How much to rewire a two bed 50's original wiring house

mrjet

Hi Guys,

I am in need of some advice,

I have just purchased a house that has not had its wiring updated since the original install in the 50's. I need a complete rewire consisting of 20 double sockets and 9 pendant lights with switches, extractor in bathroom and new consumer unit. The problem is I have three massively different quotes!!

first is £4750 plus VAT
second is £2950 plus VAT
third is £1950 plus VAT

All are for basic white fitments and the third was without a site visit, said they could provide a rough quote without site visit.

The house is on the kent/greater London border. Have to add the house will be empty so no clearing up nightly etc.

Any advice greatly appreciated. The house needs so much work and I thought it would be relatively simply to choose between quotes and contractors but this is the first job and already I am baffled!

Yooj_2

Hi,

I would say that the middle figure quote is the nearer price to reality.

I am assuming that you are having all cables buried in the walls and not surface mount?

Additionally, are you having anything particular done in the kitchen, i.e. cooker circuit, appliance sockets hidden behind base units with appliance switches etc above worktops?

zax47

Find typical costs, across the country, for a 2 bed re-wire here

mrjet

Thanks guys, I am having cables chased in and made good and no special works are taking place in kitchen or bathroom. I will have a look at the national typical prices and I think you are correct with the point of larger contractors using middle men etc pushing price up as the 1st quote was from a relatively large company!

zax47

Depending on the number of circuits and outlets (sockets etc.), I'd definitely be charging under £2K here in West Yorks, seeing as it's only a 2 bed and empty at that. Guess you should add a bit so the London sparkies can put petrol in their Bentleys :rotfl: .

If it's empty then it's not a long job, one good measure is if they remove the old cables or just clip them off and leave them in (lazy b'stards!)

mrjet

Being in London does seem to be adding a fair wack on, god knows why as there is so many tradesman floating around you would think they would be offering competitive quotes!!!

Will definately enquire about the actual ripping out of cables! Cheeky sods didn't even cross my mind!

cattie

My house was rewired about 18months ago, also on the London/Kent border. I have a 3 bed property & it cost me in the region of £3500 all in, which was a discounted rate, due to electrician knowing my nephew. Walls chased & made good afterwards & house unoccupied, though with furniture, whilst work going on

I'd had other quotes of around the £3500-£4500 mark + vat & one electrician quoted a day labour rate of £350 & estimated anything up to 16 days work :eek: plus materials & vat.

missnippy

I've just paid £2k inc. VAT for a complete rewire of a two bed house - all lights, cooker point, existing singles turned into doubles, and six new double sockets added. The house was empty, and the rewire was completed in two and a half days.

shane42

About 3 k in the s/e ,not making good normaly either, ( floors back but not plastering)