Cost guides › House rewire
United Kingdom
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
Rewiring a 100 m² house, roughly a three-bed semi, typically costs £6,800 including VAT, with most quotes between £5,300 and £8,850. That covers stripping out the old cables, first fix (new cables, back boxes and chases), second fix (sockets, switches and light points), a new consumer unit, testing and the Electrical Installation Certificate with Part P notification. A basic rewire with the minimum of sockets is about £5,500; a premium job with extra sockets, USB outlets, LED downlights, data points and smart-ready wiring is around £8,900.
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mid-range, typicalCost by region
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £5,950 | £7,300 | £9,500 |
| Scotland | £5,600 | £6,900 | £9,000 |
| South East | £5,500 | £6,800 | £8,850 |
| East | £5,450 | £6,700 | £8,800 |
| North West | £5,450 | £6,700 | £8,750 |
| South West | £5,400 | £6,650 | £8,700 |
| West Midlands | £5,400 | £6,650 | £8,700 |
| East Midlands | £5,350 | £6,600 | £8,650 |
| North East | £5,350 | £6,600 | £8,600 |
| Wales | £5,350 | £6,600 | £8,650 |
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| Yorkshire and The Humber | £5,300 | £6,550 | £8,600 |
What's included
Mid-range
- Isolating and stripping out the old wiring
- First fix: new cables, back boxes and chases in every room, lifting and relaying floorboards where needed
- Second fix: new sockets, switches and ceiling roses at a standard modern layout
- New consumer unit with RCBOs and surge protection
- Main and supplementary bonding brought up to current regulations
- Testing of every circuit and an Electrical Installation Certificate
- Part P notification to building control through the electrician's scheme
- Chases and holes filled, ready for plastering or decorating
What affects the cost
Size of the house
Price follows the number of rooms and circuits. A two-bed terrace takes a few days; a four- or five-bed detached house can take two weeks or more.
Number of sockets and lights
Most people want far more double sockets than an old house has, plus outside sockets, extra lighting circuits and data points. Each extra point adds cable, a back box and time, so agree the layout room by room before the quote.
Occupied or empty
An empty house is quicker: floors come up in one go, and there is no need to restore power every evening or protect furniture. Rewiring around a family and its belongings takes noticeably longer.
Age and construction
Solid brick walls need chasing and plastering. Period and listed houses with lath-and-plaster ceilings, fragile cornicing and old floors are slower, and listed buildings may need consent before walls are chased.
Consumer unit spec
A board with an RCBO on every circuit and surge protection costs more than a split-load board with two RCDs, but a fault on one circuit then does not take out half the house.
Making good and decorating
Electricians fill chases with bonding coat, but replastering walls and ceilings and redecorating are usually priced separately. Budget for a plasterer and decorator after the rewire.
How to save
- Rewire before you move in: an empty house is cheaper and far less disruptive.
- Plan the socket and lighting layout in detail up front, so there are no costly changes after first fix.
- Book the rewire before any plastering, new flooring or kitchen fitting, so nothing new gets damaged.
- Get at least three quotes from registered electricians that list the number of points and the consumer unit spec.
Grants, tax and rules
Part P and certification
In England and Wales a rewire and a new consumer unit are notifiable work: they must be done by a registered electrician (Part P) who self-certifies, or notified to building control. You should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate and a building regulations compliance certificate.
VAT
Our figures include 20% VAT.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rewire a 3-bed house?
For a 100 m² house, about the size of a typical three-bed semi, a full rewire with a new consumer unit costs around £6,800 including VAT, with most quotes between £5,300 and £8,850. Replastering and redecorating are extra.
How long does a full rewire take?
A three-bed house usually takes one to two weeks for a team of two electricians: first fix, then a pause for any plastering, then second fix and testing. Empty houses are faster than occupied ones.
Can I stay in the house during a rewire?
Yes, but it is dusty and disruptive: floorboards come up, walls are chased and power is off in parts of the house during the day. Many electricians charge more for an occupied house because the work takes longer.
How do I know if my house needs rewiring?
Rubber or fabric-sheathed cables, a wooden-backed fuse box, round-pin sockets, sockets on skirting boards, or no earth on lighting circuits are warning signs. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) from a registered electrician tells you whether a full rewire is needed.
Is plastering included in a rewire?
Usually only filling the chases. Skimming walls and ceilings, patching lath-and-plaster and redecorating are normally separate. Select replastering and redecorating in the calculator to add them.
What is first fix and second fix?
First fix is everything hidden: cables, back boxes and chases, done before plastering. Second fix comes after plastering: fitting sockets, switches and light fittings, connecting the consumer unit and testing.
How this estimate is calculated
Work hours: 72.2 · Labour: £3,609 · Materials: £2,062
Sources: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, tables 14 and 15; Regione Toscana, Prezzario dei Lavori 2026 (CC BY 4.0); ECB exchange rates; market check: 3-bed house about 100 m2, occupied, consumer unit and certificate included: Checkatrade (06/2026) 3-bed avg 6,225, MyJobQuote (09/2026) 3-bed 6,500, MyBuilder (08/2026) 3-bed 4,000-8,000, BestBuilders (2026) 3-bed semi occupied 5,500-8,500.
Last reviewed 26 September 2026 · How we calculate costs · Editorial policy