What's included in a 2026 London rewire
A full rewire to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations amendment 2) replaces all fixed wiring in the property. Standard inclusions: new metal-cased consumer unit with RCBOs on every circuit (replacing older split-load RCD boards), new ring final or radial circuits to all sockets, new lighting circuits typically on per-floor basis, dedicated circuits for cooker, shower, immersion and any EV charging point, surge protection device (SPD), arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) on bedroom circuits where required, smoke and heat alarms hardwired to AD-B, bathroom supplementary bonding where required, and full earthing upgrade to current main equipotential bonding standards. The work concludes with a full Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), Part P notification to building control, and a five-year Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) as the certificate of compliance.
What drives cost in London properties
Three factors push rewire cost above the base range. First, building age and finish: Victorian and Edwardian properties with lath-and-plaster walls, ornate cornicing and original timber floors are far slower to wire than post-war plasterboard properties — chase routing must avoid plaster damage and floor lifting must be reversible. Second, property height and access: top-floor flats above three storeys without lift access add labour time and material delivery cost. Third, scope additions: rewiring during a renovation typically pulls in associated upgrades — smart lighting, Cat6 data cabling, audio-visual provision, EV charging point, solar PV inverter circuit, heat pump tail circuit — each of which adds £500–£3,000. A full rewire is also the trigger point at which most clients upgrade the consumer unit to a board with capacity for future PV, battery and EV additions.
Programme and disruption
A 3-bed terrace rewire typically takes 8–12 working days first fix (chasing, cabling, back-boxes, board install), 2–3 days second fix (faceplates, switches, light fittings, testing) with plastering and decoration between. The property is essentially uninhabitable during first fix as floors are lifted, sockets are off-line and power is cut for extended periods — most clients vacate or relocate to a single room for the rewire week. Where the rewire is part of a wider renovation, the electrician's programme integrates with first-fix plumbing, plastering, kitchen and bathroom fit. Coordinating these trades is where most cost overruns and delays happen on London renovations — Builderr's project managers sequence the trades and lock the rewire window into the master programme.
