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How much does it cost to rewire a house?

The average cost to rewire a house can range from £2,000 for a small flat to £5,000 for a medium-size detached house. For a large detached house with five or more bedrooms the average cost is around £9,000+.

The cost of rewiring a house comes down to many things, including the size of your property, your location and the condition of your electrics. Understanding the various cost factors will help you determine how much you will need to spend.

In this guide, we cover:

  1. The basic costs and the factors that influence it
  2. The additional costs that are usually involved
  3. What else may affect the final number

By the end of it, you will have a clear understanding of how much it costs to rewire a house and will be in a good position to plan a budget.

Cost of rewiring a house

The table below contains the approximate average costs to rewire different size properties. These are ball park figures – to get accurate quotes from electricians near you post a job.

Size of home Price Time to complete
One bedroom flat £1,500 – 3,000 5 days
Two bedroom flat £2,500 – 4,000 5 – 8 days
One bedroom house £2,500 – 4,000 5 – 7 days
Two bedroom house £3,000 – 5,000 5 – 8 days
Three bedroom house £3,000 – 7,000 6 – 10 days
Four bedroom house £4,500 – 8,000 7 – 14 days
Five bedroom house £9,000+ 14+ days

The average cost to rewire a house is made up of five key factors:

  1. The size of the house
  2. Location
  3. Whether it is occupied or vacant during the job
  4. The specification of the electrical fixtures and fittings
  5. The complexity of the job

The bigger the house, the more elaborate the job; and the longer the job takes, the more it will cost.

For example, the average cost to rewire a one bedroom flat is between £1,500 and £3,000 and takes around five days.

The average cost to rewire a three bedroom house is between £3,000 and £7,000 and takes between six and ten days.

And time doesn’t cost the same everywhere. The price of labour varies depending on where you live. Rewiring a house in London or the south-east will be more expensive than in the north.

Finally, you have materials. Electricians will normally quote you for white finish electrical fittings – the standard finish you see in most houses.

These five elements are what make up the standard house rewire cost from an electrical point of view – but there’s usually additional costs to take into account.

With this in mind, what are the other factors you need to consider?

Are there any additional costs?

On top of the factors mentioned above, there are other crucial costs of rewiring a house. Considering these will enable you to arrive at a far more realistic idea of how much it costs to rewire your home.

The specification of materials

The fixtures and fittings you choose can impact the cost of a job by a substantial amount. A stainless steel or brass finish will set you back more than standard PVC.

The tradesperson/company

Smaller firms with lower overheads charge less. Similarly, newly qualified electricians or start-ups sometimes offer lower prices to develop credibility and a reputation. On the other hand, in-demand tradespeople and well-known brands will charge more.

Furniture removal

Any furniture blocking access points will need to be moved – either to another area of the property, another location or into storage. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to consider the cost of hiring a removal company and storage.

Temporary relocation

Electricians prefer and work more efficiently in a vacant space. Plus, you’ll be without power. So consider staying somewhere else during the job. Of course this isn’t always feasible and it is possible to stay at home.

Kitchen and bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms require more time and effort. Firstly, they’re classed as ‘notifiable work areas’ which means they’re subject to certain conditions (e.g. the sockets must be a certain distance from the water).

Secondly, they often have appliances that require a personal power feed like a heated towel rail or shaver point.

Cosmetic work

The standard quote for rewiring doesn’t include the necessary decorative work caused by the job. You’ll therefore need to budget for the cost of any plastering or decorating to get your home back to normal.

You’re almost ready to start creating a budget. There are just a few more things to consider in the cost of rewiring a house.

Bespoke costs: house rewire

There’s more to rewiring than rules and regulations. For one, it enables you to design your new installation to meet your needs. Present and future, that is.

For example, you can install:

  • More power outlets and/or light fixtures (and change the location of the existing ones)
  • A security system
  • Outdoor lighting
  • An upsized circuit breaker and deeper back boxes to meet high usage and changes in technology

You don’t need to rewire your home to do any of these things. But if you are considering it, they are examples of how you can make the most of the job.

That’s it – you know how much it costs to rewire a house!

We recommend that you read our guide on house rewiring next, which covers the process in more detail. It explains what to expect and how to prepare.

To get quotes from electricians near you – post a job now.

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