A full house rewire is one of the bigger electrical jobs you’ll have done to a home, and it’s the one homeowners ask us about most nervously — usually because the prices they’ve been quoted elsewhere are all over the place. This guide breaks down what a rewire actually costs across Norwich and South Norfolk in 2026, what the price includes, and how to tell a fair quote from a vague one.
The short version: for most homes a full rewire lands somewhere between £3,000 and £8,500 depending on size and condition. The detail is below.
What a full rewire includes
A full rewire replaces the fixed wiring throughout the property — not just the parts you can see. A standard job with us covers:
- New cabling to every socket, lighting and appliance circuit
- A modern consumer unit (fuse board) with RCBO protection on each circuit
- New back boxes, sockets, switches and ceiling roses
- Main protective bonding to the gas and water services where it’s needed
- Full testing, inspection and an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) on completion
- Making good — we chase the cables into the walls and patch them back to a ready-to-decorate finish
That last point matters more than people expect, so it’s worth being clear about what is not in a typical rewire price.
What a rewire doesn’t include
Unless we’ve quoted for it specifically, a rewire price won’t cover:
- Full redecoration — we make good to a fillable, ready-to-paint finish, not the paint itself
- New light fittings, kitchen appliances or electric showers, unless they’re listed
- Re-plastering whole rooms, or lifting and relaying solid floors
- Moving the meter, or any work on the supplier’s side of the cut-out
None of that is hidden — it’s just the line between an electrical job and a full refurbishment. A good quote spells it out so there are no surprises later.
Rewire costs by property size (2026 guide prices)
These are realistic guide prices for an occupied home to a standard spec in our area. A high socket count, downlights throughout, or a period property will push you toward the top of each band.
| Property | Typical full rewire | Rough time on site |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | £3,000 – £3,800 | 3–4 days |
| 2-bed terrace or semi | £3,900 – £4,900 | 4–6 days |
| 3-bed semi or detached | £5,000 – £6,500 | 5–8 days |
| 4-bed detached | £6,500 – £8,800 | 7–10 days |
| 5-bed, large or period home | £9,000+ | 10+ days |
These are guide prices to help you budget — not a quote. Once we’ve seen the property we give you a single fixed price in writing. No “up to” figures, and no day rates that quietly creep.
Full rewire vs a partial rewire
You don’t always need the whole house done. A partial rewire covers a specific area — most often a kitchen as part of a new fit-out, or an extension that needs its own circuits tied back into the board.
- Kitchen rewire (as part of a new kitchen): roughly £1,200 – £2,200
- A single room or one new circuit: roughly £350 – £900
A partial is the right call when the rest of the installation is sound and has been tested recently. But if the existing wiring is from the 1960s or 70s, has rubber or fabric-sheathed cable, or trips constantly, a partial can be false economy — you end up paying twice to work on the same board. If you’re not sure which you need, our guide on the signs your consumer unit needs upgrading is a good place to start, or just ask us to take a look.
What changes the price
Two homes of the same size can quote differently. The main factors are:
- Occupied vs empty — an empty house is quicker, because we’re not working around furniture, floor coverings or your daily routine
- Construction and age — lath-and-plaster walls and solid floors in period homes take longer than a modern brick-and-block house
- Accessory spec — chrome sockets, USB outlets and LED downlights throughout cost more than white plastic and pendant lights
- Access — easy loft and underfloor access can be the difference between one day and two
- Making good — the more original plaster we have to chase, the more there is to patch afterwards
How long it takes, and what to expect
Most homes are a one-to-two week job. We work room by room and get the power back on at the end of each day wherever we can, so you’re never left without the essentials for long. It is a dusty job — there’s no way around chasing cables into walls — but we sheet up, clear up daily, and leave the making-good ready for your decorator.
Certification and Part P
A rewire is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. On completion you get an Electrical Installation Certificate, and the work is notified to Building Control so your installation is properly registered. Keep that certificate safe — you’ll want it when you sell the house, and it’s what protects you if the wiring is ever questioned.
Always use a qualified, registered electrician for a rewire. The certificate isn’t paperwork for its own sake — it’s your proof the installation is safe and signed off.
How to compare quotes fairly
When you’ve got two or three prices in front of you, the cheapest number on the page rarely tells the whole story. A fair quote should:
- Be a fixed, written price — not a day rate with no ceiling
- List what’s included and what isn’t: circuits, consumer unit, making good and certification
- Say how many sockets and lights are priced in, so you’re comparing like for like
- Confirm the work is certified and notified under Part P
If a quote is one vague number with “up to” in front of it, that’s usually where the extras are hiding.
Get a fixed price for your home
Every house is different, which is why the bands above are a guide and not a quote. If you’d like a proper fixed price for your property, get in touch — we’ll come and see the job, talk through the spec, and give you a straight answer on cost and timing anywhere across Norwich and South Norfolk.