Full rewire — London
Full house rewire in London
NICEIC Part P certified electricians replacing all fixed wiring, lighting circuits, cooker and shower circuits, and the consumer unit in London properties. Free survey. Fixed-price quotation. Building Regulations compliance certificate included. All 33 London boroughs covered.
Scope of work
What a full rewire involves
A full rewire means replacing every metre of fixed wiring in the property — ring mains, radials, lighting circuits, dedicated cooker circuit, dedicated shower circuit — back to a new consumer unit. The existing consumer unit or fuse board is removed and replaced with a new unit fitted with RCD and RCBO protection to the 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018+A2:2022). Nothing from the original installation is retained in the final installation.
For older London properties — Victorian terraces, Edwardian semis, 1930s semis, post-war maisonettes and conversions — a full rewire addresses cumulative problems that have built up over decades: insulation that has degraded, earthing that was never installed to modern standards, and circuits that have been extended repeatedly by different contractors without a clear plan. A properly executed full rewire resets the electrical installation to zero and gives the property a documented, certifiable baseline for the next 25–30 years.
Ring main and radial circuits
All ring main socket circuits and radial circuits throughout the property are stripped back to the consumer unit and replaced with new twin and earth cable to current BS 7671 standards. Sockets and switches are repositioned to 18th Edition height requirements where applicable.
Lighting circuits
Every lighting circuit — ground floor, upper floors, loft, external — is replaced. New ceiling roses, junction boxes and switch drops are run in new cable. This eliminates the high-resistance joints common in older London properties where repeated DIY additions have been made to the original wiring.
Cooker circuit
A dedicated 6mm or 10mm twin and earth circuit is run from the new consumer unit to the cooker outlet plate or cooker connection unit. The circuit is sized for a double oven and hob, or for induction if that is your intended appliance.
Shower circuit
A dedicated circuit is run for each electric shower, sized to the shower's kW rating. For 10.5kW and above, a 10mm cable and 45A breaker is standard. An RCD-protected RCBO in the new consumer unit provides individual fault protection for the shower circuit.
New consumer unit
The existing fuse board or consumer unit is replaced with a new dual-RCD or fully RCBO-protected metal consumer unit compliant with the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations. Separate RCBO protection for each circuit is our standard approach — it eliminates nuisance tripping and means a fault on one circuit does not affect any other.
Earthing and bonding
The main protective bonding to incoming gas and water services is replaced. Supplementary bonding within bathrooms and kitchens is checked and renewed where required. The earth electrode or PME earth arrangement is confirmed with the DNO where applicable.
Does your property need one?
Signs a full rewire is needed
Many London properties — particularly Victorian and Edwardian houses that have not been comprehensively renovated — show clear warning signs that the electrical installation has reached the end of its safe service life. If you recognise any of the following, arrange an EICR inspection immediately. In most cases, a full rewire will be the recommended outcome.
Rubber or fabric-insulated cables
Round grey rubber-sheathed cable or brown/black fabric-braided wiring is a clear sign the installation predates 1966. Rubber insulation degrades over time, becoming brittle and cracked — a serious shock and fire risk in any London home.
Single-strand (solid) conductors
Pre-1966 wiring used solid single-strand copper conductors rather than the multi-strand flexible conductors used since. If you strip a socket and find a single solid copper wire rather than a bundle of fine strands, the installation dates from before the current colour coding era.
Round-pin sockets
Three-pin round-pin sockets (BS 546) were superseded by the current rectangular-pin BS 1363 standard in the 1950s. Any property still fitted with round-pin sockets has not been rewired in over 60 years.
Light switches with no earth terminal
Older metal-clad light switches with no earth terminal indicate wiring from an era when earthing to switches was not required. This is now a mandatory requirement. Plastic switches installed on top of old wiring without an earth present the same risk.
Aluminium wiring (1960s–1970s)
Some London properties built or extended in the 1960s and 1970s were wired with aluminium conductors rather than copper. Aluminium expands and contracts differently from copper, causing loose connections over time. Aluminium wiring requires a full rewire — it cannot be safely extended or partially replaced.
Multiple C2 observations on an EICR
A single C2 (potentially dangerous) on an EICR can be remedied. When an EICR returns C2 observations across the majority of circuits — inadequate earthing, deteriorated insulation, lack of RCD protection throughout — a full rewire is more economical and more reliable than piecemeal remediation.
How it works
The rewire process, step by step
From survey to signed-off certificate, here is the sequence we follow on every London rewire. No surprises, no scope creep — what we quote is what you pay.
01
Survey and fixed-price quote
A qualified electrician visits the property to assess the existing installation, count circuits, check the incoming supply arrangement, and identify any structural considerations such as solid floors or plasterboard ceilings. You receive a written fixed-price quotation — no hidden extras for plastering damage caused by our work.
02
First fix — strip and cable
The existing wiring is stripped out. New conduit and cables are run through floor voids, ceiling joists and wall chases. All back boxes, consumer unit back box and cable routes are installed. At the end of first fix the property looks disrupted — this is normal. All cables are routed and terminated ready for second fix.
03
Plaster and make good
Where wall chases and plaster damage are required for cable runs, we make good to a paintable standard using bonding coat. Areas requiring full replastering (such as kitchen walls or bathroom areas) are either included in scope or excluded with clear demarcation — confirmed at survey stage.
04
Second fix — install accessories
Once plaster has dried, all sockets, switches, light fittings, smoke alarms, and the consumer unit front face are installed and connected. We use white or brushed steel accessories as standard. Decorative accessories — such as brass sockets or heritage-style switches common in Victorian and Edwardian London conversions — are available at a supplement.
05
Test and certification
Every circuit is tested to BS 7671 — insulation resistance, polarity, earth loop impedance, and RCD trip times. The full test schedule is completed before the consumer unit is energised. An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is issued on the same day.
06
Part P Building Regulations notification
Full rewires in dwellings are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. We notify the work to the relevant authority on your behalf as part of every rewire — included in the quoted price. You receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate, which is essential for property sale and mortgage purposes.
Disruption and access
What to expect during a rewire
A full rewire is the most disruptive electrical job there is. We are honest about this. For a typical 3-bedroom London terraced house, first fix takes 3–5 days. During this time, all power is isolated for extended periods, floors are lifted, ceiling joists are accessed, and wall chases are cut. The property will not be habitable during first fix.
Second fix — once plastering is complete and dry — is considerably less disruptive. Power is restored circuit by circuit as sockets, switches and fittings are installed. Many homeowners move back in during second fix, accepting that individual rooms may be inaccessible for short periods.
For London landlords rewiring tenanted properties, tenants must vacate entirely during first fix. We can issue a formal letter confirming the scope of works and expected duration to assist with temporary accommodation arrangements or insurance claims.
Party Wall and structural considerations
Party Wall Act and London semi-detached properties
A rewire itself does not normally trigger the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. However, London semi-detached and terraced properties share structural elements — party walls, shared chimney breasts, and in some cases shared joist supports — that can be affected by the notching and drilling required to run cables through floor voids.
Where cable routes run through or adjacent to a shared structural element, we discuss the access method with you in advance. Notching into joists within 50mm of a party wall can affect the load-bearing capacity of shared timbers. We use surface-mounted trunking or alternative routes in these situations, rather than cutting into structural elements that could require Party Wall notification.
If you are planning a whole-property renovation that includes a rewire alongside structural work, we recommend co-ordinating all contractors before work begins. The rewire is easiest when carried out before new plasterwork — sequencing this correctly saves significant time and cost.
2025 pricing
Full rewire costs in London
The following are indicative price ranges for full rewires in London in 2025, inclusive of labour, materials, consumer unit, Part P notification, and the Electrical Installation Certificate. Prices vary based on the number of circuits, access conditions, floor construction (suspended timber vs concrete), and the spec of accessories chosen. All quotes are fixed price — no day-rate billing.
| Property size | Typical circuits | Price range (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom flat | 5–8 circuits | £2,500 – £4,000 |
| 2-bedroom house | 8–11 circuits | £3,000 – £5,000 |
| 3-bedroom terraced house | 10–14 circuits | £4,000 – £7,000 |
| 4-bedroom house | 13–18 circuits | £5,500 – £9,000 |
These ranges reflect the London market in 2025 and include all work from strip-out to test certificate. They do not include decorating, plastering beyond make-good, or structural carpentry. Rewires forming part of a larger renovation where floors and ceilings are already open are typically at the lower end of the range. The survey will confirm your fixed price.
Energy performance
Rewire and EPC impact
A full rewire on its own does not improve your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. The EPC measures thermal efficiency — insulation, glazing, heating system — and the wiring of a property is not a direct input to the SAP calculation.
However, a rewire creates the opportunity to improve your EPC in parallel. Installing LED lighting circuits (rather than replacing old circuits with fittings that accept incandescent or halogen lamps) contributes positively to the lighting section of the SAP assessment. Running a dedicated circuit for an air source heat pump — or ensuring the consumer unit has spare capacity and the earthing is suitable for a heat pump installation — positions the property for a future EPC uplift when the heating system is upgraded.
London landlords facing the proposed minimum EPC C requirements for new tenancies should view a rewire as the electrical infrastructure investment that enables — rather than itself delivering — the required improvements. We can advise on circuit provision for future heat pump, EV charger, and battery storage installations as part of the rewire design.
Get started
Free survey for London rewires
We survey all London rewire enquiries free of charge. A qualified electrician visits, assesses the full scope, and provides a written fixed-price quotation within 24 hours. No commitment required. Part P Building Regulations notification included in every quote.
Common questions
Full rewire London: frequently asked
How long does a full rewire take in London?
A full rewire of a typical 3-bedroom London terraced house takes 3–7 working days. A 1-bedroom flat usually takes 2–3 days. A 4-bedroom detached or semi-detached property can take 7–10 days. The duration depends on the number of circuits, the condition of the existing installation, access to floor voids and ceiling joists, and whether replastering is required. Our electricians will confirm an expected duration at the survey stage before any work begins.
Do I need to vacate my property during a full rewire?
For most of the rewire you will need to vacate at least the rooms being worked on, and in practice most London homeowners vacate the property entirely during first fix (when all cables are run). During second fix — installing sockets, switches and light fittings — it is sometimes possible to remain if certain rooms are completed and handed back. We will confirm the specific access requirements at your survey. For rental properties, tenants must vacate for the duration of first fix work.
Is a full rewire covered by home insurance?
A planned rewire carried out for safety reasons is generally not covered by standard home buildings insurance — it is considered maintenance or improvement work. However, if your insurer has been notified of an EICR with C1 or C2 observations and subsequently demands remedial work, some policies may contribute. Always notify your insurer before undertaking a full rewire, as an outdated electrical installation can affect the validity of your buildings insurance policy. We issue a full Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) on completion, which you should supply to your insurer.
How often should a London property be rewired?
There is no fixed legal interval for rewiring, but the IET Wiring Regulations and NICEIC guidance recommend a full rewire or major upgrade when the installation is more than 25–30 years old without documented inspection history, or where an EICR reveals multiple C2 observations across the majority of circuits. Pre-1966 rubber or fabric-insulated wiring, aluminium conductors from the 1960s and 1970s, and any installation with no residual current device (RCD) protection should be assessed and almost certainly rewired. For London Victorian and Edwardian properties, the original wiring may be 40–80 years old and requires immediate attention.
Will a full rewire improve my EICR result?
Yes. A full rewire replaces all fixed wiring and installs a new consumer unit with RCD and RCBO protection to the current 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations. On completion, we issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), which records the installation as satisfactory. The property will then be due its first periodic inspection (EICR) in 10 years for owner-occupied properties, or in 5 years for rental properties. The EIC satisfies the legal requirement under Part P of the Building Regulations and should be retained with your property documents.