A full house rewire generates more scrap than almost any other single electrical job — old cable pulled throughout the property, redundant fittings, an old consumer unit, and often other components replaced along the way. Here’s how to handle it properly rather than treating it as waste to clear.
What a typical rewire generates
- Old cable, throughout the property — usually the largest volume by weight, and the most valuable if handled right
- The old consumer unit — contains recoverable copper and other components
- Redundant sockets, switches, and fittings — smaller individually, but adds up across a full property
- Any old appliances or fixtures removed as part of the job
The sorting checklist
- Separate cable from everything else as you pull it, rather than mixing it into general job waste
- Strip cable where practical — even partial stripping on a rewire’s worth of cable makes a real difference to value
- Keep the consumer unit and larger components separate from loose cable and fittings
- Don’t mix in non-metal waste — old plasterboard, cable clips, and general debris should go in general waste, not your scrap
Why one rewire is worth treating properly
Because of the volume involved, a single full rewire can generate a genuinely worthwhile amount of scrap value — enough that the extra ten minutes of sorting on-site is clearly worth it, unlike smaller day-to-day jobs where the calculation is closer.
Timing it right
Rather than letting rewire scrap sit in the van or yard for weeks, posting it while it’s fresh (and before cable has a chance to oxidise if stored outdoors) protects the grade — and therefore the price — you’ll get for it.
Turn your next rewire’s scrap into a competitive sale. List it on ScrapBays →