The cost of rewiring a house in Leicester depends mostly on its size, whether it's a full or partial rewire, and whether you're living in it while the work happens. The other big factors are whether a new consumer unit is included, how much making good is in the price, and how many extra sockets and lights you add. Every rewire should be priced after a survey.
Prices at a glance
| Job | Typical price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Full rewire, 1–2 bed flat | Fixed price per job | |
| Full rewire, 2–3 bed terrace or semi | Fixed price per job | |
| Full rewire, 4-bed detached | Fixed price per job | |
| Partial rewire: one floor, a kitchen or an extension | Fixed price per job | |
| Each extra socket or light point | Fixed price per job | Added during the rewire |
| Making good and redecoration beyond filling chases | Priced before any work | Varies |
What should a full rewire price include?
A full rewire price should cover new cable to every circuit, new sockets, switches and light points, testing and certificates. Whether it also includes the consumer unit, smoke alarms and making good varies a lot between quotes, so check each one line by line.
A clear quote usually lists:
- Survey and written scope
- Every room, with the number of sockets and light points agreed.
- New cable and back boxes
- Old cable disconnected and new circuits run throughout.
- Sockets, switches and light points
- Standard white accessories unless you choose otherwise.
- Consumer unit
- Included, or listed as a separate line.
- Earthing and bonding
- Brought up to the current Wiring Regulations.
- Filling chases and holes
- And exactly what finish you'll be left with.
- Testing, certificate and notification
- An Electrical Installation Certificate and Part P notification to building control.
How does the size of the house affect the cost?
More rooms means more circuits, more cable, more points and more days, so size is the biggest single driver. But the number of points and how the house is built matter almost as much as floor area.
A two-bed terrace in Clarendon Park with lath-and-plaster ceilings and solid brick walls can take as long as a larger 1970s semi with hollow floors and easy loft access. Concrete ground floors, tiled or laminate flooring, and walls that are hard to chase all add time. Flats have their own issues, such as concrete floors, cable routes through communal areas and permission from the freeholder or management company.
That's why rewires are priced after a survey rather than from photos alone.
Is a partial rewire cheaper than a full rewire?
Yes, a partial rewire costs less on the day, because fewer circuits and rooms are involved. But it only makes sense when the wiring you're keeping tests well and is in good condition.
Partial rewires work well for a new kitchen, an extension, a loft conversion or one floor of a house where the rest was updated more recently. They make less sense where the old wiring is rubber-insulated or lead-sheathed throughout, because you'll be paying for the same disruption again in a few years.
Splitting a full rewire into stages usually costs more overall than doing it in one go. Each stage repeats setting up, lifting floors, making good and testing, and the consumer unit may need changing at the first stage anyway.
Does it cost more to rewire a house you're living in?
Usually, yes. Working around furniture and family life takes longer, and longer jobs cost more.
In a lived-in house the electrician has to move and cover belongings, work room by room, leave safe working lights and sockets at the end of each day and clean up more often. In an empty house, every room can be opened up at once, floorboards can be lifted in long runs and first fix moves much faster.
If you can't move out, you can still bring the cost down by emptying rooms before the work starts, lifting carpets yourself and agreeing a room-by-room order at the survey. For landlords, an empty period between tenancies is usually the cheapest time to rewire.
Who pays for plastering and redecoration after a rewire?
Expect basic filling of chases and holes to be in the electrician's price, and redecoration to be extra. The gap between those two is where quotes differ most, so get it in writing.
These are the questions to ask each electrician:
- Are chases filled?
- And is the finish ready to paint, or rough filler that needs more work?
- Who re-skims damaged ceilings?
- Old lath-and-plaster can crack when cables are pulled through.
- Are floorboards relaid?
- Lifted boards should be numbered, refixed and screwed back down.
- What about carpets and flooring?
- Lifting and refitting is often left to you or a fitter.
- Is wallpapering or painting included?
- Rarely. Budget for it separately unless it's written in.
Should the consumer unit be included in a rewire quote?
In most full rewires, yes, because an old board usually can't give the new circuits the RCD and surge protection they need. Check whether each quote includes it, because it's a significant part of the price.
An existing board can sometimes stay if it's a metal unit with RCBO or RCD protection, has surge protection or room for it, and has enough spare ways for the new circuits. If one quote includes a new board and another doesn't, you aren't comparing like with like. The meter, main fuse and supply cable belong to your energy supplier and the network operator, so any work on those is arranged with them separately.
A new consumer unit is usually part of a full rewire; your quote explains how that part is handled.
Should I add extra sockets and lighting during a rewire?
Yes. With the floors up and the walls already being chased, extra points cost far less than adding them later, when it means a second round of mess.
Walk round the house before the survey and mark where you'd like things. Changes made after the price is agreed are still possible, but each one adds to the cost. Popular additions include:
- Extra double sockets
- Especially behind TVs, beside beds and along kitchen worktops.
- USB or outdoor sockets
- Charging points and a weatherproof socket for the garden.
- Lighting changes
- Downlights, two-way switching on stairs, outside lights.
- Interlinked smoke and heat alarms
- Mains-powered, so they don't rely only on batteries.
- Data and TV cabling
- Easier now than chasing walls for it later.
- A spare way for an EV charger
- Planned into the new board from the start.
How do I compare rewire quotes?
Compare the scope, not just the total. Two quotes for the same house can differ by a lot simply because one includes the consumer unit, more points or better making good.
Check that each quote lists the number of sockets and light points per room, says whether the board is included, describes the finish after filling, and promises an Electrical Installation Certificate and building control notification. Then check the electrician's registration on the Electrical Competent Person register, or the register of the scheme they say they belong to, such as NICEIC or NAPIT. Be wary of a quote with no survey, or one that can grow once the job starts.
We survey first and give one fixed price that doesn't change if a room takes longer than planned.
Questions
Can I save money by doing some of the work myself?
Yes, with the preparation and finishing. Emptying rooms, lifting carpets and redecorating afterwards can all reduce the price. The electrical work itself is notifiable under Part P, so it must be done by a registered electrician or approved by building control before you start.
Why do rewire quotes vary so much?
Mostly because they cover different things. One may include a new consumer unit, smoke alarms and a paint-ready finish, while another has fewer points per room and rough filling only. Ask each electrician to list exactly what's included so you can compare like with like.
Does a rewire include new light fittings?
Usually it includes basic pendants or batten holders at each light point. Decorative fittings, chandeliers or particular downlights are often supplied by you or priced separately. Tell the electrician what you plan to fit, because some fittings need different boxes or more depth in the ceiling.
Can you price a rewire from photos?
Photos help us give you an idea of the likely scope, but a rewire needs a survey visit for a fixed price. We need to see the floors, walls, loft and board, and agree where every socket and light goes.
How long does a rewire certificate last?
The Electrical Installation Certificate doesn't expire. It records a recommended date for the next inspection, often 10 years for an owner-occupied home. Rented homes in England need an EICR at least every five years, whatever the certificate says.
Do I need to tell my home insurer about a rewire?
It's worth checking your policy, especially if you're moving out during the work or the house will be empty. Some insurers have conditions for unoccupied homes or building work. Keep the certificates afterwards, as they show the work was done properly.