Average House Rewiring Costs & Quotes

Last Updated on October 31, 2020 By Jon

Rewiring our home is something we put off until absolutely necessary, it’s normal to do so due to the costs involved, the time it takes and the general disruption it causes to our daily lives. It’s something that can take several days to be completed, and in different stages, we may even need to take time off work to do so. Eventually though we reach a point when we can’t put it off anymore. Certain plug sockets may stop working, our electric bill may be costing us more than it should be, and certain electrical appliances in the home spontaneously cut out on us at the worst possible times. What’s even more serious is a home in desperate need of a rewire can be an unsafe place to live. Frayed wires or old and decayed ones can be electrical fire hazards. Not rewiring a home in this instance can be risky.

But there are ways of going about the task of rewiring a home without causing too much disruption, taking too much time and ideally, without spending too much money. The first thing we need to do is to find out what we need. Is it a full rewire or a partial one? The home may just require a rewire of one room.

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How do we know if our home needs a rewire?

Before arranging a rewire, we need to understand what exactly we need to do. There’s no need to pay money on a rewire that may not be needed. The previous occupants may have arranged a partial rewire a few years ago meaning the house is in better shape than we thought. The rest of the home however now may need one to be brought up to date. The best way to find out what work needs doing is to order a full electrical inspection of the home.

This means hiring a qualified electrical engineer (or electrician) to complete a full audit of the home’s electrical systems, assess its suitability and safety, then make their recommendations about what needs to happen and when. For example, a rewire may be needed soon, but you may have a few years to save up. Or the home could need one as soon as possible.

Ordering a full electrical inspection is the best way to attain the facts and peace of mind as a homeowner. It is recommended that a home has a full electrical inspection every 10 years. As during this time wires and components can deteriorate and may need replacing. Once the survey is completed, the electrician will provide you with an Electrical Installation Condition Report, often abbreviated to (EICR). This will give a full breakdown of what is needed. It could advise a full rewire, a partial rewire, some simple correction, or nothing at all. Either way it’s at this point you’ll know exactly what the home needs and how much it will cost.

Requesting a full electrical inspection is much cheaper than ordering a full rewire so it’s advised to always arrange this before committing to a full home rewire. After all, it may not be needed. If the report says that only part of the house requires rewiring, then this will have saved thousands of pounds.

But how much does it cost to order a full electrical inspection? This depends on the size of the property, the larger the home the higher the price generally, but it’s always a sensible to step to take before ordering an electrical engineer to rewire the home completely. Here’s how much on average an inspection costs:

The electrical engineer will assess each room individually and will test the electrics in each, determining which parts need updating and which don’t. They will also check the fuse board to search for faults or potential future concerns. Each switch will be tested along with each socket, along with any other area in the house that may be connected to an electric outlet in any form. Finally, they will test all protective devices to make sure they are working at optimum capacity.

How much does it cost to rewire a house?

The costs of a rewire mostly depend on the size of the home. It also may not be necessary to rewire every room. Sometimes it may just be the upper level or lower level of a home. Or just a single room or just a few. It all depends on the home itself, when it was built and how well the current electrics have been installed and maintained. The average sized home in the UK is a 3 bedroom house, meaning the average cost of a rewire is between £2,500 and £4,500; should the whole home need a rewire.

Here is an average breakdown of standard rewire prices:

What are the benefits to getting your home rewired?

The benefits to getting your home rewired are plentiful. While it does cost money, time and causes inconvenience in the short term, in the long term the benefits do indeed outweigh this. Here is a list of possible benefits to getting your home rewired:

Value

Having a home rewired adds value to a building, if you’re looking to sell in the future then getting the property rewired is a great way to entice buyers. Those looking for a home to buy may not want to go through this themselves. Buying a house that has already been recently rewired is considered an excellent investment and shows that the house is futureproofed and fit for purpose.

Safety

Homes need rewiring mainly due to safety purposes. Living in a home with out of date electrical components and damaged wires can be a dangerous way to live. Frayed or unprotected wires can be a fire hazard, or some appliances could give the user an electric shock. This could cause injury or even be fatal. Especially to young children. Getting the home rewired means this is much less of a risk and the home is much safer.

Cheaper utility bills

A tired or outdated electrical system can cost you more money each month than you realise. An old system may not be energy efficient and can cause your devices to work harder, using more electricity and costing you more money in the long run. Modern electrical systems are much more energy efficient, using better and more up to date technology to do essentially the same job. For example, a home that was built in the 1970s will be using a much older and more outdated system than a home built in the 2000s. Technology has become much more advanced since then and it’s us who feel the benefit of this in our electrical bills every month.

Provides the opportunity for needed change

Going to the trouble of getting your house rewired is also a great opportunity to do any other much needed work you’ve been considering. This could be an extension, new appliances or a home remodel. Lots of people choose to do this sort of thing as one single project, fully modernising their homes. In some cases, they may have extended their mortgage or taken out a loan to do this work. This saves them needing to save up for a home rewire, they can budget for this a part of a larger project and include it within that. In all honesty this is how most people do this sort of thing, a rewire is just one task among several. For example, if you were installing a new kitchen, you’d probably rewire it at the same time.

Finding the right professional quote

Remember it’s okay to shop around before agreeing to have any professional work done on your home. A full rewire or even a full electrical survey are no different. It’s important to find the best price and the most reliable electricians. An effective way to do this is to use a comparison site such as Rated People as an example. Sites like this allow you to view a range of electrical professionals and compare their reviews and prices against the rest. You’ll be able to view their qualifications, experiences and job history. This will help you reached an informed decision about who to hire to do such an important job for you.

Organising a rewiring of your home can be a big step and requires careful planning and preparation to be done effectively. The right electrical professional will be able to help you with this and handhold you through every stage in the process.

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