House Rewiring Cost UK 2026: Full Price Guide by Property Size
Written by Tom Ellis · Senior Trades Editor
Last updated: August 2026
Last updated: August 2026 · United Kingdom
Quick Answer
A full house rewire in the UK costs £3,000–£4,500 for a 2-bedroom property, £4,000–£6,500 for a 3-bedroom house, and £6,000–£10,000+ for a 4–5 bedroom house. These prices include labour, new cabling, consumer unit replacement, sockets, switches, and light fittings — but typically exclude decoration after the work. The work takes 5–10 days for most houses. An NICEIC or NAPIT-registered electrician must certify the work on completion.
House Rewiring Cost by Property Size — UK 2026
| Property | Bedrooms | Typical rewire cost |
|---|---|---|
| Flat | 1 | £2,000–£3,500 |
| Small house | 2 | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Mid-terrace / semi | 3 | £4,000–£6,500 |
| Detached house | 4 | £5,500–£8,500 |
| Large detached | 5+ | £7,500–£12,000+ |
Full rewire prices — all circuits replaced, new consumer unit, new sockets and switches throughout. Partial rewires (one floor, one extension) cost less, roughly proportional to the share of the house being rewired.
When Does a House Need Rewiring?
Most electricians recommend a full rewire when wiring is 25–40 years old or older, or when specific warning signs are present. Get an inspection and rewire quote if you notice:
- Old-style round-pin sockets or bakelite fittings (pre-1960s wiring)
- Rubber or fabric-sheathed cables rather than modern PVC — visible in the loft or under floorboards
- Fuse wire consumer unit rather than modern circuit breakers
- Regular tripping circuit breakers or blown fuses
- Burning smell or brown discolouration around sockets or switches
- Property purchase with no EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
- Major renovation where walls and floors are being opened anyway
An EICR costs £150–£300 and tells you the condition of your existing wiring. If the report returns unsatisfactory, a rewire is typically required. If you're buying a property built before 1990, commissioning an EICR before completion is strongly advisable.
What's Included in a Full House Rewire
- New cabling throughout: Every circuit replaced with modern twin-and-earth PVC cable compliant with 18th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations.
- New consumer unit (fuse box): Old fuse board replaced with a modern unit containing MCBs and RCDs or RCBOs. Cost included in the rewire price.
- New sockets and switches: Standard double sockets and single switches throughout. Upgrading to chrome, brass, or USB sockets is possible at extra cost (typically £3–£8 per accessory).
- New light fitting connection points: Ceiling roses and pull-switch positions renewed. Decorative light fittings are usually supplied by the homeowner or quoted separately.
- Testing and certification: All work tested to BS 7671 standards. An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is issued on completion — required for insurance and essential for selling the property.
What's NOT Included
- Making good (decoration): Rewiring requires running cables through walls, floors, and ceilings. Most electricians do not replaster, repaint, or re-tile after the work. Budget £500–£2,000+ for decorating costs after a full rewire.
- Specialist circuits: EV charger, electric oven, electric shower, underfloor heating — quoted separately.
- External work: Garden lighting, outbuildings, or external power supplies are typically quoted as extras.
Electrician Labour Rates for Rewiring
| Location | Typical day rate |
|---|---|
| Northern England | £200–£300/day |
| Midlands | £250–£350/day |
| South East (outside London) | £280–£400/day |
| London | £350–£500/day |
A full rewire is almost always quoted as a fixed price for the complete job — not day rates. For a 3-bedroom house, labour typically runs 2 electricians × 5–7 days = 10–14 person-days. At £280/day, that's £2,800–£3,920 in labour alone, with materials (cable, consumer unit, accessories) adding £800–£1,800.
How Long Does a House Rewire Take?
| Property size | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat/house | 3–5 days |
| 3 bedroom house | 5–7 days |
| 4 bedroom house | 7–10 days |
| 5+ bedroom | 10–15 days |
Getting the Right Electrician
For all rewiring work, your electrician must be registered with a competent person scheme — either NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) or NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers).
Registered electricians can self-certify their work to building regulations without requiring a separate council inspection. Non-registered electricians' work requires a building regulations application and local authority inspection — adding time, cost, and uncertainty.
When getting quotes:
- Confirm NICEIC or NAPIT registration (verify on their websites — not just the electrician's word)
- Ask what's included and excluded — specifically making good and specialist circuits
- Ask whether they use their own labourers or subcontract
- Request a breakdown: materials cost + labour cost
- Get at least 3 quotes — rewire pricing varies significantly
Rewire During Renovation: The Smart Approach
If you're planning a major renovation, a rewire done simultaneously is significantly cheaper. When walls and floors are already open for other trades:
- No chasing required — reduces labour time significantly
- No decoration needed before plastering — the plasterer finishes over the new cables
- Electricians can work alongside other trades more efficiently
If you're undertaking a loft conversion, kitchen extension, or full internal renovation, commission the rewire at the same time. The combined cost is almost always less than the sum of the individual jobs done separately.
What Affects the Cost of a House Rewire?
Two rewire quotes on the same street can differ by £2,000 or more. These are the factors electricians price on:
- Property size — the single biggest cost driver. Each additional bedroom means more circuits, more cable runs, and more labour days.
- Number of circuits and sockets — a standard rewire includes a fixed number of sockets per room. Adding extra double sockets, USB outlets, or dedicated appliance circuits (dishwasher, electric shower, EV charger) increases cost.
- Access difficulty — solid brick or stone walls require chasing (cutting channels) rather than running cables through stud partitions. Chasing is slower and more expensive. Properties with concrete floors are similarly harder to work in than timber-joisted floors.
- London and South East premium — electrician day rates in London are 20–30% above the national average. A rewire that costs £5,500 in the Midlands can reach £7,000–£8,000 in London for the same property size.
- Whether decoration is included — the vast majority of rewire quotes cover electrical work only. Replastering, repainting, and making good after cable runs are separate costs — typically £500–£2,000+ for a full house, depending on the amount of chasing done.
Key Signs You Need a Rewire
- Wiring is over 25 years old with no recent inspection certificate
- Rubber or fabric-insulated cables visible in the loft or under floorboards
- Circuit breakers tripping regularly without obvious cause
- Burning smell from sockets or brown discolouration around switches
- No RCD protection on an older consumer unit
- Buying a property with no valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
An EICR costs £150–£300 and formally grades your wiring. A C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) finding typically means a rewire or targeted remedial work is required before the property can be insured or mortgaged normally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a house rewire take?
Most 3-bedroom houses take 5–7 days with two electricians working. Smaller 1–2 bedroom properties can typically be rewired in 3–5 days, while 4–5 bedroom houses take 7–10 days or more. The duration depends on the size of the property, wall construction (solid vs stud), and how many specialist circuits are required.
Do I need to move out during a rewire?
For a full rewire it is strongly recommended, though not always required. Sections of the house will be without power, floorboards will be lifted, and there will be significant dust throughout. Families with young children or anyone with accessibility needs are usually better off staying elsewhere for the duration. Partial rewires — one floor or one circuit set — can often be managed while the house is occupied.
Does a rewire add value to a house?
Yes. Modern wiring with a valid Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is increasingly required by mortgage lenders and insurers on older properties. A property with outdated wiring (rubber cables, fuse wire consumer unit, no RCD protection) can be difficult to mortgage or insure at standard rates. A full rewire with certification removes that risk and is viewed positively by surveyors and buyers.
How much does it cost to rewire a house in the UK?
A full house rewire costs £3,000–£4,500 for a 2-bedroom property, £4,000–£6,500 for a 3-bedroom house, and £6,000–£10,000+ for a 4–5 bedroom house. These prices include labour, new cabling, consumer unit replacement, sockets, switches, and light fittings, but typically exclude decoration after the work.
Do I need to move out during a house rewire?
Not usually, but it's disruptive. You'll have sections of the house without power, floorboards up, and dust throughout. Some families choose to stay elsewhere for the duration; others manage around the work. Discuss with your electrician which rooms will be live during each phase.
Do I need building regulations approval for a rewire?
Yes — any full rewire requires notification to the local building authority under Part P of the Building Regulations. If your electrician is NICEIC or NAPIT registered, they can self-certify the work, which satisfies this requirement automatically. If not, you need a building regulations application.
How do I know if my house needs rewiring vs just a consumer unit upgrade?
An EICR will answer this. A modern consumer unit with aged wiring throughout is still a potential problem — the cables need replacing even if the fuse box is new. An electrician inspecting the wiring in the loft, under floorboards, and in the wall chases can advise whether full rewiring or targeted replacement is appropriate.
Can I get a rewire done in sections rather than all at once?
Yes — a partial rewire (one floor, one extension, one set of circuits) is possible and cheaper. The disadvantage: you pay mobilisation costs twice, and making good twice is more disruptive. If the whole house needs rewiring eventually, doing it in one job is almost always more cost-effective.
Will a rewire add value to my property?
A property with a valid EICR and modern wiring is easier to sell and mortgage. Buyers' solicitors increasingly flag old wiring as a risk, and some mortgage lenders require an EICR before approving a loan on older properties. A rewire is generally viewed positively by surveyors.
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