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House Rewiring in Kent: Costs, Timelines and What to Expect

27 February 20267 min read

House Rewiring in Kent: What It Costs, How Long It Takes, and What the Work Involves

If you're looking into house rewiring in Kent, cost is probably the first thing on your mind — but it shouldn't be the only thing. A full rewire is one of the most significant electrical projects a homeowner can undertake, and understanding what's actually involved will help you plan properly, budget accurately, and avoid nasty surprises.

This guide covers the realistic costs of a house rewire in 2026, typical timescales, the process from start to finish, and what to look for in a contractor.

What Does House Rewiring in Kent Cost?

House rewiring costs vary depending on the size of the property, its age, and the complexity of the installation. Below are realistic ballpark figures for Kent and the wider South East.

Rewiring Costs by Property Size

| Property Type | Estimated Cost | |---|---| | 1-bedroom flat | £2,500 – £4,000 | | 2-bedroom house | £3,500 – £5,500 | | 3-bedroom house | £5,000 – £8,000 | | 4-bedroom house | £7,000 – £12,000 | | 5+ bedroom house | £10,000+ |

These figures include labour, materials, a new consumer unit, first and second fix wiring, and testing and certification. They don't include redecoration — more on that below.

What Affects the Final Price?

A few factors can push costs toward the higher end:

Age of the property. Older homes in places like Rochester, Maidstone, or the historic villages across Kent often have more complex layouts and existing wiring that's harder to work around.
Accessibility. If your home has solid floors or limited loft access, running new cables takes longer.
The number of circuits. Kitchens, utility rooms, EV chargers, outbuildings, and home offices all add circuits.
Consumer unit specification. A modern dual RCD or RCBO consumer unit compliant with BS 7671:2018 (Amendment 2) is standard, but specification can vary.
Adding extras. If you're taking the walls back anyway, it often makes sense to add USB outlets, data cabling, or additional lighting circuits at the same time.

Always get at least two or three quotes and make sure they're like-for-like. A quote that doesn't mention certification or testing should raise questions.

How Long Does a House Rewire Take?

Timescales depend on the size of the property and how disruptive you're prepared for the work to be.

Typical Rewiring Timescales

1–2 bedroom property: 3–5 days
3-bedroom house: 5–7 days
4–5 bedroom house: 7–14 days

These are working days, not calendar days. Most electricians work first fix (running cables) and second fix (fitting sockets, switches, and consumer unit) in two distinct phases, though on a domestic rewire these often run consecutively.

During the work, you'll need to be flexible about electricity being off for portions of each day. A good contractor will manage this carefully so you're not left without power overnight.

What the Rewiring Process Actually Looks Like

Initial Survey and Quote

Before any work starts, a competent electrician should visit the property in person. This isn't optional — a quote given over the phone without a site visit isn't worth much. The survey lets the contractor assess cable routes, the condition of existing wiring, the position of the incoming supply, and any complications specific to your home.

First Fix

This is the disruptive phase. The electricians will open up walls, lift floorboards, and run new cables throughout the property. Every socket, switch, light fitting, and circuit gets new wiring from scratch. This is also when a new consumer unit location is agreed upon, if it's moving.

Expect dust and disruption. Most homeowners either move out temporarily or plan the work room by room.

Second Fix

Once the cables are in place and any making-good has started (or is planned), the team returns to connect everything up — fitting sockets, switches, the new consumer unit, and light fittings if supplied. This phase is much less disruptive.

Testing and Certification

Every rewire must be tested and certified under Part P of the Building Regulations. A NICEIC-approved contractor like Cleary Electrical can self-certify this work, meaning we notify the local authority on your behalf and issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). You'll need this certificate if you ever sell the property.

The test involves a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) protocol — continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD testing — to confirm the installation is safe and compliant with BS 7671.

What About the Redecoration?

This is the part many homeowners aren't fully prepared for. A rewire involves opening walls and lifting floors. The electricians will make good where they can — pushing cables through existing channels, using oval conduit under plaster, drilling through joists cleanly — but you should budget for redecorating afterwards.

Some electrical contractors include basic making-good in their quotes. Cleary Electrical is transparent about what's included, so there are no surprises at the end.

For a three-bedroom house in Kent, allow an additional £1,500–£4,000 for plastering and decoration, depending on how many rooms are affected and the finish you're after.

When to Call a Qualified Electrician

A full rewire is always work for a qualified, registered electrician. It's notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations, which means it must be carried out by a Part P registered contractor or separately certified by a building control body.

Beyond the legal requirement, there are practical safety reasons. Older wiring — particularly rubber-insulated cables common in pre-1970s homes across Kent — degrades over time and poses a genuine fire and electrocution risk. If your property still has a fusebox with rewirable fuses, or you're finding that circuits trip regularly, or you've had an EICR that's come back unsatisfactory, a rewire isn't something to defer.

Signs a rewire may be needed:

Persistent burning smell near outlets or the fuseboard
Scorch marks or discolouration around sockets
Wiring with rubber or fabric insulation
An EICR with C1 or C2 codes
No RCD protection on the circuits
The property has had no electrical work done in over 25–30 years

If you're buying an older property in Kent — whether in Bromley, Sidcup, Swanley, or a rural village — it's worth getting an EICR done before exchange. It may not affect your purchase decision, but it will affect your budget.

Choosing the Right Electrical Contractor in Kent

Look for a contractor registered with a government-approved scheme. NICEIC registration means the contractor is assessed regularly against BS 7671 and Part P requirements — it's not a badge anyone can print off.

Ask for:

Evidence of NICEIC registration (verifiable at niceic.com)
A written, itemised quote
Confirmation that the work will be certified under Part P
A clear explanation of what's included — and what isn't

Avoid any electrician who offers to do the work "off the books" or suggests you don't need certification. You do, and skipping it creates problems when you come to sell.

Get a Free Quote from Cleary Electrical

Cleary Electrical is a NICEIC-approved electrical contractor based in Rochester, working across Kent and the South East — including Surrey, Essex, Greater London, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hampshire.

If you're planning a rewire or want to understand what's involved before committing, we're happy to visit, assess the property, and give you a clear, honest quote at no charge.

Need a qualified electrician?

Get a free, no-obligation quote from our NICEIC-approved team. We serve Kent, the South East, and nationwide.