Rewiring is one of those jobs where the price ranges you find online are alarmingly wide: anywhere from £3,000 to £20,000 or more for what sounds like the same thing. The reason is that “house rewire” is a service description, not a specification. What’s actually being done varies dramatically depending on the property size, the condition of the existing wiring, whether you’re doing everything at once or just the priority circuits, the standard of fittings at the end, and even the age of the walls being chased.

This guide gives real 2026 price ranges for domestic rewires across Waterlooville, Havant, Cowplain, Horndean, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle and Portsmouth city, breaking down what a proper quote should include, what usually drives the price up or down in local housing stock, and how to make sure the numbers you’re comparing are actually like-for-like.

Ballpark 2026 rewire prices by property size

These ranges assume a full rewire — replacing all circuit cabling, consumer unit, sockets, switches, ceiling roses and cooker/shower isolators — by a Part P-registered electrician with full certification and Building Regulations notification included. Prices are typical for the Waterlooville / Havant / Portsmouth catchment in 2026 and exclude VAT if you’re dealing with a VAT-registered firm:

• 1–2 bed flat or small terrace (5–7 circuits): £3,500 – £5,500
• 3-bed semi (7–9 circuits): £4,500 – £7,000
• 3-bed detached or larger semi (9–11 circuits): £5,500 – £8,500
• 4-bed detached (10–13 circuits): £7,000 – £11,000
• 5+ bed detached or converted period property: £9,000 – £16,000+

Partial rewires — for example a kitchen and upstairs only, or a single problem circuit plus a consumer unit swap — typically run £1,500–£3,500 depending on scope. Sometimes a partial makes sense as a “phase 1” of a fuller rewire spread over 12–18 months, though a well-planned phased approach costs slightly more overall than doing it all at once.

What actually drives the price

Number of circuits matters more than floor area. A small flat with a modern electric shower, oven, EV charger and multiple ring circuits can end up costing more per square foot than a larger house with just a couple of rings and a lighting circuit. The other big variable is the property itself — and this area has a wide mix of housing stock:

• Victorian terraces (Southsea, Fratton, Copnor, older parts of Havant town and Petersfield) are among the most expensive per square foot to rewire because of lath-and-plaster walls, single-brick internal walls that need proper chasing, and existing cable routes that don’t follow modern conventions. Add ceiling roses in original locations and it slows every step down.
• 1930s semis (Cosham, older Waterlooville, parts of Bedhampton and Emsworth) are usually the sweet spot — solid brick, predictable stud partitions, reasonable loft access, and installations that were commonly refreshed once in the 70s or 80s so the cable runs already exist.
• Post-war stock (Havant, Cowplain, Horndean, Purbrook, Leigh Park) tends to have been partially rewired at least once, and often the existing routes are still usable. A partial rewire is often the sensible option here.
• 1960s–70s properties: watch for aluminium wiring in a small percentage of these homes. It has to be fully replaced, not overlaid, and adds cost.
• Modern builds (post-1990 estates around Waterlooville, Denmead, Clanfield): often only need a consumer unit upgrade plus targeted fault-driven work rather than a full rewire.
• Larger period properties (parts of Rowlands Castle, Petersfield and Old Portsmouth): three-storey layouts, more bathrooms and complex heating arrangements all push the price up.

The other cost drivers are relatively predictable: additional circuits for EV charging, garden power, home offices, feature lighting and integrated smart-home systems all add to the labour and materials. Second-fix fittings above the “standard white plastic” baseline (brushed steel, matte black, feature switch plates) are usually quoted separately.

What a proper rewire quote should include

A properly scoped rewire quote should cover, at minimum:

• Isolation of the existing supply and safe removal of accessible old cabling
• New twin-and-earth (T&E) cables for every power and lighting circuit
• A new consumer unit — ideally a full-RCBO metal-clad unit with surge protection (SPD)
• New sockets, switches, ceiling roses, cooker outlet, shower isolator and any additional accessory points included in the specification
• Full earth bonding to all extraneous conductive parts (gas, water, incoming services)
• Supplementary bonding to bathrooms where the design requires it
• A full set of dead and live tests, documented
• An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and Building Regulations notification via the electrician’s Competent Persons Scheme
• Plaster patching to chased cable routes (worth confirming — usually included, but ask)
• Rubbish removal at the end of the job

What quotes usually DON’T include

These are the items that catch people out afterwards:

• Redecoration. Chases will be filled with bonding compound, but painting and wallpapering is on you.
• Carpet lifting and refitting. Some electricians will lift carefully, others expect you to arrange a fitter.
• Furniture moving. Assume you’re doing this yourself.
• Non-standard second-fix fittings. Feature pendants, downlighters and designer switch plates are usually quoted as a separate line item.
• Any structural work needed to access cable routes — for example lifting fitted units in a kitchen or removing panelling.
• Upgrades to the incoming supply if the DNO’s existing service cable is undersized (relatively rare, but worth checking on older Victorian properties).

Partial vs full rewire — which makes sense?

A full rewire is usually the right call if the property is over 30–40 years old and has never been substantially updated, has rubber or lead-sheathed cables, is failing insulation resistance testing, or has been flagged as unsatisfactory on a recent EICR with widespread issues. It’s also the most efficient time to add new circuits for EV charging, garden power or a home office.

A partial rewire makes more sense if only certain areas of the property have problems — a kitchen renovation, a loft conversion, a damaged circuit after building work, or preparation for a specific new install like an EV charger. Partial rewires are also useful for spreading cost, though it’s worth being honest about the trade-off: a partial done by a rushed electrician can leave you with mismatched circuits that then fail your next EICR.

What to expect at home while it’s happening

A typical full rewire in a 3-bed semi takes 3–5 working days; a 4-bed detached typically 5–8 days. The rough shape of the job:

• Day 1: strip out; first-fix begins on the ground floor.
• Days 2–3: first-fix continues; second-fix begins where first-fix is complete.
• Day 4: consumer unit swap (usually a whole-day job in itself); second-fix continues.
• Day 5: full test and inspection, certification, tidy-up.

Power will be intermittent throughout — usually off for several hours each day, though good electricians restore essentials (fridge, freezer) between sessions. Most people move out for at least two or three nights of a full rewire; some stay in occupied, which is bearable but hard work. Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest hit, so it’s worth planning meals in advance and having a plan for showering elsewhere for a day or two.

Finance and grants

Full rewires are rarely eligible for grants on their own. Some elements may be, though — the government’s ECO4 scheme can occasionally cover parts of an installation for households on qualifying benefits, and if you’re combining the rewire with insulation, a heat pump or an EV charger, some Hampshire local-authority bundled schemes appear from time to time. Always ask your electrician what’s currently available for your specific circumstances.

Most established local electricians offer staged payments for anything over about £5,000 — typically a deposit, an interim payment mid-job, and a final on completion. That’s the norm; asking for the full amount up front is not.

Frequently asked questions

Can I stay in the house during a rewire?

Yes, but expect real disruption. Power will be off intermittently, and kitchens and bathrooms are the worst affected. Families with young children or anyone working from home often prefer to move out for at least the middle 2–3 days.

Will my walls be a mess afterwards?

Chases will be filled with bonding compound to a decorator-ready finish, but you’ll need to redecorate. Some electricians can recommend a decorator for the patching-up stage.

Do I need a rewire before selling the property?

Not legally. But a poor EICR result at survey stage almost always knocks money off the offer, and buyers with mortgages sometimes have their lender require remedial work before completion. If your installation is more than 30 years old and never touched, budget for either a rewire or a significant price adjustment.

Can I get a cheaper quote from a non-certified electrician?

Yes — but no Part P sign-off means you’ll be facing Building Control fees to retro-notify the work when you sell, plus potential issues with buildings insurance. The saving up front is rarely worth the friction later.

How long is the electrical certificate valid?

The Electrical Installation Certificate itself doesn’t expire. Your next EICR is due within 10 years for an owner-occupied home or 5 years for a rental.

Get a fixed-price rewire quote

We carry out full and partial rewires across Waterlooville, Havant, Cowplain, Horndean, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle and Portsmouth city. Every quote is fixed-price, in writing, and includes certification and Building Regulations notification. Book a free no-obligation survey — most quotes can be delivered within 48 hours of the visit.