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Looking to hire an electrician to rewire your property? Read our handy guide to find out how much your electrician will charge for rewiring your home.
The average cost of rewiring is around £5,000 for an average-sized home in the UK. This price can vary considerably based on the size of your house, the condition of the wires to begin with, your location, and more.
If your property is over 30 years old and still has its original wiring, it probably needs some work to meet modern standards. This is because wiring can become damaged or deteriorated over time. Modern standards have evolved to ensure safety, so most older properties won’t meet these new standards.
Even newer houses may need rewiring if the existing wiring is damaged or has been tampered with by a DIY-enthusiast. For this reason, it’s recommended that your wiring is inspected every 10 years by a registered electrician, to make sure everything is in order.
Your home may also require rewiring if you’re planning a renovation project, such as an extension or garage conversion. This is because your existing wiring will need to be able to safely carry the extra load.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on rewiring costs in the UK, based on our data and research. You can also get in touch with an electrician near you for a personalised price quotation.
| Size of House | Average Rewiring Cost |
| 2 bedroom | £2,000 |
| 3 bedroom | £4,000 |
| 4 bedroom | £6,000 |
| 5 bedroom | £8,000 |
| 6 bedroom | £12,000 |
You want to keep yourself, and your loved ones, safe at all times. Identifying whether rewiring is needed is an essential part of this. There are a few common signs that rewiring might be in order. These include:
Power cuts
Flickering lights
Damaged power sockets
Tripping breakers
Electric shocks
Worn cables
A small fire or smoke from a wire
Your safety should always be the top priority. If you suspect that your wiring might need attention, bring in an independent expert who can inspect your house. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and if you don’t have the funds, you could investigate the grants that exist to potentially support you with this project. More on this further below.
Your recommended budget for rewiring will depend on several factors. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ price. You’ll need to consider your:
House size
Job type – full or partial rewire?
Location
Professional used for the job
It’s worth gathering several independent price quotations before you decide. Here’s a summary of how each element can impact your costs.
Your house size is undoubtedly the most important consideration. The size of the rewiring job is almost always correlated to how large your house is. Rewiring for a two-bedroom house averages £9,950 less expensive than a six-bedroom property.
It goes without saying that a partial rewire is less expensive than a full rewire. A full rewire can sometimes be avoided if the existing cabling is in good condition and able to carry any additional loads necessary.
You might opt for a partial rewiring if you’re preparing for renovation work. Common examples include an extension or garage conversion. This can often be done by upgrading the fuse box to a modern consumer unit.
The average price of upgrading your fuse box to a modern consumer unit varies from around £400 to £600.
Your average cost tends to be impacted by the area you live in. If your location has a higher cost of living (such as London), this translates into higher prices for electrician services.
The cost of raw materials for your electrician varies in different parts of the country, too. Statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that prices are less expensive in Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and Humberside, and rural parts of Wales.
If you live in a very remote area, this could see your price increase further because the electrician needs to travel out to you.
Every electrician prices services in different ways. Some have a set-in-stone pricing structure based on your property size. Others create personalised quotations once they look at the complexity of your situation. And you’ll find some electricians who charge an hourly rate, and the price depends only on the number of hours involved.
You should gather several quotations before making a decision. The time it takes for the rewiring job to be completed might be a big influence, along with the cost. Some companies also allow you to pay in monthly instalments (often with interest on top), but most expect up-front payment.
It’s crucial that you look at past rewiring jobs the professional has done. Ask to speak to some of their satisfied clients, too.
You might be eligible for grant money if you’re updating wiring from before the 1960s. This sometimes falls under the ‘Energy Company Obligation’ scheme. It’s worth speaking to a financial adviser who can assess whether your home is applicable for this grant, or another one available in the UK.
You should also ask your electrician about how you can limit the number of walls that must be opened during the rewiring process. There’s no doubt that this increases your costs significantly. Careful planning can keep your price down.
Aspects of the project could also potentially be done by you. Although you shouldn’t attempt electrical work without experience and expertise, small tasks might be within your capability. This includes:
Taking up carpets
Clearing furniture
Laying down your own dust sheets
Cleaning up afterwards
Your electrician might compromise on price if you handle these things yourself.
Pay attention to the materials used throughout the rewiring process. Is there a way to use more cost-effective supplies? Discuss this with your electrician and get their feedback. It’s in their interest to support you, because they want to keep you as a customer!
You might have a friend or family member who works as an electrician. See if they’ll give you a discounted rate to help out with your house. If not, make sure you gather several independent price quotations before hiring one professional. This ensures that you have a full view of potential rewiring costs.
There are advantages and drawbacks to getting your house rewired.
One of the main benefits is that it’ll increase the value of your house. Potential buyers want to live somewhere that’s completely safe and updated. You should get a certificate or report from your electrician about the work that’s been done. Banks might even refuse to lend on a property with outdated wiring.
It’s also possible that you’ll save money on your bills in the long term. Faulty wiring can ‘leak’ electricity, and thus cause you to pay for more power than you’re using. Getting this sorted ensures that you get value for money. This is especially important if you plan to live in your house for many years.
Most importantly, you’ll be safe from electrical shocks and fires when you get rewiring done. You might feel especially nervous about this if you have young children in the house, with loose wires in touching distance.
On the downside, you’ll need to financially prepare for a rewiring project. The average installation price of £5,000 can go even higher in many cases. Plenty of families don’t have this sort of money lying around, so careful budgeting is a must.
You may encounter disruption to your daily life, throughout the period that rewiring takes place. The previous system will need to be disconnected, and your family may need to find another place to stay. There’s also going to be installers in your house for at least a few days, and maybe more.
Rewiring a house can be dangerous, so it's important to have a qualified professional do the work. It’s best to leave it to a professional with the necessary expertise, experience and tools. Some people consider this a downside, because it’s difficult to ‘Do It Yourself’.
| Pros | Cons |
| Increase house value | Pricey |
| Safety | Disruption to your life |
| Decrease electricity bills | Difficult to DIY |
There’s no doubt that rewiring adds value to your house. With a clear report from your electrician, it proves to potential buyers that they’ll be safe in the property. But does it provide a return on investment, compared to the initial rewiring cost?
Expert opinion on this is unclear. Just keep in mind that you might be totally unable to sell your house altogether without this work being done. This could be because it’s fundamentally unsafe, or banks won’t lend money on it.
The new buyer will also find it extremely difficult to rent out your house (if that’s their plan) if it doesn’t meet the electrical safety standards that a landlord must adhere to. Rewiring your house is thus a crucial part of getting a great price for it, and a corner you can’t afford to cut.
To answer this question, you’ll often need the opinion of an independent expert. If you have a trusted friend or family member who’s an electrician, this could be ideal. Make sure that your current wiring is thoroughly inspected. You may want to gather information about your property’s history, too.
Rewiring is very important if your house has already become unsafe. You might consider this especially urgent if you have young children in the house, who don’t always follow your advice to prevent incidents.
On the other hand, some families use almost no electricity during the summer months, if they have plenty of natural lighting. If the situation is not too bad, you might prefer to use this time to save up and get the job done once autumn arrives.
Safety should always come first. Trust your instinct and find a creative way to finance the rewiring process, if possible. You could also move out of the house for the period that work takes place, so you still have electricity in the interim.
Rewiring a house typically involves upgrading the fuse box and replacing the wiring. You can also choose to have more sockets added to your home for your appliances, phone chargers, televisions and computers.
Rewiring your home can be a major job and a large expense. However, due to the safety hazards of faulty wiring, it may be essential. Old or faulty wiring can cause fuses to blow, frequent power cuts or even electric shocks and house fires. It’s thus important to book an inspection with an electrician if you suspect that your home may need rewiring.
Rewiring can take anywhere from 3 to 20 days - it depends on the size of the job.
One-bedroom properties that only need minor fixes can often be done with minimal disruption. But if you’re rewiring the entirety of a five-bedroom house, it’s likely to take a few weeks. For this reason, some people arrange to live elsewhere while work occurs. It could be extremely difficult to live a few weeks without electricity.
Speak to an electrician for a time frame customised to your project.
Damaged or deteriorated wiring can be dangerous. As well as causing power cuts and fuses to trip, poor wiring can also lead to electric shocks and house fires if not dealt with.
Figures suggest that 70 people are killed and 350,000 people injured every year by faulty electrical equipment and sockets. You don’t want to take any chances, especially if you have young children who won’t always follow your instructions about (for example) avoiding wires sticking out from the wall.
You should research electricians near you and see which ones provide the best price and service. Check reviews from past customers and see if they have completed jobs similar to the one you need. It’s also best to compare several different experts, before jumping into a decision.
The average rating for Bark Electricians is 4.87, based on 143,464 reviews
5/5
based on 143,464 reviews
