Electric Shower Installation Costs UK — What to Charge to Fit or Replace One in 2026

The Three Job Types — and What to Charge

Almost every electric shower enquiry falls into one of three categories. Pricing accurately starts with working out which one you're actually being asked to do — because the gap between a like-for-like swap and a brand-new installation is the difference between a couple of hours and most of a day with two trades involved.

Like-for-Like Swap (Labour Only)

This is the simplest scenario: the customer already has a working electric shower, it's failed or they want a newer model, and the replacement is the same kW rating. The existing cable, isolator switch and water supply pipe are all in place and rated correctly, so you're disconnecting the old unit and wiring and plumbing in the new one in the same position.

A straight swap like this is typically a one-to-two-hour job for a competent installer. Because there's no new circuit and no making good, you can price it on labour alone — the customer supplies the unit.

• Like-for-like swap, same kW, existing cable and pipework: £120–£250 labour
• Typical time on site: 1–2 hours

The trap here is assuming "like-for-like" before you've seen the job. If the customer has bought a higher kW unit than the one being removed, it is no longer a swap — see the kW and cable section below. Always confirm the rating of both the old and new units before you commit to a price.

Supply-and-Fit (Mid-Range Unit Included)

Many customers would rather you supply the shower as well as fit it — they trust you to pick a reliable unit and they get a single point of accountability if anything goes wrong. For a straightforward replacement where the existing cable and pipework are sound, supply-and-fit with a mid-range unit is the most common package you'll quote.

• Supply-and-fit, mid-range unit, existing supplies: £250–£450
• The shower unit itself: £60–£250 (budget 8.5kW to premium 10.5kW thermostatic)

Build your margin into the unit as well as the labour. A budget 8.5kW shower trade-buys cheaply and is fine for a small bathroom on good incoming pressure; a 10.5kW thermostatic model gives a noticeably stronger, more stable flow and is the right recommendation for most family bathrooms. Quote the unit and the labour as separate lines so the customer can see what they're paying for and choose their spec.

Brand-New Installation (New Circuit and Water Supply)

This is a different job entirely. There's no existing electric shower, so you're installing one from scratch — and that means a new dedicated electrical circuit run from the consumer unit and a new water supply pipe teed off the rising main or tank feed. This is where most underquoting happens, because the customer often describes it as "just fitting a shower."

On the electrical side you need a new dedicated circuit in the correct cable size for the unit's kW rating, a pull-cord isolator or fused isolator switch, and RCD or RCBO protection at the consumer unit. On the plumbing side you need a new water supply run and tee, plus an isolation valve. Add cable chasing into the walls and making good afterwards, and you're typically looking at most of a day with both an electrician and the plumbing covered.

• Brand-new install, new circuit + new water supply: £400–£700+
• Add the unit on top: £60–£250

The "+" matters. If the consumer unit is full, the run from the board to the bathroom is long, or the walls are solid masonry that needs proper chasing and replastering, this job can run well beyond £700 before the unit is even counted. Survey it before you quote.

What Affects the Price

Two electric shower jobs that sound identical on the phone can be hours apart in reality. These are the factors that move the number — check each one before you give a price.

Like-for-Like vs New Circuit

This is the single biggest variable. Reusing an existing, correctly rated cable and supply pipe keeps you in labour-only territory. Running a brand-new circuit from the consumer unit — with all the cable, protection and making good that involves — multiplies both your time and your material cost. Establish which one applies before anything else.

kW Rating and Cable Size

The kW rating of the shower dictates the current it draws and therefore the cable size it needs. A common pitfall is a customer upgrading from, say, an 8.5kW to a 10.5kW unit on cable that was only sized for the lower rating. A higher kW unit may need a thicker cable — often 10mm² — and reusing undersized cable is both non-compliant and a fire risk. Always size the cable for the new unit, not the old one.

Consumer Unit Capacity

A new circuit needs a spare way in the consumer unit and adequate headroom on the main fuse. If the board is full, you're into adding a way, fitting an RCBO, or in some cases a board upgrade — all of which add cost. On higher kW units, check the main incoming fuse can carry the additional load before you commit. Flag any of this at survey, not on the day.

Water Supply Run

A brand-new install needs a water supply teed off the mains or tank feed and run to the shower position, with an isolation valve fitted. A long or awkward pipe run — through joists, under floors, or up from a downstairs main — adds plumbing time. On a like-for-like swap the supply already exists, so this drops out entirely.

Access, Chasing and Making Good

Running new cable and pipe usually means chasing channels into the wall, then plastering and making good afterwards. Solid masonry takes longer to chase than stud walls and creates more mess to repair. Tiled walls complicate matters further — be clear in your quote whether making good includes re-tiling or just plaster, because customers often assume the former.

Part P Notification

Electrical work in a bathroom is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. The installation must either be carried out by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, etc.) who can self-certify, or notified to Building Control before work starts — which carries a council fee. Factor your certification or notification cost into every quote, and make sure the customer understands they should receive a compliance certificate.

Supply-and-Fit vs Labour-Only

Decide upfront which model you're quoting, because it changes both the headline number and where your margin sits.

• Labour-only: the customer buys the unit, you fit it. Lower headline price, less hassle sourcing, but no margin on the product and no control over the quality of what you're asked to install. Useful when the customer is price-driven or has already bought a specific model.
• Supply-and-fit: you provide the unit and the labour as a single package. Higher total, but you earn a margin on the product, control the spec and quality, and own the warranty conversation. This is the better default for most jobs.

If you go labour-only, protect yourself: note in writing that your price assumes a unit of the same kW rating as the existing supply, and that a higher-rated unit may require additional cabling at extra cost. That one line saves a lot of awkward on-the-day conversations.

Day Rate vs Fixed-Price Quoting

Electric shower work sits awkwardly between a quick fixed-price job and an open-ended day-rate one. A clean like-for-like swap is best fixed-priced — you know it's an hour or two, so quote a number and bank the efficiency. A brand-new install with chasing, a new circuit and making good is better suited to a day rate, or a fixed price built off your day rate plus materials.

Typical electrician day rates in 2026 sit around £200–£300/day depending on region and the London premium. For a full new install that runs most of a day, that day rate plus the cable, protective device, isolator, pipe and fittings is the floor your fixed quote should sit on. If you quote a flat fee without anchoring it to your day rate, you'll eventually meet the job that eats the day and pays for half of it.

Quoting Tips — What to Check Before You Price

Electric shower quotes go wrong when the installer prices off a phone description rather than a look at the job. Before you commit a number, confirm:

• Existing vs new: is there already a working electric shower and supply, or are you installing from scratch? This decides which of the three job types you're quoting.
• kW rating of old and new units: a higher-rated replacement may need a thicker cable and consumer-unit headroom. Never assume like-for-like.
• Cable condition and size: check the existing cable is the right size for the new unit and in serviceable condition before reusing it.
• Consumer unit: spare way available? RCD/RCBO protection in place? Main fuse capacity adequate for a higher load?
• Water supply: is there an existing feed and isolation valve, or does a new run and tee need to be installed?
• Wall type and making good: solid masonry, stud or tiled — and does the customer expect re-tiling or just plaster?
• Part P: confirm your scheme registration or budget for a Building Control notification fee, and make the compliance certificate part of the deal.

A two-minute survey and a quote that itemises labour, unit and any new circuit or supply work separately will win you more jobs than a single guessed number — and it protects your margin when the "simple swap" turns out to be anything but.

Quick Reference: Electric Shower Installation Prices UK 2026

Prices exclude the unit unless stated, and assume standard domestic access. A higher kW upgrade requiring thicker cable, a consumer unit with no spare way, or a long water supply run will push a job toward — or past — the top of these ranges.