What is the fair price to pay for the services of an electrician? How often should the electrical installation in my house be tested and how do I know the electrician doing the work is qualified? Electrical inspections are critical because they are just like an m.o.t for your home.
The inspections ensure the electrics in your home are working correctly and above all, safe. In this article, we discuss the importance of electrical inspections, how often it should be carried out and how much they typically cost. We will also consider average costs of partial and full rewires for different types of home. Looking to upgrade the electrical wiring in your home? This is just the article for you.
Quotes
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How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?
Rewiring a 3 bedroom house costs between £2,500-£4,500 and typically takes between 6-10 days. The lower price is what you what you should expect to pay in the North of England and higher end would be more likely for London.
Below is a table that looks at the price ranges for different sized properties:
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Size of House
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Price
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Time to Complete
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1 Bedroom
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£1,900-£3,000
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4-7 days
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2 Bedrooms
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£2,300-£3,500
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5-8 days
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3 Bedrooms
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£3,000-£4,500
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6-10 days
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4 Bedrooms
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£3,700-£5,500
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1-2 weeks
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5 Bedrooms
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£4,400-£6,500
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10-15 days
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Electrical installation condition report costs
As a homeowner, you want the peace of mind that the electrics in your home are safe. The building regulations require your electrical installation is tested every ten years if you own your home, and every five years if you are a landlord or live in rented accommodation.
The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), previously known as the Periodic Inspection Report, is carried out by a qualified electrician and involves the following:
- Inspection of the consumer unit or fuse board.
- Inspection of a sample of switches, sockets and other fixtures including light fittings.
- Checking the polarity of the installation.
- Testing protective devices to ensure they work to protect you and your family from electric shock.
Below is the average costs for an electrician to carry out an electrical installation condition report for different types of houses:
- One bedroom flat – expect to pay from £120.
- Two bedroom flat – expect to pay around £120 to £150.
- Three bedroom flat – costs are between £180 and £210.
- One to two bedroom house – inspection costs between £150 and £180.
- Three to four bedroom house – expect to pay anything between £200 and £250.
- Five bedroom house and larger – costs start from £300 and will depend on the size of the house.
An EICR will highlight any defects in your home’s electrical installation including inadequate short circuit protection, outdated wiring, and faulty connections.
Houses electrical rewiring prices
Many UK homes have old electrical wiring and getting your home rewired is a great way of adding value and ensuring safe and reliable operation. Electrical rewiring costs will vary depending on some factors including:
- The size of your house (naturally a three bedroom house will cost more than a one bedroom flat).
- Whether the home is occupied during the rewiring (electricians will work faster in an empty property).
- The specification of fittings and fixtures you choose (stainless steel versus white PVC sockets etc.).
- The number of socket outlets etc. and other extras such as security lighting or outside power points.
- Where you live in the UK because of regional variances in contractor costs across the country.
Below is are guide prices for rewiring different home types and sizes including an average two-bed terraced house, three-bed semi-detached house, and an average four-bed detached house.
Two bed terraced house
A total rewire of a two-bed terraced house including kitchen and bathroom should cost between £2,300 and £3,500 depending on where you live in the UK and the size of the business you hire. An average of £2,750 is a commonly quoted price with the job taking between 5 and eight days to complete. The price will typically include:
- Renewing all the wiring from the electricity meter to the consumer unit.
- Installing a new consumer unit.
- Standard white finish electrical accessories such as socket outlets and switches.
- Circuit testing and final installation certification.
The price excludes plastering and decorating which will be required to finish the job. Your electrician may be able to provide a quote for this type of work. The electrician will ensure the installation meets current standards.
Three-bed semi detached house
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A total electrical rewiring project for a 3-bed semi will involve removing old wiring and fittings and then running new cables and installing new fittings. The price includes supplying a new consumer unit and assumes the work will be in an empty house. The price includes the minor plastering work required to fill in the holes chased in the wall for the conduit. The homeowner is responsible for painting and decorating.
The price for rewiring will be between £3,000 and £4,500 depending on regional variances across the UK. You should expect the work to finish within 6 to 10 days.
Four-bed detached house
The bigger the house, the longer it will take an electrician to rewire. An average detached house with four bedrooms will have about ten rooms in total, including two bathrooms. An electrician will need about 10 to 15 days to complete the rewire.
Expect to pay between £3,700 and £5,500 for the complete rewire of up to 10 rooms including replacing all the fixtures and wiring with new, and issue of a test certificate on completion.
Costs for other small jobs electricians can do for you
If you have small electrical jobs needing completion but something not as big as a complete rewire, you can easily get an electrician to provide a quote for small jobs. Maybe you have a plan to renew the consumer unit first, or you would like to install a couple of security lights around your home. Below you will find guide prices on other small jobs electricians can do for you.
- Replacing a light fitting – quotes should be between £30 and £50, and it should take under an hour to complete the job.
- Consumer unit replacement – upgrading your consumer unit will allow you to install additional circuits and make other changes. For this job, electricians will charge anything from £300 to £450 and take up to a day to finish.
- Install an external security light with PIR motion sensor – the electrician will supply and fit a motion activated security light. This type of job takes about 3 hours and cost between £80 and £120.
- Upgrade kitchen lighting from fluorescent to LED downlights – The job takes an average of 5 to 8 hours, depending on the size of the kitchen. Average costs for the job are in the range £250-£400.
Why it’s important to get professional quotes for house rewiring
Finding professional and reliable electricians to rewire your house is now easier than ever. If you use a website like Rated People, you will receive competitive quotes from professional, experienced electricians.
The benefits don’t end there; you will also be able to go through each electrician’s job history and read the reviews for their past customers. Using Rated People will also help you get competitive quotes for the other small electrical jobs mentioned in this article too.