The short answer
A full house rewire in the UK typically costs between £2,500 and £12,000+, depending mainly on the size and age of the property. By bedrooms that usually works out at roughly £2,000–£4,800 for a one-bedroom flat, around £4,450–£8,000 for a three-bedroom house, and up to about £7,000–£12,500 for a five-bedroom detached home. The work for a three-bed home commonly takes 5–10 working days, often spread over a longer period once plastering and making good are scheduled in. Costs rise with property age, whether a new consumer unit and modern fittings are included, and whether you are living in during the work.
A rewire is one of the bigger jobs a home needs, and the range is wide because properties differ so much. The figures below are typical full-rewire ranges for guidance, not quotations.
Typical UK rewire costs
- 1-bed flat~£2,000–£4,800
- 3-bed house~£4,450–£8,000
- 4-bed house~£6,080–£9,380
- 5-bed detached~£7,000–£12,500
- 3-bed timescale~5–10 working days
What drives the price
- Size: more rooms and circuits mean more cable, more sockets and more labour, so cost rises with bedrooms and floor area.
- Property age & access: older homes, solid walls and awkward layouts make running new cable harder and slower.
- Consumer unit & fittings: a new consumer unit (fuse board) and modern sockets, switches and downlights add to the figure.
- Occupied or empty: working around furniture and people is slower than an empty property.
| Property | Typical full rewire | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | ~£2,000–£4,800 | fewest circuits |
| 3-bed house | ~£4,450–£8,000 | most common job |
| 4-bed house | ~£6,080–£9,380 | more circuits |
| 5-bed detached | ~£7,000–£12,500 | largest, often older |
Indicative UK figures for guidance. Sources: Checkatrade and MyJobQuote cost guides.
How long a rewire takes, and making good
The electrical work for a typical three-bedroom house takes around 5–10 working days, but that is rarely the whole story. Cable runs mean lifting floorboards and chasing into walls, so once plastering, decorating and making good are scheduled in, the overall project can stretch across two to three weeks. A full rewire usually ends with a new consumer unit and an Electrical Installation Certificate for the new work — different from an EICR, which inspects an existing installation.
Thinking about a rewire?
We'll match you with a NICEIC or NAPIT-registered electrician who assesses your property and quotes the rewire on a clear specification — circuits, consumer unit and making good set out.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
A full UK house rewire typically costs between £2,500 and £12,000 or more depending on size and age — roughly £4,450–£8,000 for a three-bedroom house, and £7,000–£12,500 for a large five-bedroom detached home.
How long does a house rewire take?
The electrical work on a typical three-bedroom house takes around 5–10 working days. Once plastering and making good are scheduled in, the overall project can stretch across two to three weeks.
Is a rewire the same as an EICR?
No. An EICR inspects and reports on the condition of an existing installation. A rewire replaces the wiring; new work is signed off with an Electrical Installation Certificate, not an EICR.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific property. They are guidance, not a quotation. Legal duties are summarised for guidance — confirm the current position on GOV.UK.