How Much Does Rewiring a House Cost in the UK?

Trades Updated June 2026 10 min read

A full house rewire is one of those jobs most homeowners hope they never need, but if your property is more than 25 to 30 years old, has a fuse box rather than a consumer unit, or shows signs of scorching, flickering lights or tripping circuits, it may be unavoidable. Getting the wiring right protects your home from fire risk and keeps you on the right side of building regulations.

Costs vary considerably depending on the size of your home, how easy it is for electricians to access the existing cables, and whether you are living in the property during the work. This guide pulls together realistic 2026 figures from across the UK so you can budget with confidence before inviting anyone to quote.

Quick Answer

A full rewire of a two-bedroom house in the UK typically costs £3,500 to £5,500. A three-bedroom semi costs £5,000 to £8,000, and a four or five-bedroom detached property can reach £9,000 to £12,000 or more. These figures include labour, materials, a new consumer unit, and the Part P building regulations certificate. London and the South East tend to run 20 to 30 percent higher than the UK average.

Full House Rewire Costs by Property Size

The single biggest factor in the price of a rewire is how many rooms and circuits need to be installed. Below are typical all-in costs for a full rewire including labour, materials, consumer unit replacement, and the Building Regulations notification (Part P certificate). These are 2026 UK averages; London rates will be higher.

Property Size	Typical Cost Range	Duration
1-bedroom flat	£2,500 to £4,000	2 to 3 days
2-bedroom house	£3,500 to £5,500	3 to 4 days
3-bedroom semi-detached	£5,000 to £8,000	4 to 6 days
4-bedroom detached	£7,500 to £10,500	6 to 8 days
5-bedroom detached	£9,000 to £12,500	7 to 10 days

These are starting points, not firm quotes. An older Victorian terrace with thick plaster and awkward roof spaces will cost more to rewire than a 1980s new-build with easy loft access. Always get at least three written quotes from Part P registered electricians.

What Is Included in a Full Rewire?

A full rewire means stripping out all the existing wiring back to the consumer unit and replacing it with modern twin-and-earth cable to current IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) standards. A competent rewire job covers all of the following.

Consumer unit replacement: Your old fuse box is swapped for a modern dual RCD or RCBO consumer unit, typically costing £300 to £600 for the unit plus installation as part of the job.
New ring main circuits: Separate circuits for upstairs and downstairs sockets, meeting the requirement for a 32-amp ring on each floor.
Lighting circuits: New lighting cable runs throughout, usually one circuit per floor in a standard house.
Dedicated circuits: Separate spurs or circuits for the cooker, electric shower, dishwasher, washing machine, and any EV charger if requested.
Smoke and heat alarms: Interlinked mains-powered alarms are required under building regulations for new work, adding £150 to £400 depending on the number of detectors.
Part P notification: The electrician notifies the local authority or a competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, etc.) and issues a completion certificate. This is included in most quotes but worth confirming.
Making good: Chasing channels and lifting floorboards leave mess. Some electricians make good the plaster; many do not. Clarify this before signing anything.

Partial Rewire and Individual Job Costs

Not every home needs a complete rewire. Sometimes a partial rewire, replacing wiring in one or two rooms or adding new circuits, is all that is required. Here are typical 2026 costs for individual elements.

Individual Job	Typical Cost Range
Consumer unit replacement only	£400 to £800
Rewire one room	£400 to £900
New double socket (surface mounted)	£80 to £150
New double socket (chased in)	£120 to £250
New lighting circuit (one floor)	£350 to £700
Electric shower circuit and fitting	£250 to £500
Cooker circuit installation	£200 to £450
EV charger circuit and installation	£500 to £1,200
EICR electrical inspection report	£150 to £300

If an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) finds only a handful of C2 or C3 observations, a targeted partial rewire can bring the installation up to standard at far less cost than a full job. Ask your electrician to explain which faults are urgent and which can wait.

Key Factors That Push the Price Up or Down

Two properties of the same size can produce very different rewire quotes. Here is what drives the variation.

Property age and construction: Pre-1970s homes often have rubber-insulated wiring (TRS or lead-sheathed cable) which can crumble when touched. The extra care required adds both time and cost. Solid-wall construction makes chasing harder than a timber-framed or cavity-wall property.
Occupied versus vacant: Rewiring while you live in the property is messier and takes longer. Electricians typically work room by room, which adds 15 to 25 percent to the overall duration and sometimes the cost.
Access to voids: Easy loft access and suspended timber floors make running cable far quicker. Concrete floors or heavily insulated lofts mean surface trunking or longer cable runs.
Number of circuits and sockets: A client who wants USB sockets, extra downlights, and a home office ring main will pay more than someone wanting a basic functional installation.
Location: London rates are typically 25 to 35 percent above the national average. The South East and Home Counties run 15 to 20 percent above average. Scotland, Wales and the North tend to be at or below the national average.
Making good included or excluded: Some firms price all plastering and redecoration into the quote. Others leave bare channels and lifted skirting boards. Know which you are getting.

How Long Does a House Rewire Take?

Duration depends on the size of the team as much as the size of the property. Most domestic rewires use a team of two electricians, one qualified and one apprentice or labourer. A small flat can be completed in two to three days. A three-bedroom semi typically takes four to six days. A large five-bedroom house may run to eight to ten working days.

If you are living in the property, add one to two extra days as the team has to work around furniture, pets and your daily routine. Factor in a further one to two weeks for any replastering to dry before you can redecorate.

Signs Your House Needs Rewiring

You may not always know your wiring is failing until something goes wrong. The following signs suggest it is time to get an EICR done and possibly budget for a full or partial rewire.

Old-style fuse box: If your consumer unit has rewirable fuses or early MCBs with no RCD protection, it is almost certainly overdue for replacement.
Round-pin sockets or fabric-covered cable: These date from the 1960s or earlier and indicate wiring well past its safe service life.
Persistent tripping: Breakers or fuses that trip regularly without an obvious cause often indicate insulation that has degraded over time.
Scorch marks or burning smell: Discolouration around sockets or light switches is a serious warning sign requiring immediate investigation.
Flickering lights: Can indicate loose connections caused by wiring that has expanded and contracted over decades, degrading the insulation at connection points.
Failed EICR: If an inspection report returns C1 (danger present) or multiple C2 (potentially dangerous) codes, rewiring is likely the most cost-effective remedy.

How to Keep Rewiring Costs Down

A rewire is not really a job to cut corners on, but there are sensible ways to manage costs without compromising safety.

Get three written quotes: Prices can vary by 30 to 40 percent between electricians for the same job. All quotes should be like for like, covering the same number of circuits, sockets, and whether making good is included.
Move out if you can: Vacating the property for the duration cuts labour time and reduces disruption costs significantly.
Do your own making good: If you are comfortable plastering or can hire a plasterer separately, exclude decoration from the electrical quote. This often saves £500 to £1,500 on a full house.
Combine with other work: If you are also having a loft conversion, extension or kitchen renovation, rewiring during that project avoids double disruption and can reduce cable-running costs.
Plan your circuits carefully first: Decide on the number and location of sockets, switches and downlights before work starts. Changes mid-job cost significantly more than getting it right at the design stage.
Check for grants: The Great British Insulation Scheme and local authority flex funds occasionally cover electrical upgrades for older or low-income households. Worth checking before you commit to full cost yourself.

Choosing the Right Electrician

Any electrician carrying out a full rewire must be registered under a government-approved Part P competent person scheme. The main schemes in the UK are NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA and SELECT (Scotland). Membership means the electrician can self-certify work to building regulations without you needing a separate local authority inspection.

Check registration directly on the relevant scheme website before committing. Also verify they carry public liability insurance of at least £2 million, and ask to see an example completion certificate and EICR from a previous job. Avoid anyone offering cash-only work with no paperwork: you will not be able to sell your home without a valid certificate, and your insurer may decline claims if substandard wiring causes a fire.

Bottom Line

A full house rewire in the UK costs between £3,500 and £12,500 depending on property size, age, construction type and location. A three-bedroom semi is the most common job and typically comes in at £5,000 to £8,000 all in. Always use a Part P registered electrician, get at least three written quotes that specify whether making good is included, and factor in replastering and redecoration costs on top of the electrical work itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to rewire a three-bedroom house in the UK?

A full rewire of a three-bedroom semi-detached house typically costs £5,000 to £8,000 in 2026, including a new consumer unit, all circuits, sockets, and the Part P certificate. In London add 20 to 30 percent.

Do I need to move out while my house is being rewired?

You do not have to move out, but it is disruptive. Electricians lift floorboards, chase walls, and work through most rooms. Vacating the property can reduce the job duration by one to two days and may lower the overall cost by 10 to 20 percent.

How long does a full house rewire take?

With a team of two, a two-bedroom house takes three to four days, a three-bedroom property four to six days, and a four or five-bedroom detached house six to ten days. Living in the property during the work adds one to two days.

Does rewiring include making good the plaster?

Not always. Some electricians include replastering chased channels in their quote; many do not. Always confirm this in writing before work starts. Plastering after a full rewire typically adds £600 to £2,000 depending on property size and the extent of the damage.

Is rewiring a house worth it?

Yes, for safety and practicality. Outdated wiring is a leading cause of house fires. Modern wiring also adds value at sale, satisfies mortgage lenders and insurers, and means you can safely run modern appliances, EV chargers and smart home systems.

Can I rewire my own house to save money?

In England and Wales, a full rewire is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. You can carry out the work yourself, but you would then need to hire a Part P registered electrician to inspect and certify it, which typically costs £200 to £500 and often negates the saving. In practice, DIY rewiring is rarely worthwhile and carries serious safety risks.

How do I know if my house needs rewiring?

Key signs include a rewirable fuse box rather than a modern consumer unit, round-pin sockets, fabric-covered wiring, persistent tripping, scorch marks around sockets, or a failed EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report). An EICR costs £150 to £300 and gives a definitive answer.

Does a house rewire add value?

It does not usually add value directly, but it removes a significant barrier to sale. Mortgage lenders and surveyors frequently flag outdated electrics, and buyers can use the need for a rewire to negotiate thousands off the asking price. Completing the work first puts you in a much stronger selling position.