How to Price an Electrical Rewire in the UK (2026 Guide)
A full house rewire is one of the largest jobs an electrician will take on — replacing all fixed wiring, the consumer unit, sockets, and switches throughout a property. Done right, it is also one of the most profitable. This guide covers when a property needs rewiring, how to price by property size, labour day calculations, consumer unit upgrades, Part P self-certification, deposit structure, profit margins, and how to generate professional rewire quotes fast.
What does a full rewire involve?
A full house rewire replaces all fixed wiring in the property — every circuit from the consumer unit outward, all cable runs hidden within walls, floors, and ceilings, all socket and switch back boxes, and the consumer unit itself. The consumer unit is typically upgraded to a modern dual-RCD or fully RCBO-protected board compliant with BS 7671:2018 (Amendment 2). First fix involves running all new cables before walls are made good; second fix involves fitting sockets, switches, light fittings, and commissioning each circuit. The job leaves the property with a brand-new installation and an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) confirming the work meets current regulations.
When does a property need rewiring?
The most common triggers for a full rewire are age (pre-1970s rubber-insulated or lead-sheathed wiring has a typical safe life of 25–30 years and is now well past that), an unsatisfactory EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) identifying C1 or C2 defects throughout the installation, or a property purchase where the buyer wants the peace of mind of a new installation before moving in. EICR findings that indicate widespread defects — insufficient earthing, lack of RCD protection, deteriorated insulation — across the board typically justify a rewire rather than remedial work on an old system. Properties converted from commercial use, or significantly extended without electrical work being updated, are also common candidates.
Pricing by property size
Rewire pricing in 2026 follows property size closely because the number of circuits, cable runs, and outlet positions all scale with the size of the home. A 1-bed flat typically runs £2,000–3,500 supply and install; a 2-bed house £2,500–4,500; a 3-bed semi £3,000–5,500; a 4-bed detached £4,500–7,500; and a 5-bed or larger property £6,000–12,000 or more. London and the South East carry a 20–40% premium over Midlands and Northern pricing for the same property size. Solid masonry walls (Victorian and Edwardian terraces, stone cottages) add 30–40% to first-fix labour compared with cavity-wall or timber-framed properties because every cable run requires chasing rather than clipping through voids.
Calculating labour days: the bedroom rule
A reliable starting point for labour estimation is one working day per bedroom, plus additional time for common areas. A 3-bedroom house therefore starts at 3 days of bedroom work, plus typically 2–3 days for living areas, kitchen, hallway, and landing — giving a 5–6 day baseline for a single electrician. First fix and second fix split roughly equally. Running a second electrician on first fix can compress the programme to 3–4 days but increases your daily cost. Add time for solid walls, for high circuit counts (separate kitchen circuit, cooker circuit, shower circuit, garage, EV charger, outbuildings), and for smart home or underfloor heating integration. Always survey in person before confirming a day count — a brief phone enquiry cannot reveal access conditions or circuit complexity.
Consumer unit upgrade pricing
A consumer unit upgrade — replacing the board only, with the existing circuits retained — is a common standalone job and a frequent add-on recommendation after an EICR. In 2026, a consumer unit upgrade including a fully RCBO-protected board, surge protection device (SPD), and new meter tails typically runs £400–900 supply and install for a standard domestic property. A split-load dual-RCD board is cheaper in materials (£400–600 total) but the RCBO board at £600–900 is increasingly the customer expectation and the professional recommendation. Include the cost of SPD as standard — BS 7671:2018 Amendment 2 requires an assessment, and most new or replacement boards will require one. Price consumer unit upgrades as a fixed price, not day rate — an experienced electrician should complete the job in 3–5 hours.
Temporary supply and re-plastering allowances
A full rewire leaves the property without power to circuits as they are disconnected and replaced. Discuss temporary supply arrangements with the customer before the job starts — a temporary distribution board maintaining power to the kitchen and at least one socket circuit is usually required for occupied properties. If you are providing this, price it into the quote. Re-plastering after first fix is a significant cost in a rewire — all chased channels and back box positions need making good before second fix. Unless your team includes a plasterer, the standard approach is to quote making good as excluded and recommend a plasterer between first and second fix. Be explicit in your quote: state clearly that making good of wall and ceiling surfaces after first fix is excluded and that the customer is responsible for arranging a plasterer before second fix can proceed. This prevents the most common post-rewire dispute.
Part P, Building Regs and EICR on completion
A full rewire is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales. If you are a member of a competent persons scheme — NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, or similar — you can self-certify the work and the scheme will notify the local authority on your behalf. Scheme membership typically costs £500–1,000 per year and covers unlimited notifications. If you are not scheme-registered, you must notify the local authority before starting work and pay a building notice fee, typically £200–400. Include the notification cost in your quote if it is not covered by your scheme membership. On completion, you must issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) to the customer. An EICR is not the same as an EIC and is not required on completion of new work — but some customers request one and it can be charged as an addition.
Deposit structure for rewire jobs
Rewires require a deposit of 30–50% before work begins to cover materials. A typical structure is: 40% on acceptance of quote (to cover consumer unit, cable, accessories, and materials order); a progress payment of 30% at first fix completion before the plasterer moves in; and the remaining 30% on completion of second fix, testing, and issue of the EIC. Staged payments protect your cash flow on a job running 1–3 weeks and are widely understood by customers for large electrical projects. Never start a full rewire without a signed quote and deposit in hand.
Profit margins on rewire work
A well-run rewire business targets 35–50% gross margin on each job. Labour on a rewire is the dominant cost — materials typically run £300–800 for a standard domestic property depending on specification, which is a relatively small proportion of the total. Your margin funds vehicle, insurance, tools, scheme membership, and net profit. Margins below 30% usually indicate under-pricing on labour days — particularly common when electricians quote on the phone without surveying access conditions, then discover solid walls or complex ceiling structures on site. Track actual days worked against quoted days on every rewire job. If you consistently run 20% over your quoted day count, your survey process needs tightening.
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