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
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.