

There is a wide range of modern solutions including pop-up banks of sockets and other space-saving ideas. Get in touch for help and advice on how you can upgrade your kitchen’s electrics.

COOKERS

Cookers need to be on their own electrical feed. This may require new cabling and/or an isolating switch. Thankfully modern switches can be flush to the wall so this need not cause problems or look unsightly. Again, we can advise you of your options and help you decide on a solution that works for you.