This page gives guidance on the cost of home electrics, showing prices for typical tasks. You’ll see figures ranging from the price to fit a double socket to carrying out a full house re-wire. We recorded this data from our home renovations since 2004, updated with estimates to 2023 economic conditions.
Before looking at specific figures, we examine the factors that affect the price. Apart from the obvious, this prepares you for costs that you may not have considered.
In other articles you can read general advice on home lighting and how to design and specify kitchen electrics.
An electrician’s time
When pricing a job, an electrician will consider the time and materials required. Time will include installation and test, but also travel, lifting and replacing carpets and floorboards, drilling joists, chasing walls and so on. You could save yourselves some money by moving furniture and making the space ready in advance.
Materials covers wiring, clips and other sundries which you’d expect the electrician to supply. You would agree between you who would supply light fittings and sockets. Generally speaking, the electrician would supply trade standard items, but a client may choose to supply special items like wall lights.
Organised electricians order deliveries from local stockists to arrive direct to site. This makes better use of their time. Watch out for trades who spend excessive periods away from the job picking up materials.
There are obvious economies of scale in electrical work; the more you ask the electrician to do, the better the value. If you only want one socket fitted, the total time and cost would be applied just to the one socket. If the project involves several sockets, lights, network cables and a consumer unit, the cost would be spread over all these tasks.
You should be clear what you want the electrician to do. Importantly, you need to specify the fittings. If you have no idea, a good electrician will bring brochures to help you choose, and explain the options. Some may even order samples to show you.
Most electricians will visit to discuss your requirements, and carry out a visual inspection free of charge. In addition to the specific job you have in mind, mention any doubts about your existing electrics.
We recommend an electrical installation condition report – an “MOT” for your home electrics. This costs around £300 for a typical UK 3-bed property, and will identify deviations from current regulations, classified by severity. You can then decide which of the deviations to rectify and add to your specification.
It’s more efficient to carry out these additional tasks alongside project work when floorboards are up and walls are being chased and re-plastered.
Other costs
Here are some of the other costs that you may not have considered. Electricians will chase the plaster so you’ll need to add the price of making good after installation by a plasterer and decorator. During a recent extensive renovation over 2 floors, the cost of making good electrical chases was over £1200 (!). And a carpet-fitter may charge £25-£40 to replace any carpets professionally.
Typical prices for home electrics
The prices below include time and materials. They are exclusive of VAT so you would need to add this at the prevailing rate if the electrician is VAT-registered. And don’t forget the “other costs” described above.
Consumer unit
Supply and fit replacement consumer unit: £450-£600
Sockets and switches
Supply and fit new double socket: £75-£95 (single socket similar)
Supply and fit light switch: £70-£80 per circuit / gang
Supply and fit a dimmer switch: £80-£85 per circuit / gang
Supply and fit 5A circuit: £70-£85 per socket
Supply and fit socket for cooker, oven, hob: £150-£170
Fit bathroom cabinet (with power): £110-£125
Fit electrics for dual-fuel towel warmer: £120-£130
Supply and fit electrics for boiler: £275-£350
Supply and fit electrics for wet underfloor heating system: £300-£350
Supply and fit shaver point: £105-£120
Supply and fit bathroom extractor: £175-£320 (depends on type, size, complexity and whether walls need to be cored for the duct and vent; price here does not include any lead slate vent)
Interior Lighting
Supply and fit series of recessed LED downlighters (eg in a kitchen): £80-£95 per fitting
Fit wall light: £70-£80
Fit track ceiling light (for spotlights, per track): £110-£120
Supply and fit replacement ceiling rose: £35
Fit pendant light: £40-£70 (depends on design)
Supply and fit step lights: £80-£100 per fitting
Supply and fit peripheral ceiling lighting (basic living room size): £1800-£2250
Supply and fit ceiling picture light: £150-£165
Supply and fit plinth LED strip lighting (eg for kitchen and island): £500-£800
Supply and fit alcove shelf LED striplights: £90-£110 per shelf
Fit pelmet lights: £70 per fitting
Supply and fit new attic light with switch: £120
Supply and fit bulkhead light and switch (eg in storage cupboard): £80-£100
Supply and fit niche light (eg for shower shampoo niche): £200-£240
Exterior Electrics
Supply and fit external power socket: £140-£190
Fit patio lights / path lights: £75-£85 per fitting
Supply and fit new PIR security light: £135
Other Electrical
Supply and fit new aerial socket with coax: £120 per coax
Supply and fit CAT 6 network cables: £180-£220 per cable pair, depending on complexity and routing
Earth bonding for gas and water: £150-£200
Install wired smoke alarm / heat detector: £135-£190
Supply and fit new phone point: £60-£200
Cost of kitchen electrics in 30s property
Supply and fit electrics for open plan kitchen diner above: £3900 – this included the following:
Supply and fit 17 recessed LED downlighters
Supply and fit 3 x 2-way switches of various gangs
Fit 2 wall lights supplied by others
Fit 2 pendants supplied by others
Fit 2 pelmet lights supplied by others
Supply and fit an LED strip plinth light
Supply and fit 6 double sockets
Power for wet UFH
Power for new boiler
Power for 8 appliances
Kitchen electrics in 30s house
Supply and fit electrics for open plan kitchen diner above with separate utility room: £4100 – this included the following:
Supply and fit 21 recessed LED downlighters
Supply and fit 3 x 2-way switches of various gangs
Fit 2 wall lights supplied by others
Fit 1 pendant supplied by others
Fit 1 ceiling light supplied by others in utility
Fit 1 pelmet light supplied by others in utility
Supply and fit an LED strip plinth light
Supply and fit 7 double sockets
Power for wet UFH
Power for new boiler
Power for 6 appliances
Kitchen in Edwardian terrace
Supply and fit electrics for new open-plan kitchen diner above: £6100
Supply and fit new double socket: £75-£85 per socket (colour-matched sockets extra)
Supply and fit lighting circuit with switch: £65-£75 per circuit
Supply and fit electrics for wet underfloor heating control: £300 – £400
Supply and fit electrics for boiler: £300 – £375
Supply and fit electrics for bathroom cabinet: £100 – £120
Supply and fit electrics for water softener: £75
Supply and fit shaving point: £85 – £95
Supply and fit mid-range extractor fan: £300 ( includes coring hole in wall)
Supply and fit large extractor fan in loft space: £175 (does not include lead slate work for vent)
To fit a wall light supplied by others: £70-£80
Supply and fit bulkhead light in eaves storage space: £85 – £110
Supply and fit wall-washer recessed light (the picture light above): £170 – £190
Fit a pendant light fitting supplied by others: £50 – £80
Supply and fit 5A circuit for table lamps etc: £85 – £95 per socket
Fit section of track lighting supplied by others: £110 – £120
Fit speaker cable for surround sound (one room): £240 – £300
Fit 10 exterior path lights supplied by others: £700 – £850
Price of a house re-wire
Re-wire 3 bed Edwardian terrace house (over 3 floors): £7500
Re-wire 3 bed standard 30s semi: £5500
Re-wire large townhouse
Re-wire 6-storey townhouse (with basements) (from scratch): £15500
Re-wire large 4 bedroom detached house: £12000
General house renovation
If you are looking into the cost of home electrics as part of a broader home refurbishment, you might like to read about our house renovation service, or call 07711 857670.
Because we’ve renovated many houses over the past 14 years, we’ve built up a database of typical costs. This page on the cost of home electrics is one of several; many of our readers are also keen to know the cost of a house renovation.
We also share our practical experiences of home renovation with readers through a series of guides, some of which are linked below. Our blog also contains other advice sheets which you may find useful.
- Controlling the Cost of Home Improvements – Making sure you’ve considered everything in the total project cost
- Property Renovation Guide – The steps to a successful renovation including your choice of main contractor.
- How to Renovate a Property – Preparing for a home renovation and a guide on services offered by various professionals.
- How Much to Invest in a Property – Considerations on the amount of money you might consider spending on home improvements.
- Home Design – If you are struggling to visualise your new home, this shows how basic 3D images can help without costing the earth.
- Property Renovation Companies – What a good property renovation company should do, and how they can help you.
- Kitchen Design – Practical steps for designing your dream kitchen
- Bathroom Design – Considerations for a stylish yet practical bathroom
To see more of our house renovations in Bath and Bristol, with plenty of lighting examples, please visit our portfolio.
