Faulty or outdated wiring can pose a major health hazard, causing electrocution, frequent tripping and even house fires (over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity). If you’re wondering, “how much does it cost to rewire a house?”, the answer varies depending on factors such as the size of your property.

You would assume the cost to rewire a small 2 bedroom house, is going to cost less and be easier to rewire, than a large 3 bedroom house. This is generally true but there is far more to think about.

It’s important to remember that it’s not so much an option as a necessity – especially if your home has old or faulty wiring in need of replacing. So: how much does it cost to rewire a house? Find out here with this guide detailing everything you need to know – so that you can make your home safe to live in.

 

How Can I Tell If My Home Needs Rewiring?

 

If your home is older than 25 years and has not had any rewiring done during this period, it’s time to get an inspection to check that it conforms with Part P of Building Regulations. After this, it is recommended that the property is inspected for safety every 5-10 years. Other clear signs that the electrical system in your home needs rewiring include:

 

• The presence of outdated old wooden consumer unit (fuse box), cast iron or round plastic switches, out of date cable colouring, no RCD which ultimately keeps you safe from life ending shocks
• Wire / cable made from rubber, fabric, aluminium or lead.
• Receiving electric shocks (however minor) when using appliances.
• Plugs that heat up when in use.
• Discoloured wiring or fittings (frequently due to overheating and burning).
• Crackling or buzzing sounds.
• Electricity “tripping out” regularly.

Electrical Rewiring: What’s Involved

 

Every residential property has a wiring system powering all fittings, fixtures and appliances. Over time, this system experiences wear and tear – and especially if your home is an older property – it may not be able to keep up with the demand of an average modern home. To ensure your electrical system and wiring is working at optimum efficiency and safety, it must be compliant with the latest regulations. In order to do this, it requires a replacement of the wiring and an upgrade of the consumer unit (traditionally known as the “fuse box”).

What Does the Process Of Rewiring A House Involve?

 

Rewiring a house is a two-part process: In the first half of the rewiring process, all old fittings and electrical rewiring are taken out. In the second half, a metal-clad fuse box is installed in compliance with fire safety measures (if one does not already exist).

Then, new cabling is added under the floor and into channels in the wall. Any sockets and switches are then updated and replaced. Special restrictions apply in wet areas such as bathrooms e.g. water and gas pipes should always be earth bonded during the rewiring process.

The installation is then tested to ensure the results match the design, it is a very scientific and mathematical process!

 

Existing Wiring Inspection

The first part of the rewiring process involves finding out if rewiring is necessary. An initial report to assess work required. This typically costs £216 – £350 for a written report.

How Much Should I Budget For When Figuring Out How Much To Rewire A House? How Much Does It Cost To Rewire A House?

The cost to rewire a house is a financial undertaking and cannot be half done, once a job has begun, it must be seen through to the end. There are a number of choices that need to be made such as how many lights, light switches, sockets and other power points that you would require in the home. Prices can vary on a house rewire, however you do get what you pay for in this industry. Get 3-4 quotes when trying to choose an electrician and also ask to see their registration documents.

There are a number of factors that go into deciding the budget of a house rewire. These include:

 

• The size of the property: larger properties are likely to use more wire, power points and plug sockets, etc. You will also need to factor in things such as the number of bedrooms.
• The age of the property: an exception to this is where the property is older and therefore might have less electrical power points than a modern house (meaning an installation might also require “modernisation”, i.e. additional power points. If you live in a listed building this will also factor into the cost to rewire your house.
• The layout of the property: if your home has multiple floors (as opposed to a bungalow) this can be more complex in terms of the electrical rewire that is needed to be carried out, as the wiring has to run for longer distances requiring increased labour costs and materials.
• The size of the property: the cost to rewire a house also depends on the size of the property
• Where it is situated (as electrician fees may vary depending on which region you live in – the North of England tends to be less expensive than the South) – but as a general rule, a rewiring on a three bedroom house costs an average of about between £4500-£6500.
• Number of fittings required: if you are planning on having lots of new fittings installed, this will extend the time it takes to complete the electrical work and potentially also increase the costs
• Bespoke accessories: price also depends not only on the quantity, but quality of your accessories (which is not to say you should opt for low quality units, in case these may be hazardous). In general, the better quality of the units installed are, the more they will add to your budget.
• Access to the fuse box: if the unit is in a difficult-to-reach-place, the overall cost of the job may be higher.
• Waste disposal: while your electrician can take any refuse resulting from the job to the tip for recycling, you may need to factor in skip hire, depending on the scale of work carried out.
• The EICR Certificate: the cost of this can range from £150 for a 1-bed flat, up to £375 for a 5-bed house.
• Plastering and redecorating walls afterwards in addition to any fittings and components you might wish to have installed. AGW House Rewire does not offer plastering.

 

Fitting Wiring & Components

If your house has to undergo a full house rewire then the old wiring will have to be removed from under the floor and in the walls. The new wiring and consumer unit will then need to be put in place – this sometimes uses the same routes that the old wiring took. Your components will then go in such as sockets, lighting etc. and if you have asked for new fittings then walls and ceilings may need to be cut into in order to install these.

Installation Testing

All installations need to be tested to ensure they work how expected and that they are safe – this assessment is known as the intitial verification. When the installation passes the test then you will be issued with an electrical safety certificate which demonstrates that you are complying with the latest regulations. This certificate is important to have when selling your home or trying to rent it out. The installation is then notified to your local building control authority

How Long Does It Take To Rewire A House?

  While you don’t necessarily have to vacate the premises while work is being done, it’s important to acknowledge that a rewire is a fairly disruptive process: it can be noisy, there will be workers coming and going – and for a short period, you will be without electricity – so it’s generally advisable to find alternative accommodation while the work is being carried out. How long this will take again depends on how large the property is, but on average the time it takes to rewire a property is around 5-10 days. If the house is occupied while the rewiring takes place, this can also affect the duration of time it takes to complete the work, which may then affect the overall costs. In terms of the number of days to complete the job, this depends on the size of the property and the complexity of the job. You can find out more about how much it would cost to rewire your home using our calculator, which can give you a quick costing.

The Cost To Rewire A House

If you have been looking around to find out how much it costs to rewire a house, the table below outlines the average cost to rewire a house.

The Cost To Rewire A Bungalow

The effort that goes into rewiring a bungalow is similar to a house.

 

The Cost To Rewire A Kitchen

Like all rewiring, the cost to rewire a kitchen depends on what state your existing wiring is in amongst other factors. Your kitchen has more sockets than any other room in the house and therefore you would expect to pay more for a kitchen rewire. The cost to rewire a kitchen is in the range of £1,000 to £1,800 plus VAT.

 

The Cost To Rewire A Bathroom

If you are having a new bathroom fitted, or simply want to improve the wiring in your existing bathroom, then the cost to rewire a bathroom is in the range of £800 to £1,500 +VAT.

When rewiring a bathroom items to keep in mind are extractor fans, isolators, bathroom mirror lights, shaving sockets, lights, , towel heaters and electric showers.

 

The Cost To Rewire A Garage

Home owners can use their garage for all sorts of purposes and therefore each garage is bespoke to its owner. If you use your garage working in, or for pursuits that take more lighting and sockets then it will increase the cost to rewire a garage. They sometimes need their own fuse board aswell. The average cost to rewire a garage is between £500 and £1,000 +VAT.

It is important that garage rewires are completed by a professional as it is still integral to the house. We do not recommend trying to carry this out yourself.

The Cost To Rewire A Flat Or Maisonette 

Even though these spaces are much smaller it doesn’t necessarily make it cheaper because there are still kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms that need rewiring. The level of work is the same to install the new wiring. The cost to rewire a masionette or flat is approximately £3,000 and £4,000 +VAT.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About House Rewires

Do I Need Planning Permission?

You would need planning permission if you don’t use a registered electrician. But approved contractors are approved to sign off to building control so in mose cases the answer to this question is no.

How Can I Save On the Cost Of Rewiring My Home?

 

While it’s a worthwhile investment in the long run, the cost of a rewiring can add up. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can help to keep costs down:

 

• Carefully planning out the additional sockets and fittings so that you don’t end up with more than you actually require.
• Letting your electrician know well ahead of time as to whether you want to change the position of switches, fittings and sockets (while a fixed fee is usually charged depending on the size of the property), your electrician will likely create additional charges if work requests are added at short notice).
• Choosing your own light fittings will help you stay within your budget.

Hiring an Electrician

 

To rewire your home safely you need a trained and registered electrician (the Competent Person Electrical Register is a good resource for this). Other factors you need to look for in an electrician include:

 

• Registration and certification with bodies such as or NICEIC. Qualified electricians are not just qualified, they need to hold current qualifications.
• Qualifications: key qualifications include a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Electrotechnical Technology and a Level 2 & 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations.
• Insurance, such as Public Liability Insurance to cover your home and yourself in the event of an accident or any damage to your property.
• Suitable experience: ideally a minimum of five years in undertaking electrical-required work (while it’s important to support upcoming businesses, in this case experience is paramount).
• Positive, unbiased reviews and recommendations from customers who have received similar work.
• Guarantees: companies offering guarantees can provide peace of mind, as this demonstrates confidence in their ability to carry out high quality work.

 

Ensure you hire a fully qualified electrician to rewire your house: as with the Gas Safe Register for boiler engineers, the Competent Person Electrical Register allows consumers to search for registered qualified electricians with proper insurance and warranties.

 

Contact Us About Your House Rewire

We hope that this article has been helpful to assist you in figuring out how much it costs to rewire a house. We are always happy to have a no obligation chat so why not fill out the form below or contact us on 01744 380 814 today.