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A full house rewire is one of the most significant pieces of electrical work an Aberdeen homeowner can commission. The work replaces the entire fixed wiring of the property, brings the installation up to current Wiring Regulations, and resets the 25 year service clock on the electrical infrastructure. It also disrupts the household for 1 to 2 weeks and costs more than most other electrical projects. This guide covers what is involved, what it costs, what to expect from the working week, and how to plan a rewire alongside other home improvements.
What does a full house rewire actually involve?
A full house rewire replaces every fixed cable, every accessory, and the consumer unit. The scope:
- Remove all existing wiring from the consumer unit through to every accessory.
- Install fresh cabling routed to current standards through walls, floors, and ceilings.
- Fit new sockets, switches, light fittings, and accessories at every existing position (and any new positions agreed with the homeowner).
- Install a new consumer unit with comprehensive RCD or RCBO protection.
- Bring the earthing and bonding arrangements up to current standards.
- Add any additional protection (SPD, AFDD where required) appropriate to the property.
- Test the complete installation against BS 7671.
- Issue an Electrical Installation Certificate at completion.
The work touches every room and typically requires lifting some floorboards, drilling joists, and chasing walls in places. Most rewires involve some patching of plaster and paint at completion, which the homeowner usually arranges separately.
When does a house need a full rewire?
Several triggers commonly drive a full rewire decision:
Aged wiring
Homes wired before 1980 typically have wiring that no longer meets current standards. The cable insulation may be rubber or early PVC types that have become brittle over decades. The earthing arrangements are likely inadequate. The protective devices are typically rewireable fuses without RCD protection. A property of this era usually warrants a full rewire rather than piecemeal upgrades.
Multiple EICR remedial items
Where an EICR identifies multiple C2 issues across several circuits, a full rewire can be more cost effective than addressing each issue individually. The threshold is typically 4 to 6 separate remedial items, or any single major item (rewireable fuse board, inadequate earthing throughout, deteriorated insulation on multiple circuits).
Major renovation
A property undergoing a kitchen rewire, an extension, a loft conversion, or a complete refurbishment is often the right time to do a full rewire as part of the project. Coordinating the rewire with other building work reduces the marginal cost and disruption.
Inherited or recently purchased property
Buying or inheriting an older property often surfaces electrical issues that the seller did not disclose. A full rewire as part of the renovation that follows the purchase puts the installation on a clean footing.
Inadequate capacity for modern loads
Older installations were sized for the appliance density of decades ago. Modern households (induction hobs, electric showers, EV chargers, heat pumps, home offices, multiple computers) often exceed the original design assumptions. A rewire allows the installation to be sized appropriately for current and anticipated future loads.
Full house rewire cost in Aberdeen in 2026
Indicative fully installed costs for residential rewires in Aberdeen:
- 1 bedroom flat: £2,500 to £3,800.
- 2 bedroom flat or terraced house: £3,500 to £7,000.
- 3 bedroom semi detached or terraced house: £5,000 to £10,000.
- 4 bedroom detached house: £7,000 to £14,000.
- 5 bedroom or larger property: £10,000 to £18,000.
- Granite or stone built property with difficult cable routes: add 10% to 20% to the relevant range.
The price covers the full electrical scope: new cabling, all accessories, consumer unit, testing, and Electrical Installation Certificate. It does not cover plaster repair, decorative finishing, or floor reinstatement which the homeowner typically arranges separately.
How long does a rewire take?
Typical durations for an occupied or empty property:
- 1 bedroom flat: 3 to 5 working days.
- 2 bedroom property: 5 to 7 working days.
- 3 bedroom property: 6 to 9 working days.
- 4 bedroom property: 8 to 12 working days.
- Larger or complex properties: 10 to 18 working days.
An empty property is faster than an occupied property because the team can work without scheduling around the household. Properties with sound granite or stone walls can extend the timeline because cable routing is more involved.
First fix and second fix: how the work is sequenced
A rewire follows a defined sequence:
Stage 1: Strip out
The existing wiring is disconnected and removed. Sockets, switches, and accessories are taken off the walls. The consumer unit is removed at the end of this stage and a temporary supply is set up if the property remains occupied.
Stage 2: First fix
New cables are routed through the property: chased into walls, run under floorboards, threaded through ceiling voids. Back boxes for sockets and switches are installed. The consumer unit is positioned but not yet wired internally. This stage is the most disruptive and dusty.
Stage 3: Plastering and finishing
The homeowner’s plasterer or decorator addresses any wall and floor finishing that the rewire opened up. This stage typically runs for 2 to 5 days and is not part of the electrical contractor’s scope.
Stage 4: Second fix
Faithful Spark returns to fit sockets, switches, light fittings, and accessories. The consumer unit is fully populated. The new installation is connected through to the meter.
Stage 5: Testing and certification
Every circuit is tested for earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD trip times. The Electrical Installation Certificate is issued. The homeowner is given a walkthrough of the new unit and the new installation.
What can the homeowner expect during the work?
A rewire is more disruptive than most other electrical work. Practical expectations:
- Power is intermittent during the working day. Different circuits are isolated as work progresses. The supply may be off completely for periods.
- Dust and noise are unavoidable. Chasing walls and lifting floorboards generates dust. Drilling joists and running cables generates noise.
- Furniture often needs moving. Sockets and switches need access; furniture covering them must be moved temporarily.
- Some redecorating is typically needed. Walls that have been chased need filling and painting. Floors that have been lifted need reinstating.
- Many homeowners move out for the rewire week. For families with young children or anyone with health vulnerabilities, staying elsewhere during the working week makes the process much easier.
- The property is fully usable from the second fix stage onward. By the end of stage 4, the new installation is operational and the disruption is over.
Coordinating a rewire with other work
A rewire is much more efficient when combined with other work:
- Plastering or decoration: The work that opens up walls is partial; combining with planned plastering or decoration removes the most visible legacy of the rewire.
- Kitchen or bathroom refit: Major renovations in these rooms involve electrical changes anyway. Doing the rewire at the same time avoids duplicate disruption.
- Loft conversion or extension: New spaces need wiring; doing the whole rewire as part of the project rationalises the work.
- EV charger or solar PV installation: A new consumer unit with appropriate protection is the natural starting point for any new major load.
- EICR remedial work: Where an EICR has identified multiple issues, a rewire can be the most cost effective response.
For background on how the new consumer unit fits into a rewire, see our pillar guide on consumer unit upgrades in Aberdeen. For EICR context, see our pillar guide on EICR services in Aberdeen.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay in the house during a rewire?
Yes, with planning. The work is disruptive but not impossible to live through. Many homeowners stay if they have flexible work arrangements and the property has at least one room that can be kept clear of work activity at any given time. Families with young children often choose to move out for the working week.
Will my furniture and possessions be safe?
The team takes care to protect furniture and possessions, but dust is unavoidable. Cover sensitive items, move valuables to a single secure room, and accept that some general cleaning will be needed at the end of the work.
Does the rewire include moving sockets to better positions?
It can, at the planning stage. The new layout is agreed with the homeowner before first fix. Adding sockets in modern positions (more in kitchens, additional positions in living rooms, USB sockets) is a common request and is included in the rewire scope at the agreed price.
Can I do part of the rewire myself?
No. Rewiring is notifiable work that must be carried out by a NICEIC or SELECT registered electrician. Self installed work cannot be certified to BS 7671 and creates serious safety, insurance, and resale problems.
Will the rewire affect my home insurance?
A rewire with a current Electrical Installation Certificate generally has a positive effect on home insurance. The new installation is more reliable, more compliant, and less likely to cause an electrical incident. Notify your insurer of the work as a property improvement.
How long is the rewire valid?
The new installation has a service life of approximately 25 years with appropriate maintenance. The Electrical Installation Certificate is a one off document that does not expire. Future EICR cycles continue on the standard 5 year landlord cycle or 10 year owner occupier recommendation.
Book a rewire survey
Faithful Spark provides full house rewires across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Free survey, fixed price quote, scheduled around your other work, and full NICEIC certification at completion. See our pillar guides on consumer unit upgrades and EICR services for related context.
Faithful Spark Electricians. NICEIC approved. Local Aberdeen team. Full house rewires, partial rewires, and Electrical Installation Certificates for Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh and across Aberdeenshire.
