Whether you are buying a house or are considering having electrical home rewiring, one of the first questions that is likely to spring to mind is how long does the rewiring last?

Homebuyers might want to know if they are likely to have to calculate electrical work into their budget depending on the last time it was looked at, while those renovating their property will be keen to find out whether rewiring is a short-term fix or a long-term solution.

The good news is that electrical rewiring can last around 25 years. This means those purchasing a property do not have to worry if it has been done in the last few years, while redecorators can rest assured they will not need to touch their electrics for a quarter of a century after their upcoming project.

However, if the home has not been rewired in 25 years or so, it is likely to need doing again soon to bring it up to current standards.

“The wiring may be potentially dangerous and may not be able to cope with the demands of modern living,” Homebuilding.co.uk explains.

If you do not know when your house was last rewired, you can have a guess by looking at the electricity meter and consumer unit. An old-fashioned fuse box suggests it is out of date, while a modern consumer unit is a good indication the electrics have been looked at recently.

A recent consumer unit can be identified with circuit breakers and residual circuit devices.