A full house rewire is one of the more disruptive and expensive renovation tasks, but for homes with old or deteriorating wiring it is not optional — it is a safety requirement. Costs are frequently misunderstood because the electrical work itself is only part of the total spend; making good plasterwork, ceilings, and decoration after the cable runs are installed adds a significant sum that is routinely omitted from quotes.
What Does a House Rewire Involve?
A full rewire replaces all the fixed electrical wiring in a property: the consumer unit (fuse box), all circuits, cables, sockets, switches, light fittings, and connection points. The process typically involves:
- Isolating and removing old wiring
- Chasing channels (grooves) into plaster or notching timber joists to run new cables
- Installing a new consumer unit with RCDs (residual current devices) and MCBs (miniature circuit breakers) to current BS 7671:2018 standards
- Running new circuits: ring main (sockets), radial circuits (kitchen appliances, electric shower, cooker), lighting circuits, outdoor circuits
- First fix: cables in place but not yet connected to sockets/switches
- Plasterer makes good chases and any other damaged surfaces
- Second fix: sockets, switches, light fittings installed and connected
- Testing and certification (Electrical Installation Certificate issued under Part P)
A full rewire requires a minimum of two visits by a qualified electrician — often more for larger properties — and a plastering visit between the first and second fix.
Signs You Need a Rewire
Not every property needs a full rewire. Some indicators that yours might:
Age of wiring:
- Rubber-insulated wiring (pre-1960s): Rubber degrades over time and becomes brittle and cracked. This is a fire risk. Full rewire required.
- Aluminium wiring (1960s–1970s): Used briefly as a copper alternative; aluminium expands and contracts differently, causing loose connections. Replace on safety grounds.
- Single earth cables / no earth (pre-1966): Un-earthed wiring is unsafe and cannot support modern RCDs. Full rewire needed.
- Round-pin sockets, Bakelite switches: Visual indicators of pre-1947 wiring — require full rewire.
- PVC wiring with no RCD protection (common 1970s–1990s): Wiring may be serviceable but consumer unit should be upgraded; a full rewire may not be necessary.
Physical condition:
- Scorch marks around sockets or switches
- Sockets or switches that are warm to the touch
- Frequently tripping circuits or blown fuses
- Visible bare wire, cracked insulation, or taped-up junctions
- Extensions and adapters used extensively throughout (insufficient circuits for modern demand)
Survey findings:
- An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) rated C1 (danger) or C2 (potentially dangerous) on multiple items usually indicates a rewire is more economical than piecemeal repairs
House Rewire Cost by Number of Bedrooms (UK 2026)
These are total costs for the electrical work only (supply + labour), excluding plastering, decoration, and any additional specialist work.
| Property size | Rewire cost (electrical only) | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat or studio | £2,500–£4,500 | 3–5 days |
| 2-bed house | £3,500–£6,000 | 4–6 days |
| 3-bed house | £5,000–£8,500 | 5–8 days |
| 4-bed house | £7,000–£11,000 | 7–10 days |
| 5-bed house | £9,000–£14,000 | 8–12 days |
| 5-bed house, large or with outbuildings | £12,000–£18,000+ | 10–15 days |
Regional variation is significant. London and South East rates are typically 25–40% above these figures. Scotland, Wales, and Northern England are broadly in line with or slightly below the mid-range above.
Factors that increase cost:
- Solid brick walls (versus timber-frame or stud-work) — harder and slower to chase
- Lath and plaster ceilings — fragile; requires more care and more making good
- High-spec finish requirements (flush metal sockets, bespoke plates, smart-home systems)
- Additional circuits: EV charger (£400–£800 extra), solar PV connection, underfloor heating
- Outbuildings, garages, or external circuits
- Large or complex consumer unit (more circuits = more materials and time)
Total Cost Including Making Good
Making good after a rewire is often budgeted as an afterthought but it represents a substantial portion of total expenditure. Electricians chase plaster, drill through ceilings and walls, lift floorboards, and cut through skirting boards. Restoring all of this to a decorated finish is not included in an electrical quote unless explicitly stated.
| Making good scope | Typical additional cost |
|---|---|
| Patching chases (no full replastering) | £600–£1,500 |
| Full replastering of 2-3 rooms (where chasing is extensive) | £2,000–£4,500 |
| Full interior decoration after replastering | £2,500–£6,000 |
| Combined rewire + make good + decorate (3-bed house) | £10,000–£18,000 total |
An occupied property is extremely disruptive to rewire. Most electricians will advise having the work done when the property is vacant or during a broader renovation programme where making good and decoration are already planned. Attempting to rewire around occupants while minimising damage is possible but adds time and therefore cost.
The Process in More Detail
Consumer Unit Replacement
Even if a full rewire is not needed, an old consumer unit (fuse box) with rewirable fuses or an older MCB board without RCD protection should be upgraded. A consumer unit replacement typically costs:
- Standard dual-RCD consumer unit replacement: £400–£700 supply + labour
- RCBO consumer unit (individual protection per circuit): £600–£1,000
- Including certification
A consumer unit replacement triggers Part P notification and must be carried out by a registered electrician or notified to Building Control.
First Fix
After the consumer unit is removed and old wiring stripped out, new cables are run. Standard modern cable is twin-and-earth flat PVC (e.g. 2.5 mm² for ring mains, 1.5 mm² for lighting, 4 mm² for electric shower circuits, 6 mm² or 10 mm² for cooker circuits). Cables run in chases in plaster walls, in conduit, or clipped to joists.
Testing and Certification
On completion, the installation is tested against BS 7671:2018 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations). The electrician issues an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or, in the case of Part P self-certification, notifies the scheme which registers the certificate with the local authority. You should always receive a signed EIC — this is essential documentation for property sales and insurance.
Building Regulations: Part P
All fixed electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. There are two compliance routes:
-
Registered competent person: An electrician registered with NICEIC, ELECSA, NAPIT, or a similar scheme can self-certify their work. This is the standard route for domestic rewires. The homeowner receives an EIC and the work is registered automatically.
-
Building Control notification: If an unregistered person carries out notifiable work (rare for a full rewire), they must notify the local authority Building Control before starting. BC will inspect and issue a completion certificate. This route costs extra (Building Control fee: typically £200–£500) and is slower.
What is notifiable: A full rewire is always notifiable. Consumer unit replacement is notifiable. Adding a new circuit is notifiable. Minor work (replacing a socket, adding a spur off an existing circuit) is generally not notifiable.
Part P and property sales: Mortgage lenders and solicitors routinely require evidence of Part P compliance for electrical work done since 2005. Missing certificates can delay or complicate a sale. If you buy a property where work was done without a certificate, you can obtain a retrospective EICR (typically £200–£400) which, if satisfactory, provides similar comfort.
Getting Quotes
When obtaining quotes for a rewire, ensure each quote specifies:
- Whether it includes consumer unit replacement (it should)
- The number of circuits, sockets, and light fittings being installed
- Whether the quote is for first and second fix (it should be)
- Whether making good is included or excluded (most exclude it)
- Whether the Electrical Installation Certificate and Part P notification are included
- The type of consumer unit and brand of accessories
Three quotes are advisable. The cheapest quote is not always the best value — an electrician who works quickly and tidily, minimising plaster damage, can save £1,000–£2,000 in making good even if their electrical quote is slightly higher.
Is a Rewire Worth It?
A full rewire adds demonstrable value to a property with old wiring, both in sale price and in insurance premiums. Insurers increasingly apply premium loading or exclusions to properties with documented old wiring; a rewire with a clean EIC resolves this.
For rental properties, there is a mandatory requirement for an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) at least every 5 years or on change of tenancy, and any C1 or C2 items must be remediated within 28 days. A landlord whose EICR returns multiple C2 findings is likely spending more on piecemeal remediation than a full rewire would cost.
The return on investment for a full rewire in a property that needs it — measured in safety, insurance, sale value, and regulatory compliance — consistently justifies the expenditure.
