How Much to Rewire a House?
Let’s take a look at the expenses…
Rewiring a House | The cost of rewiring your home is dependent on the kind of house you own as well as its condition.
Older properties might need to be completely wired to enhance electrical safety and increase energy efficiency. But, this may not be needed when your house was constructed more recently.
But here’s the problem.
You’ll need an electrician with experience for this task.
They’ll take out the wiring that was in place and replace the entire wiring in your home. The process could cause damage to walls and the flooring.
This is required in order to allow them complete access to wire your home securely and safely.
So, let’s get to business.
What is the cost to replace the wiring in a house in 2023?
On average, a single-bedroom apartment could cost between £2000 to £2500 and wiring a house with two bedrooms could cost upwards of £3500.
Larger homes will typically cost greater than the above. A three-bedroom semi-detached home will cost from £3000 up to £4500 to wire, whereas the cost of wiring an attached four-bedroom home can be up to £5500.
Rewiring House Prices
| Job | Cost |
| 1 bedroom flat | £2000 to £2500 |
| 2 bedroom terrace | £2500 to £3500 |
| 3 bedroom semi-detached | £3000 to £4500 |
| 4 bedroom detached | £4500 to £5500 |
What are the Additional Costs of Rewiring a House?
Now:
There are a variety of other costs that you could have to include in your house wire rewiring cost.
These are covered in the sections below.
New Consumer Unit Cost
If you are experiencing problems with your consumer unit, you’ll need to get it replaced by a licensed electrician.
The cost of replacing an appliance used by consumers will depend on the number of circuits that you have.
Six circuit systems typically cost between £300 up to £400 for replacement, whereas the consumer model with twelve circuits typically costs between £500 up to £600 for installation and supply.
It is also dependent on the kind of consumer device you select.
Here’s a breakdown of the various kinds of consumer units and the costs for supplies you would expect to pay.
Split-load Consumer Unit Cost
A split-load consumer device is classified by the location in its miniature circuit breakers (MCBs). They are usually situated near the device that is used to measure residual current (RCD).
Consumer split-load units are priced between £60 or £130.
Fully-loaded Consumer Unit Cost
This kind of consumer unit comes with an entire set of MCBs and two current residual devices that can be used in up to 15 ways.
A fully-loaded consumer unit is priced about £60 or £120.
Garage Consumer Unit Cost
This kind of unit is smaller and typically located in sheds, garages or extensions that need an additional consumer unit in addition to the primary unit of consumption in your home.
Dual-Split Load Consumer Unit Cost
In the average garage consumer units are priced between £30 to £60.
This kind of consumer device has two circuits that are powered by two distinct remaining current generators. One could be used to provide power upstairs, and the second one is responsible for the electrical installation downstairs.
Dual-split consumer units are priced between £40 or £130.
Domestic Switch Fuse Cost
A household switch fuse is a smaller consumer appliance that usually is powered by one circuit. It also functions as a second main circuit switch when linked to sub-mains.
The cost of a standard switch fuse varies from £30 and up £80.
New Plug Socket Cost
Another task that is common when rewiring the house is replacing plug sockets that are out of date or damaged.
To make it easier to understand the price of socket replacement, here’s an outline of the costs for various plug sockets.
Switched Socket Cost
Switched sockets are among the most commonly used sockets for plugs, which typically have one or two sockets that are 3-way with a switch that allows power to each socket.
A switched socket is priced approximately £1 or £120.
USB Socket Cost
An USB socket contemporary plug socket that has standard plug sockets as well as USB outlets to charge cellphones and other small electronic gadgets.
The price for the USB socket is typically between £8 or £120.
Smart Socket Cost
It’s just like the plug socket that you would normally use, however, it is operated from your tablet, smartphone or even your computer.
The price for the smart plug socket ranges between PS20 up to PS190.
Wire Relocation Cost
If you are rewiring your home it is possible to get an electrical switch or socket relocated to accommodate the new wiring being installed.
An electrician who is a professional typically costs between £100 to £150 to move the light switch or plug socket.
New Light Switch Cost
If you’re getting your home wired up is the ideal time to have more lighting switches put in place and connected.
The most beneficery aspect?
The cost of an additional light switch is relatively low – ranging from £30 up to £60.
How Much Do Electricians Charge to Rewire a House?
Here’s the Details.
The cost of rewiring an entire house will rely heavily on the labour costs that are charged by an electrician who is certified.
How much will an electrician cost?
Electricians typically are charged the range of £125 up to £150 per day.
Therefore, the total cost for labour will be determined by the size of your house.
That means the price of wiring a single-bedroom apartment is around £500 to £600 and they’ll cost about £625 or £750 for a terraced two-bedroom home.
For rewiring a three-bedroom semi-detached home, an electrician can provide a price range of about £750 to £1050 and an attached home with four bedrooms could run £1350 plus.
However, you may have to pay greater than the amount listed above.
Here’s why:
- You might need to employ an electrician to wire your carpet in the event that the floor has been lifted to take out the wiring beneath. It will cost you around £100 for a day.
- If your walls were damaged by the removal and installation of wiring, you could require an expert plasterer, who is charged between £75 to £125 to repair the wall, and it can cost up to £150 for replastering walls.
- Additionally, you will need to pay a painter or decorator to wallpaper or paint your walls. This can cost between £150 or £200 each day.
How Long Does It Take to Rewire a House?
Now:
Wiring a home is a huge project that takes a considerable amount of time. The time will be determined by the kind and dimensions of the house and the state of the wiring.
When the wire is in poor condition the safety precautions must be implemented to ensure that the electrician is not damaging themselves while removing the wire.
But on average?
The typical timeframe for rewiring the wiring of a single-bedroom apartment is approximately four days, while an apartment with two bedrooms could take as long as 5 days in order to finish.
More spacious homes like three-bedroom semi-detached homes typically require 6 to seven days to wire and a four-bedroom detached can take anywhere from 7 to 9 days.
FAQs
Q: How disruptive is rewiring a house?
A: House rewiring is quite an extensive job which can take up to 10 days to complete – but this will depend on the size of your home.
In short, it can create quite a mess! It might involve lifting up floorboards or carpet, removing wallpaper, and ripping out light fixtures to remove old wiring.
While your house is being rewired, an electrician will also need to ensure that the electric mains are switched off to prevent any shock incidents. This means that you may not be able to access any electricity – so no lighting or internet!
Because of all this disruption, the majority of homeowners move out of their home while it is being rewired – as it allows the job to be finished quickly.
If this is not possible, you will need to ask your electrician if it is possible to set up a space in one room where you can keep everything you need and not be disrupted. As this means the electrician will not spend as much time in the property, the rewiring could take from a few days up to a few weeks longer than expected.
Q: How can you tell if a house needs rewiring?
A: There are various signs that your house may need rewiring.
Common signs include: if your circuit breakers trip regularly, you experience any shocks from light switches or plug outlets, flickering or dimming lights, or noticeably damaged wiring and cables.
Q: How often does a house need rewiring?
A: House wiring usually lasts around 20 years if there are no complications with circuit breakers, sockets, light switches, or any other electrical installations.
In some cases, you may not need new wiring for up to 40 years. However, cable insulation will eventually begin to wear down – which will start to affect all electrical devices in your home.
This will cause you to use more electricity, leading to higher energy bills – while also making your home unsafe.
Q: Can you rewire a house yourself?
A: It is possible to rewire your house yourself if you are on a budget. However, you must have all the electrical work checked by a qualified electrician who is listed under the competent persons scheme.
This will enable the work to be approved under Part P building regulations to be deemed safe and compliant.
If you have no previous experience working with wiring or electrical installations, then you should avoid doing the job yourself. It can be very dangerous and more expensive in the long run if you make a mistake.
Q: What does a house rewire involve?
A: There are two stages involved in house rewiring.
The first fix stage is where the old wiring is removed and replaced with new wiring that is safe and compliant.
The second fix stage involves connecting everything up to the mains and making it live.
Once everything is installed, a qualified electrician will then conduct checks on all electrical installations to ensure that they are safe.
Once everything is deemed compliant, they will issue an electrical safety certificate to the homeowner to confirm that the work is safe.
