Full House Rewire Cost London 2025 — Complete Price Guide

Full Rewire Costs in London 2025

A full electrical rewire replaces all fixed wiring, consumer unit, sockets, switches, light fittings, and earthing throughout a property. In London, costs are higher than the national average due to labour rates and, in older properties, the complexity of working with Victorian and Edwardian construction. Typical prices:

• 1-bedroom flat: £2,800 - £4,500
• 2-bedroom house: £3,500 - £5,500
• 3-bedroom house: £4,500 - £7,500
• 4-bedroom house: £6,000 - £10,000
• Large Victorian terrace (5+ bed): £8,000 - £14,000+

These prices include labour, standard materials (white plastic sockets and switches, twin-and-earth cable), and the NICEIC Electrical Installation Certificate. They do not include plastering or decoration after the work (allow an additional £1,500-3,000 for making good).

When Does a Property Need Rewiring?

Not every old property needs a full rewire, but certain conditions make rewiring necessary or strongly advisable:

• Aluminium wiring: Common in 1960s-70s properties, aluminium expands and contracts differently from copper fittings, causing loose connections and fire risk. Identification: silver-coloured wires rather than copper-coloured
• Rubber-insulated cables: Pre-1960s properties often have rubber-insulated cables, which perish over time. Black rubber insulation that crumbles or cracks on handling requires immediate replacement
• PVC cables from 1970s-80s: Early PVC cables from this era are now 40-50 years old and approaching end of life. If they are passing their serviceable life, replacement is prudent
• Red and black cables (pre-2004 colour coding): Not automatically unsafe but indicates old wiring — assessment required. Since 2004, UK wiring uses brown (live) and blue (neutral)
• No RCD protection: Older fuse boards without RCD protection fail modern EICR requirements. Depending on the extent of work required to add protection, a rewire may be more cost-effective than partial upgrades
• Failed EICR with multiple C1/C2 codes: When an Electrical Installation Condition Report identifies numerous dangerous conditions throughout the property, the remedial cost can exceed the cost of a full rewire

What Does a Full Rewire Include?

A complete rewire covers:

• New consumer unit (fuse board) with RCD or RCBO protection on every circuit, compliant with BS 7671:2018 18th Edition
• New ring main circuits for sockets throughout the property
• New radial circuits for kitchen appliances (oven, hob, dishwasher, washing machine)
• New lighting circuits for every floor
• New dedicated circuit for shower if required
• New earthing and bonding throughout (main bonding to gas and water, supplementary bonding in bathrooms)
• New sockets, switches, and light fittings (standard spec — upgrades available)
• NICEIC Electrical Installation Certificate (required for Part P compliance)

Part P Building Regulations

A full rewire is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations (England). This means the work must be carried out either by an approved contractor who self-certifies (such as a NICEIC or NAPIT registered electrician), or by an unregistered contractor with the work inspected by the local Building Control authority. Prestige Engineers are NICEIC approved, so all work is self-certified — no separate Building Control notification or fee is required.

On completion you will receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), which is the formal record that the installation complies with BS 7671. This document is important for property sales and for demonstrating compliance during landlord inspections.

How Long Does a Rewire Take?

A typical rewire timeline:

• 1-2 bed flat: 3-5 days
• 3-bed house: 5-8 days
• 4-5 bed Victorian house: 8-14 days

Work proceeds in two stages. First fix involves running new cables through the property before chasing is closed. This is the most disruptive phase. Second fix involves connecting all accessories (sockets, switches, light fittings) and the consumer unit once decoration is complete. Properties must be vacated during the first fix phase.

First Fix and Making Good

In London's Victorian and Edwardian stock, cables are typically chased into plaster walls. After first fix, all chases must be made good. This is either done by the electrical contractor (add 20-30% to the quote) or by a separate plasterer. In solid-wall properties, channel cutting can be extensive. Surface mounting in conduit is an alternative that avoids making good but is aesthetically less desirable in period properties.