Posted on 2026-03-11
Rewiring Costs in Swindon
Rewiring is one of the biggest electrical jobs a Swindon homeowner can undertake. It's also one of the most important for safety. Here's a detailed cost breakdown and what to expect from the process.
Rewiring cost breakdown
By property size
Rewiring costs in Swindon vary significantly by property size: 1-bed flat (£2,500-£4,000), 2-bed house (£3,500-£5,500), 3-bed house (£4,500-£7,500), 4-bed house (£6,000-£9,500), 5+ bed house (£8,000+). These prices include a new consumer unit, all new wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings, testing, certification, and Building Control notification. They don't include making good (replastering, redecorating), which adds 10-20%.
What affects the price
The main cost factors are: property size and number of floors, number of circuits required, accessibility of wiring routes (modern homes are easier than older ones with solid walls), the condition of existing trunking and conduit, whether you want additional sockets or circuits beyond the standard specification, and the quality of fittings chosen. A good electrician will survey your property and provide a detailed quote.
Signs your home needs rewiring
Age indicators
If your Swindon home has any of the following, it probably needs rewiring: rubber-insulated cables (black, with coloured rubber cores), round pin sockets, a wooden or bakelite fuse box, cables without an earth wire, or original wiring from before 1960. Even if the wiring appears functional, deteriorating insulation and connections create fire and shock risks that increase with every passing year.
Visual and functional warning signs
Beyond age, look for: scorch marks on sockets or switches, frequent fuse blowing or circuit tripping, a burning smell with no obvious source, lights dimming when you plug in appliances, loose sockets that wobble in the wall, or a tingling sensation from switches or appliances. Any of these indicate potentially dangerous wiring that needs immediate professional assessment.
The rewiring process
What to expect
A full house rewire in Swindon typically takes 5-10 working days for a 3-bed house. The electrician works room by room: lifting floorboards to route cables, chasing channels in walls for new cable runs, installing new back boxes for sockets and switches, fitting the new consumer unit, and testing every circuit. Some disruption to walls, floors, and ceilings is unavoidable, but a skilled electrician minimises this.
Living in the house during a rewire
It's possible to live in your home during a rewire, but it's not comfortable. You'll have limited power (the electrician reconnects essential circuits at the end of each day), dust from chasing walls, and rooms temporarily out of use. If you can stay elsewhere for the first 3-4 days when the heaviest work happens, that's ideal. Discuss the schedule with your electrician before work starts.
After the rewire
Making good
After the rewire, walls need replastering where cables were chased in, floorboards need refitting, and the house needs redecorating. Budget 10-20% on top of the rewire cost for making good. Some electricians offer to make good as part of their quote. Others prefer you to use a plasterer and decorator. Clarify this before work starts so you can budget accurately.
Certification
On completion, you should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) detailing all work carried out and all test results. This document is required by Building Regulations and is essential if you ever sell the property. The electrician also notifies Building Control, and you'll receive a compliance certificate. Keep all of these documents permanently. Call 01793 612 101 for a free rewiring quote in Swindon.