How Much to Rewire a House?

Looking to find out the cost to rewire a house?

Rewiring a house can be an expensive project, but it's one that's necessary if you have a faulty or outdated wiring system. This might particularly be something to consider if you live in an older property.

The total cost to rewire a house is between £2,000-£10,000, with the average cost being around £4,000.

This is a wide price range as house rewiring costs are largely determined by the size of the home that requires new wiring.

The illustration below provides a better idea of the total cost to rewire houses of different sizes.

What else does house rewiring costs depend on?

Apart from the size of the property, the cost to rewire a property depends on the current state of the system, the standard of new fitting and fixtures you're after, and where you're located in the UK.

This guide to house rewiring costs breaks down everything you need to know - from the more significant factors that impact the price of house rewiring jobs to frequently asked questions from UK homeowners.

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How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?

The average cost of rewiring a house can vary significantly.

The main factors that impact the final price you're quoted for house rewiring will be the:

• Type of house you have (e.g. bungalow, flat, terrace, semi-detached, or detached)

• Size of your house (i.e. small one or two bedroom flat vs large four bedroom detached house)

• Quality of materials that you want (e.g. electrical sockets, light fittings, switches, and other electrical components)

• Complexity of replacing the wiring in your house (an old house or existing poor wiring might slow an electrician down)

• Price per day of the electrician you choose (you might pay twice as much for a more experienced electrician)

We'll dive into the details of each of these...

But first: let's start with an overview of the overall cost to rewire a house of different sizes.

House Rewire Prices

The table below gives an overview of the (total) house rewiring costs for different-sized properties, as well as an estimate of how long it should take.

Cost to Rewire a Flat, Bungalow, or Maisonette

Flats, bungalows, and maisonettes tend to be the smallest types of properties.

Because of this, they tend to be lower cost to rewire than other property types. This is because fewer materials are required and there's less that needs to be done to complete the job.

The cost of completely rewiring a flat, bungalow, or maisonette is between £2,000-£5,000.

Cost to Rewire a Terrace House

The most common type of property in England are terrace houses.

They're also the most commonly rewired property - which is mainly because our stock of these property types in the UK is from five or more decades ago. Because of this, they're outdated and need to be brought up to modern electrical standards.

The cost to rewire a terrace house is between £3,000-£5,500.

There is no significant difference between the expected price of rewiring an end vs middle terrace house. However, it might be more challenging for an electrician to access what they need to in the middle terrace, which might slightly impact the labour costs of rewiring.

For this property type, the more significant factor that would impact rewiring prices is the age of the property, as well as when the electrical wiring and installations were last updated.

Cost to Rewire a Semi-Detatched House

Semi-detatched houses are the second most common type of property in England.

And because these tend to have more square footage than the ones we've already covered, you should expect the quotes you receive to be higher too.

The cost to rewiring a 3 bedroom house that's semi-detached is between £5,500 and £7,000.

Cost to Rewire a Detached House

The most costly type of residential property to rewire is a detached house.

This is because there are more fittings in more rooms across multiple floors that an electrician has to rewire - in addition to higher material costs.

The average cost of rewiring a 4 bedroom house that's detached starts at around £5,500, but can easily increase up to (or more than) £9,000.

External Wiring Costs

External wiring is another type of wiring which you may require when having your house rewired.

But what's external wiring used for mostly?

This is often for the use of security systems, external lighting, CCTV, and automated doors (such as garage doors or garden gates).

The cost for external wiring is usually around £250 for a simple security light set-up and can increase to £500 if used for a CCTV set-up or to extend the electrical coverage to a garage or outside building.

Electrician Costs

Rewiring a house is most frequently undertaken by a single qualified electrician.

From lighting, electrical heating, and plug sockets to CCTV and security systems, a single electrician would often be able to do everything involved in the rewiring of a house.

Labour costs for electrician starts at around £200 per day.

However, depending on their qualifications and specialities, you might be quoted up to £400 per day for experienced electricians or specialists.

Where you're located in the UK will also impact labour costs. You will find that electricians, due to the higher cost of living and operating a business, will charge more if they're operating in urban areas like London.

How Long Does it Take to Rewire a House?

The average required time that you'd need to hire an electrician for a house rewiring job is around 7 days.

But how long a rewire takes to complete depends on:

• The size of your property

• Whether you're doing a complete or partial house rewire

• Any complications encountered during the job

So a one or two-bedroom bungalow that is only a single-floor is going to be completed in about 3 days (about half the average required time). As there's less work required from the electrician, the cost to rewire a house - in this case - will be lower than average.

On the other hand, the total rewiring of a three-bedroom semi-detatched house would take about 7 days. And a larger four-bedroom detached house would take even longer than average - at around 9 days or more.

As the electrician's time makes up the bulk of the house rewiring prices you're quoted, smaller properties are normally going to be lower cost to rewire than larger houses.

However, the time to complete a job like this will also depend on the level of complexity of the wiring, the skills the electrician possesses, and the number of additional tradesmen you might need to hire.

House Rewiring Material Costs

Material costs for electrical sockets, light fittings, switches, and other electrical components can vary significantly.

That's because there's a lot of customizability (e.g. colour, shape, material, finish) that gives you the freedom to get the look and feel that you want. However, more premium materials will increase the final price of a house rewire.

For a two-bed medium terrace house being fully rewired, if basic quality white plastic fittings are used, material costs will be around £800.

But for the same property, yet with premium quality components with a stylish finish (such as brushed steel), material costs increase to £1,500 or more.

The illustration below gives an overview of the range of costs for various materials you'll need when getting your home rewiring completed.

How can you make supply costs more effective?

When purchasing components for a house rewiring, it's usually more cost-effective to ask the electrician to purchase what you want. This is because they'll usually get better prices from suppliers - as they purchase from them frequently to do jobs like this.

Plug Socket Cost

Plug sockets are one of the main components of the power ring main. They're important to consider when doing a full rewire of a property.

Available in a variety of styles, colours, and shapes, the price of a single plug socket will begin at around £2.50 and increase to around £15 for designer-finished styles.

For a standard, two-bed terrace house, you will need approximately 12-14 plug sockets. The cost of 12 standard white plug sockets, including the pattresses (the holder), will be around £30 for the cheapest options.

Light Switch Cost

Every room of a house will require at least one light switch. Some rooms, such as the living room, may need two switches installed.

Light switches are available in single, double, and triple gang varieties.

The "gangs" of a switch are the number of actual switches on the faceplate.

For a standard single gang switch, the cost begins at around £2 and can increase to around £8 for a designer style.

If a house has six rooms and a single light switch is required for each, it will mean a total cost of around £24 for a standard white (in a common style) switch.

Light Fittings Cost

Light fittings are available in a variety of different styles and shapes.

From a ceiling rose to a hanging pendant style, the prices can significantly vary depending on the style you're looking for and the quality of materials you want.

The average cost of a ceiling rose is about £3 each, but can increase to around £30 for a designer style light fitting.

Commonly, you will require at least one light fitting per room - with some larger rooms, such as the living room, often requiring more.

For a small one-bed terrace house with five individual rooms, it will cost around £15 for the standard white plastic light fittings.

Cost of Wires

There are two commonly used sizes of wire used in the rewiring of a property; these are 1.5mm and 2.5mm twin core and earth.

1.5mm or 2.5mm refers to the diameter of the copper wires themselves. 1.5mm wire is used for the lighting system, and 2.5mm is used for the power distribution.

So, what type of wire will you need and how much do they cost?

The length of wire required for a standard small property is around 50m of lighting wire and 50m of power distribution wire.

For 50m of twin core and earth at 1.5mm, it will begin at around £25 and then increase to £35 for twin core and earth at 2.5mm.

Wire Clips and Conduit Costs

When running the wires around the property, through walls and under flooring, it may be necessary to use wire clips to hold the wires in place.

If clips are required, then a pack of 200 will normally cost around £5.

Another way to secure wires is by running them through conduits.

Conduits are just like pipes. But instead of transfering water, they are used for wires.

Installing conduit can make running wires behind walls and under floors easier, as the conduit is used as a guiding path to stop the wire from snagging on obstructions.

Conduit is sold in lengths from 2m to 5m - depending on the diameter.

The cost for a 2m length of conduit costs usually starts at around £2. For a simple use flexible conduit measuring 25m, the cost begins at £25.

Consumer Unit Cost

The power enters the house through a thick pair of wires known as the tails, which then feed directly into a distribution box known as a consumer unit.

A consumer unit contains various safety equipment used to protect the property and the people inside it.

If a complete rewiring is being undertaken, you might need to get a new consumer unit fitted.

How much does a new consumer unit cost?

An up-to-date consumer electric unit price will start at around £50. For a large property with a more complex electrical system, the cost of the consumer unit will increase to around £90.

Other Material Costs

These are some additional material costs you might need to consider:

Chocolate Blocks and Terminal Box Costs

A chocolate-block or terminal is required to join wires together safely.

This is not common when rewiring a house; however, it is best to have some on-hand in case it's necessary.

It costs around £5 for a pack of 20 chocolate blocks, and it costs £4 per terminal box.

Security Lights and Cameras Costs

A final consideration when rewiring a house is external electric components such as security lights and CCTV cameras.

The price of the external components can vary significantly depending on your requirements:

• For a simple CCTV system, the prices will often begin at around £90 but increase to around £500 and beyond for more complex systems.

• Security lights begin at around £19 for a simple motion detection light. The price will increase up to around £50 for a larger, brighter, and more high-tech variety.

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Additional Costs of House Rewiring

You might incur some additional costs to rewire your house.

Security Equipment Installation Costs

You may want to add a fitted security system at the same time as a house rewiring project is being done. Although security equipment can be fitted by an electrician, some installations may require a specialist.

The cost of installing this security equipment (without any materials included) may be around £150 to £200 per day. Depending on the complexity of the security systems you might be considering, it could take 2-3 days to complete a job like this.

Waste Removal Costs

Don't forget about the costs for the disposal of waste after completing the house rewire.

However, this is rarely needed for house rewiring work.

Only a small amount of waste would usually be created when a house rewire has been performed. This will usually be removed by the electrician, and if not, can be removed and placed within your property’s bins.

If you do need to arrange waste disposal, then this can consist of hiring a skip. These are large metal containers that are used as bins for various waste. The cost of skip hire begins at around £150 for the smaller options (which is probably all you'll need).

Included in the price of the hire is usually the cost of collection and disposal of the waste.

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What's Involved in Rewiring a House?

Budgeting

The first step is going to be planning a budget.

This is a very important step, as there is no point in starting a project you cannot afford to complete it.

This guide to home rewiring costs is an excellent starting point - and will give you an idea of what you can expect the total costs to rewire will be, but also a breakdown of where that money will be going.

Planning

In the planning stages, you will need to decide on the amount of materials you need for each room and the style you want to have installed.

This will move you closer to understanding the total price of the materials needed to complete a rewiring job in your home.

Quotes

Not all electricians charge the same amount for the same jobs.

This makes it essential to get at least three quotes from three different electrical services businesses that are local to you.

If possible, getting up to six quotes will give you valuable insight into the price range offered by electricians within your area.

Price isn't everything though, and you want to consider each quote on its own merits.

Assessing the Existing Wiring and Components

Does the property really need to be rewired?

Before undergoing a full rewiring, it is always advisable to undertake an electrician's survey. The survey will cost you around £150.

This will tell you the standard of the existing wiring within your property, the age of the wiring, and any damage to the installation which will need attention (or replacement).

Installation of Wires

If the electrical survey has found that faulty wires require replacing, this is the stage in which the electrician will remove the old wires and install the new ones.

An electrical rewire is done in a variety of ways - from chasing out the old cables to pulling them from the spaces they run within. The new wires are then fed through the space where the original wires were fitted.

Component Fitting

Once the new wires have been fitted, it's time to install all of your materials (like the sockets, light fittings, and switches).

This should normally be a simple and quick process, as it's just a matter of replacing the original pre-existing components.

However, it'll take longer if new components are being installed - as they may need space to be cut into the walls and ceilings.

Testing the Installation

Once the house rewiring has been performed and the materials installed, it's necessary to have the installation tested.

This is most frequently done by the electrician that completed the house rewire and is critical to conform with building regulations in the UK.

The electrician will use specialist equipment to perform this test and then provide you with a certificate that you should keep somewhere safe.

If you fail to have the new rewiring tested and decide to sell your home in the future, then you will required to pay a test electrician to do the same thing at an additional cost of around £500.

Signs Your Home Needs a Rewire

How do you know that you may need a total rewire for your property?

Here are a few things to watch for...

Firstly: Your consumer unit trip switches might regularly cut out your electricity. You might also hear a crackling or buzzing noise around your electrical components or equipment.

These issues are often caused by faults within the electrical system. They're a clear sign that something isn't right with your wiring. Fuses may also blow and need replacing more often, which is also often caused by faulty wiring.

Flickering lights are another visual sign of needing repairs to your electrical system.

Secondly: A visual check of fittings might show that they're discolouring or showing signs of damage and/or burning. In other words, they're ageing poorly.

If this is the case, then you should have them checked (at the earliest convenience) by a trained electrician.

Thirdly: A more obvious sign you need to perform an electrical system upgrade is an outdated fuse box.

This can be seen by the date of the consumer unit itself. You can often find this on the inside of the unit's door (printed on the information label).

Finally: The wires themselves might also indicate when it's time to have an electrical survey done and consider rewiring a house.

Out-of-date wires are covered with rubber or a special form of woven fabric, whereas modern wires use a special PVC covering.

Reasons For a House Rewire

If your residential property was built before 1990 and/or has not been rewired for 25-50 years, then you may want to consider planning to rewire your home.

Electrical systems should be updated every 25-50 years. If they're not, then the wiring and electrical system will likely become a safety hazard.

As such, it's best practice to have an electrical inspection of your system every 10-15 years. This might seem like an unnecessary cost at first, but it can sometimes pinpoint smaller issues that can be resolved quickly and cheaply - and mean that you could go longer between full rewires of your property.

If you are planning a major renovation to your home (e.g. building an extension or doing a loft conversion) you may want to consult with a qualified electrician to advise on whether a full or partial rewiring job needs to be budgeted for.

House Rewiring Building Regulations

Do you need planning permission to rewire your house?

In short? No, you don't planning permission to schedule and perform this sort of work.

However, there is a requirement to contact your local authority if you live in a listed building and are planning to have your house rewired (or any other electrical work done).

All other building regulations concerning electrical installations should be covered by a competent and qualified electrician - as this is something covered in their trade qualifications.

For example, final installation testing and certification of the completed work will be supplied by the electrician after the job is finished.

Can I Rewire a House Myself?

Doing any electrical work yourself can be extremely dangerous.

Electricical systems should never be interfered with by anyone without the knowledge of the dangers involved. Even the smallest mistake can result in injury or death.

Though electrical work can be undertaken by anyone, as of part P of the building regulations, it is always recommended that you hire a trained professional electrician to undertake extensive work.

Rewiring jobs, like all electrical installation work, are subject to regulation and legislation (specifically Part P of the Buildings Regulations, which covers electrical safety in UK homes). Before you begin a rewiring job yourself, you would need to submit a Building Regulations application.

After completion of the rewiring work, you would still be required to hire a registered electrician to check the installation conforms to safety standards.

This will usually cost between £600-£1,000. The cost you're quoted for this will depend on the size and complexity of the installation, meaning might end up costing you a significant proportion of the amount that you might have paid them to complete the entire rewiring process.

You may also find it difficult to find an electrician who will sign off on someone else’s electrical rewiring.

The best choice is to hire a registered and qualified electrician to undertake all electrical work within your home. We can help you get quotes from local electricians.

Hiring a Qualified Electrician to Rewire a House

Below is an easy step-by-step guide for you to follow when seeking a professional electrician to carry out a property rewire:

• Look out for qualifications. You should be looking for Level 3 NVQs in Electrotechnical Services, Installing Electrotechnical Systems & Equipment or a Diploma in Electrical Installations. Most electricians will complete an apprenticeship while continuing their studies.
• Check that they are registered with a government competent person scheme. An important requirement for hiring an electrician is that they are registered with a government competent person scheme, such as BESCA, Blue Flame Certification Certsure, or NAPIT.
• Check what insurance the tradesperson has. Make sure they possess, at the least, third-party liability, which covers building work. At best, you want to find a tradesman, which has personal injury, property damage, and work guarantee cover.
• Evidence of previous work is also important when hiring any tradesperson. If they have references from previous clients, photos, or a portfolio of their work, it will prove they are proud of the level of skill they can provide.
• Does the tradesman offer any form of guarantee for the work they are going to undertake? Most will offer to make sure you are happy with the job before they finish. However, it can be worth looking for a tradesman who offers a five-year guarantee (or greater). This means that if any problems arise in the future due to any faults in their processes, they will fix their mistakes at no expense to you.

FAQs

Sources

https://hoa.org.uk/advice/guides-for-homeowners/i-am-improving/do-i-need-planning-permission

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/english-housing-survey-2022-to-2023-headline-report

https://www.selcobw.com

https://www.travisperkins.co.uk

https://www.jewson.co.uk

https://www.napit.org.uk/

https://www.niceic.com/