How much does it cost to rewire a house?
Enter the property size and we'll estimate a full rewire — sockets, lighting points, cable, a new consumer unit and labour — and show how the figure is built up. Then fold it into a full schedule of works.
Tip: a typical 3-bed semi is ~85–100 m². Don't know it? Beds is a reasonable guide.
| Double sockets | 13 × outlet | £52 |
| Lighting points / fittings | 10 × point | £90 |
| Cable (2.5mm² + 1.5mm²) | 1 allowance | £162 |
| Consumer unit | 1 × board | £135 |
| Back boxes, accessories & fixings | 1 allowance | £350 |
- 1Property: 3-bed, ~90 m²
- 2Socket outlets: ~90 m² ÷ 7 = 13 double sockets
- 3Lighting points: ~90 m² ÷ 9 = 10 points
- 42.5mm² cable: ~81 m for the ring final circuits (+10% waste)
- 51.5mm² cable: ~50 m for lighting circuits (+10% waste)
- 6Consumer unit: 1 × 18th-edition board with RCBOs + SPD
- 7Labour: ~90 m² ÷ 6 m²/day = 15 days incl. first/second fix, testing & certification
- Indicative full rewire for a standard domestic property, incl. EICR/certification.
- Excludes making-good (chasing, plastering & decoration after) — estimate that separately.
What drives the cost of a rewire
- 1Number of points
Sockets and lighting points scale with floor area — roughly a double socket per 7 m² and a light point per 9 m². More points means more cable, accessories and labour.
- 2Cable
Allow about 0.9 m of 2.5mm² cable per m² of floor for the ring circuits and 0.55 m of 1.5mm² for lighting, plus 10% waste.
- 3Consumer unit & certification
A new 18th-edition board with RCBOs and an SPD, plus testing and the electrical certificate (EICR/EIC), are part of every compliant rewire.
- 4Labour & making-good
Labour is the biggest cost — roughly two to three weeks for one electrician on a typical house. Remember it leaves chasing and lifted floors to plaster and decorate afterwards.
Rewiring is one of the most common things buyers under-budget, partly because the cost is almost all labour and partly because they forget the making-good afterwards. Seeing the job broken into points, cable and days makes the quote you receive much easier to judge — and reminds you to budget for the plastering and decorating that follows.
Typical full rewire cost by size (indicative)
| Property | Approx. floor area | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | ~45 m² | £2,500 – £3,500 |
| 2-bed terrace | ~70 m² | £3,200 – £4,500 |
| 3-bed semi | ~90 m² | £4,000 – £5,500 |
| 4-bed detached | ~130 m² | £5,500 – £8,000+ |
Excludes making-good (plastering/decoration after). Indicative — confirm with quotes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rewire a 3-bed house?+
A full rewire of a typical 3-bed semi (~90 m²) usually costs around £4,000–£5,500 including a new consumer unit, testing and certification, but excluding the plastering and decorating to make good afterwards. The calculator gives a figure for your exact size.
How long does a rewire take?+
Roughly 5–10 working days for a typical house with one electrician — first fix (cables and back boxes), then second fix (accessories and the board), then testing and certification. Larger or occupied homes take longer.
Does a rewire include plastering?+
Usually not. Rewiring involves chasing cables into walls and lifting floors, which leaves making-good — re-plastering and redecorating — as a separate cost. Budget for it; the calculator flags this.
Do I need to rewire when I buy a property?+
Not always — get an EICR (electrical condition report) first. A full rewire is needed where the installation is unsafe, very old (rubber/fabric cabling), or being substantially altered, such as in a heavy refurb or HMO conversion.
Related tools & guides
Want to know how these figures are calculated? See our cost methodology.
Cost figures shown are indicative estimates, not quotations. You are responsible for verifying all costs (obtain contractor quotes) and any figures submitted to a lender. ScopeWise is a documentation tool, not financial, tax, structural or planning advice. HMO compliance prompts are guidance only — confirm requirements with your local council, as standards and licensing vary by authority.