How Much to Rewire
a 3-Bed House?
The realistic 2026 UK price to rewire a 3-bed house is £4,500 to £7,500 depending on access, plaster type plus the spec of fittings. This guide breaks down where the money actually goes plus how to compare quotes properly.
Expect £4,500 to £7,500 to fully rewire a typical UK 3-bed semi or terrace at 2026 prices. The lower end covers easy access, modern plaster plus standard white moulded fittings. The upper end is for solid floors, hard plaster, premium accessories or any extras like data cabling, smart switches or extra circuits for an EV charger or electric shower. The price always includes new metal consumer unit, full RCD protection, BS 7671 18th Edition certification plus Part P notification.
The figures that matter
Lower end
Easy access, modern plaster, standard fittings, no extras.
Average
The typical mid-range quote for a UK 3-bed semi in 2026.
Upper end
Solid floors, hard plaster, premium fittings plus extra circuits.
Consumer unit
Inside the rewire quote. New metal CU with RCDs plus AFDDs as required.
Four things to consider
Labour is the bulk
Roughly 65 to 70% of the quote is labour. The rest is materials plus testing kit.
Floor type matters
Solid floors add £400 to £900 in materials plus extra labour to chase or surface mount.
Plaster age matters
Hard pre-1960 plaster slows chasing plus blunts disc cutters. Add £300 to £600.
Extras are clear
EV charger circuit, electric shower or data points are quoted line by line, not hidden.
What you are actually paying for in a 3-bed rewire
A full rewire on a 3-bed house involves roughly 70 to 90 metres of new twin and earth cable, a new metal consumer unit, full RCD protection, between 30 and 45 sockets, 15 to 25 light points plus all the back boxes, switches plus pattresses to terminate them. Plus the testing equipment time plus the certification plus the Building Control notification.
The single biggest cost is labour. A 3-bed rewire typically requires 60 to 80 electrician hours from start to finish. At 2026 UK rates this represents around 65 to 70 percent of the total quote. The remaining 30 to 35 percent is materials, consumer unit, accessories plus the test kit time.
Why prices vary £4,500 to £7,500.
- Property access. Easy suspended timber floors plus a clear loft is the cheapest scenario. Solid concrete floors or restricted loft access add 2 to 3 days of labour plus extra materials.
- Plaster construction. Modern bonding plaster on plasterboard chases fast. Pre-1960 lime or cement plaster chases slowly plus eats blades.
- Accessory spec. Standard white moulded sockets plus switches are the baseline. Brushed steel, antique brass or smart switches double or triple the accessory cost.
- Extra circuits. Adding an EV charger, electric shower, induction hob or workshop supply each adds £350 to £700 on top of the base rewire.
- Decoration responsibility. Some quotes include making good with patch plastering. Others stop at first fix neat ready for plasterer.
What should always be inside a 3-bed rewire quote: a new metal consumer unit with RCDs and AFDDs as required, full BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 3 testing, the EIC certificate, Part P self-certification through NICEIC or NAPIT plus a six-year workmanship warranty.
Real number ranges
3-bed rewire price ranges (UK 2026)
When each cost is incurred during the rewire
Survey plus quote
Free site survey, fixed written quote, deposit usually 25% on acceptance.
First fix
Materials drawn down, labour at peak. Most of the cost lands here.
Second fix
Accessories plus consumer unit. Final stage payment normally falls here.
Sign-off
Certificates issued. Final payment on hand-back, warranty starts the same day.
Four ways to keep the cost honest
Always get the quote in writing
A verbal quote on a rewire is worth nothing. Written, itemised, with materials brand listed where it matters.
Check the consumer unit spec
It must be metal, RCD-protected throughout plus AFDD where the regs require. Cheap quotes often skimp here.
Confirm Part P route on day one
Either the electrician self-certifies through NICEIC or NAPIT. Otherwise Building Control fees apply on top.
Ask about the warranty
NICEIC plus NAPIT registered firms offer a six-year workmanship guarantee. Confirm this in writing.
Get a Free Rewire Quote
Free no-obligation site survey. Written itemised quote within 48 hours. NICEIC plus NAPIT registered. Six-year workmanship warranty across Bedford, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Wellingborough plus Luton.
Compare the options
What a fair £6,000 quote includes
- ✓New metal consumer unit with full RCD plus AFDD protection where required.
- ✓30 to 45 sockets at the positions you specified.
- ✓BS 7671 testing plus EIC certificate at the end of the job.
- ✓Part P self-certification through NICEIC or NAPIT, no extra Building Control fees.
- ✓Six-year workmanship warranty backed by the registration body.
Warning signs in a £3,500 quote
- ✗No mention of consumer unit brand or whether AFDDs are included.
- ✗Verbal only, no itemised written breakdown.
- ✗Vague on testing plus certification. EIC certificate not explicitly listed.
- ✗Cash-only deposit with no business invoice or VAT receipt.
- ✗No NICEIC or NAPIT registration number on the quote document.
Cost is the leading question on every rewire enquiry. Our home rewires hub covers cost, timing plus disruption side by side so you can plan the whole job.
Visit the Home Rewires Hub
This article is one chapter inside our complete Home Rewires knowledge base. The hub covers timing, cost, disruption plus regulation in a single index.
If you would like a fixed quote on your specific 3-bed property in our coverage area, our Bedford electrician page details how we conduct the free site survey plus deliver an itemised written quote within 48 hours.
More on home rewires
Three articles cover related cost plus scope questions. House rewire cost UK looks at every property size, not just 3-bed. How to get your house rewired for free covers grants plus schemes that occasionally apply. How long does it take to rewire a house shows where the labour cost is incurred.