House Rewiring Costs in 2026
A full house rewire is one of the most significant electrical projects a homeowner can undertake. It replaces every length of cable, every back box and every accessory in your home's wiring installation — a project that typically takes 3–7 working days for a mid-sized property. As a NAPIT-registered electrical contractor carrying out rewires across Teesside and the North East, ALPS Electrical is well-placed to give honest, current pricing information for this work.
When Does a House Need Rewiring?
Most properties built before 1980 will have original wiring that is now approaching or past its expected service life. Signs that rewiring may be needed:
- Rubber-insulated (fabric-sheathed) wiring — typically pre-1960s, this is now a fire risk
- Lead-sheathed wiring — pre-1950s, requires immediate attention
- Older single-insulated aluminium wiring — common 1960s–1970s, problematic with modern accessories
- Round-pin sockets, old Bakelite or round-switch accessories — indicates original wiring likely still in place
- An EICR that has returned C1 or C2 codes for widespread wiring deterioration
- Repeated tripping, frequent fuse blowing or unexplained circuit issues
Many properties from the 1950s–1970s had 2-wire systems without an earth conductor, or combined earth-neutral wiring (TN-C-S without proper separation) that is no longer compliant. Rewiring these properties is not just desirable — it is necessary for safety and for any new electrical additions like EV chargers or solar panels.
House Rewiring Costs by Property Size 2026
Rewiring costs vary by property size, accessibility (whether floors and walls can be chased or cables surface-run), and the complexity of the installation (number of circuits, special requirements for outbuildings, kitchen appliances, solar, etc.).
- 1-bedroom flat: £2,800–£4,500
- 2-bedroom terraced or semi-detached: £4,000–£6,500
- 3-bedroom semi-detached: £5,000–£8,000
- 4-bedroom detached: £7,000–£12,000
- 5+ bedroom or large detached: £10,000–£18,000+
These prices are for the rewire itself — cabling, consumer unit, and electrical accessories. They exclude decoration: replastering chased walls, painting, and reinstating flooring and joinery after cables are installed. A realistic budget should add £1,500–£4,000 for redecoration depending on property size and the extent of chasing required. In properties where cables can be run beneath floorboards or in roof spaces with minimal disruption, redecoration costs are lower.
What Does a Rewire Include?
A full rewire replaces:
- All circuit cables from consumer unit to every socket, switch, light and fixed appliance
- The consumer unit (fuseboard) — must be metal-enclosed under current regulations
- All sockets, switches and light fittings (typically to your specification — standard white or chrome accessories)
- All immersion heater and cooker connections
- Earth bonding to water pipes and gas pipes
A rewire is an opportunity to install additional sockets (reducing reliance on extension leads), USB charging outlets, external sockets, garden lighting circuits, and future-proof the installation for solar, battery storage and EV charger circuits. We include a dedicated solar and EV charger conduit as standard in our rewires, so future installations require no additional disruption.
Part P, Building Regulations and Certification
A full rewire is notifiable work under Part P Building Regulations. ALPS Electrical self-certifies all rewires through our NAPIT registration — you receive an Electrical Installation Certificate at handover. This is critical documentation for future property sales and mortgage applications. Never commission a rewire from a non-registered contractor who cannot provide certification; the cost of retrospective building control inspection and potential remedial works typically exceeds any initial saving.
The Rewiring Process
Our rewiring process: survey and design (usually free) → written quotation with clear scope → rewire execution over 3–7 days → testing and inspection → consumer unit installation → certification and handover. We coordinate carefully with you to schedule disruption, especially for occupied properties where maintaining partial use of circuits during the project is important.
Get a Rewiring Quote in the North East
ALPS Electrical carries out full and partial rewires across Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire. Our rewiring service includes free survey, competitive pricing, NAPIT certification, and careful attention to minimising disruption. Contact us for a free, no-obligation rewiring quote.