RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL COST GUIDE · LONDON
Electrical Services Costs in London.
Plan the likely cost of residential electrical installation, alteration and upgrade work, from sockets and lighting to new circuits, consumer units, kitchens, bathrooms and complete rewiring.
September 2026 Growchance planning guidance. All displayed prices exclude VAT unless stated otherwise.
RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL COSTS
LONDON GUIDANCEMINIMUM PLANNED ELECTRICAL JOB
The minimum normally applies where a small electrical task is booked as an isolated visit. Several items completed together may be priced differently.
ELECTRICAL COST SNAPSHOT
Typical residential electrical prices in London.
Small electrical tasks are usually affected by the minimum visit, while circuits, kitchens, bathrooms and rewires are better priced as defined packages of work.
These are September 2026 Growchance planning ranges excluding VAT. Final prices depend on the installation, access, specification and test results.
Minimum planned job
£135Normally applies where a small electrical task is booked as an isolated visit.
Electrician hourly rate
£50 – £85Per person and mainly used for diagnosis or work that cannot be defined accurately in advance.
New double socket
£95 – £165Standard accessory and ordinary installation materials included where stated in the quotation.
Standard downlight
£45 – £80Per standard fire-rated LED downlight within a suitable planned installation.
Standard consumer unit
£450 – £810Subject to circuit quantity, existing installation condition, testing and any necessary remedial work.
Three-bedroom house rewire
£6,300 – £10,500Property-level planning range based on a standard specification rather than a fixed rewire package.
A £55 socket replacement would not normally be booked as a £55 visit. Lower per-item rates can become relevant when several compatible tasks are completed together during the same planned appointment.
LABOUR AND BOOKING RATES
The right pricing method depends on how clearly the task is defined.
Hourly charging is most useful for diagnosis or work where the extent cannot be established before investigation.
Standard installations are normally clearer when priced as a fixed task, planned booking or complete project scope.
Minimum planned job
£135Applies to isolated small jobs where travel, preparation, testing and administration are not covered adequately by the individual item rate.
Hourly rate
£50 – £85Per electrician, per hour. Mainly suitable for diagnosis, tracing or alteration work whose extent cannot be confirmed in advance.
Planned half day
£165 – £235Per electrician. Used as a planned booking rate rather than a simple multiplication of the diagnostic hourly charge.
Planned full day
£250 – £405Per electrician for a defined day of planned residential electrical installation or alteration work.
FIXED TASK PRICING
Better for standard, measurable electrical work.
Sockets, lighting points, circuits, consumer units and normal kitchen or bathroom installations can usually be priced against a defined scope, subject to the existing installation and access.
HOURLY PRICING
Better where the cause or extent remains uncertain.
Fault tracing and investigative work can reveal conditions that are not visible initially. The £135 diagnostic minimum applies before additional agreed time is charged at the applicable hourly rate.
All prices exclude VAT. Parking, permits and the Congestion Charge are additional where incurred. Out-of-hours and emergency electrical call-outs are not offered under this guide.
SOCKETS AND SWITCHES
Typical costs for electrical points and accessories.
The price depends on whether an existing accessory is being replaced, a point is being moved or new cabling must be installed.
Standard task prices can include ordinary installation materials and a standard white accessory where specifically stated. Premium products remain separate.
MINIMUM CHARGE
Individual item prices do not replace the minimum visit.
An isolated £55 accessory replacement would still normally fall under the £135 minimum planned-job charge. Lower per-item rates become more relevant where several compatible tasks are completed during the same visit.
FINISHING EXCLUSIONS
Electrical chasing is not complete decoration.
The electrical allowance does not automatically include final plaster skim, wallpaper repair, painting or reinstatement of specialist tiled and decorative finishes.
LIGHTING COSTS
Lighting prices depend on the fitting and the wiring behind it.
Replacing a suitable existing fitting is different from creating a new lighting point, altering switching or installing several recessed lights.
The quotation should distinguish the electrical installation allowance from the cost of customer-selected decorative products.
Replace an existing light fitting
£70 – £130Installation onto a suitable existing point. The selected decorative fitting is normally supplied separately.
Create a new ceiling or wall light point
£135 – £250Subject to the proposed cable route, switching arrangement and condition of the existing circuit.
Standard fire-rated LED downlight
£45 – £80Per light within a suitable planned installation using a standard fire-rated LED unit.
Typical six-downlight room
£270 – £480Planning range for six standard downlights where access and circuit conditions are suitable.
External light near an existing supply
£135 – £270Standard planned installation; specialist access, extended cable routes and premium fittings remain separate.
Replace or install a dimmer
£60 – £110Subject to compatibility between the dimmer, lamp, driver and existing wiring.
LED strip or under-cabinet zone
£180 – £360Typical installation allowance. Decorative strip, profile, driver and control specification may be priced separately.
New bathroom-rated lighting point
£65 – £120Wiring and standard installation allowance for a suitable bathroom-rated point or fitting.
PRODUCT SELECTION
Decorative and architectural fittings remain separate.
Designer fittings, premium dimmers, smart controls, specialist LED profiles and high-value external lights should be selected and priced separately from the standard installation allowance.
MINIMUM CHARGE
One small fitting still requires a planned visit.
The £135 minimum planned-job charge normally applies to an isolated fitting replacement. Per-item rates become more useful when several compatible lighting tasks are completed together.
CIRCUITS AND PROTECTION
New circuits cost more than adding a single accessory.
A new circuit can involve cable routing, protective devices, connections at the consumer unit, testing and certification.
The final price depends on the circuit length, electrical load, access and condition of the existing installation.
New lighting circuit
£315 – £540New protected lighting circuit subject to the number of points, route length and access.
New socket circuit
£360 – £630New radial or ring circuit depending on the design, point quantity and installation route.
Dedicated cooker or oven circuit
£225 – £360Subject to appliance requirements, cable length, protective device and connection arrangement.
Electric-shower circuit
£380 – £630Electrical circuit allowance only. The shower unit and plumbing work remain separate unless included in the quotation.
Bathroom-fan supply and control
£225 – £315New electrical supply and control arrangement for a suitable domestic bathroom extractor fan.
Additional protective device
£80 – £160Additional RCBO or appropriate device where the existing board and proposed design allow it.
Separate SPD upgrade
£90 – £180Surge-protection allowance where it is required separately rather than included with a new consumer unit.
Main earthing or bonding upgrade
£110 – £270Subject to the existing arrangement, access and the work required to achieve the specified upgrade.
Larger consumer unit
£630 – £1,080Planning range for a larger 12–16 way domestic consumer unit, subject to testing and installation condition.
STANDARD CONSUMER UNIT
The existing circuits must be tested before the final scope is known.
The standard range can cover a suitable metal consumer unit, RCBO protection, surge protection where required by the design, standard labelling, testing, the appropriate Electrical Installation Certificate and notification where applicable. Existing circuit faults, remedial work and necessary earthing or bonding upgrades are assessed separately.
A new consumer unit does not correct every existing electrical defect. Unsatisfactory test results, damaged circuits, unsuitable accessories or incomplete earthing and bonding can require additional work before the installation is completed.
KITCHEN ELECTRICAL COSTS
Kitchen electrics should follow the confirmed appliance layout.
Socket positions, appliance supplies, lighting and switching should be coordinated with the kitchen design before first fix.
The package price depends on the number of points, appliance requirements, cable routes and condition of the existing installation.
Kitchen electrical first fix
£500 – £900Initial cabling and electrical preparation based on the agreed kitchen and appliance layout.
Kitchen electrical second fix
£350 – £650Final accessory, fitting and appliance connections after the relevant kitchen installation stages are ready.
Typical complete kitchen package
£900 – £1,550Planning range for normal first and second fix electrical work within a kitchen renovation. A new consumer unit is excluded unless required.
INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS
Appliance connections depend on a suitable existing supply.
These prices cover planned electrical connections. Appliances, specialist accessories and a new dedicated circuit remain separate unless the quotation states otherwise.
The £135 minimum planned-job charge normally applies to an isolated appliance connection. Lower individual connection rates become more relevant where several compatible electrical tasks are completed together within the same kitchen project. Appliances and customer-selected products are separate.
BATHROOM ELECTRICAL COSTS
Bathroom electrics must suit the room and the installation zones.
Bathroom electrical work may include lighting, extraction, a shaver socket, an electric towel rail and the associated first and second fix.
The quotation should account for the proposed layout, ventilation route, product specification and condition of the existing circuits.
Shaver socket
£90 – £150Standard installation subject to location, cable route and circuit suitability.
Electric heated towel rail
£135 – £225Electrical installation allowance. The selected towel rail is normally supplied separately.
Replace bathroom extractor
£120 – £165Replacement where the existing supply, control, duct route and opening are suitable.
New bathroom extractor installation
£225 – £315Electrical supply and control allowance; complex ducting or external access may require separate pricing.
Bathroom-rated downlight
£55 – £90Per standard bathroom-suitable downlight within a compatible planned installation.
New lighting point with wiring
£65 – £120Electrical installation allowance for a suitable bathroom-rated point or fitting.
PRODUCT COSTS
Selected bathroom products normally remain separate.
Towel rails, extractor fans, illuminated mirrors, decorative lighting and premium controls should be identified separately from the standard electrical installation allowance.
COMPLETE RENOVATION
Electrical work must follow the final bathroom layout.
Coordinate the electrical first fix with plumbing, ventilation, waterproofing, tiling and sanitaryware positions before walls and ceilings are closed.
COMPLETE REWIRING COSTS
Bedroom count is only the starting point for a rewire.
Complete rewire costs vary according to the number of electrical points, property construction, access, occupancy and final specification.
These are London property-level planning ranges, not fixed packages or quotations based solely on bedroom count.
One-bedroom flat
£3,300 – £5,400Planning range for a complete rewire using a standard domestic specification, subject to point quantities and property condition.
Two-bedroom flat
£4,000 – £6,300The range can move according to layout, floor and ceiling access, accessory quantity and the extent of making good required.
Three-bedroom house
£6,300 – £10,500Property construction, point quantities, cable routes and the required standard of reinstatement can materially affect the final price.
Four-bedroom house
£8,000 – £13,000Larger layouts normally involve more points, longer cable routes, additional circuits and a larger consumer-unit requirement.
OCCUPIED PROPERTIES
Occupation affects cost only where it changes how the work must be delivered.
An occupied-property allowance should not be added automatically. Additional cost becomes relevant where the team must repeatedly move or protect belongings, restore temporary power, close floors, clean working areas or maintain essential rooms for continued occupation.
All rewire ranges exclude VAT. Premium accessories, decorative light fittings, final plaster skim, complete decoration and replacement or specialist finished flooring are separate unless the quotation expressly includes them.
REWIRE PHASE ALLOCATIONS
First fix normally carries the larger labour allocation.
The first-fix stage establishes the concealed wiring and circuit routes. Second fix completes the visible accessories, connections and final installation stages.
These figures are internal planning allocations within a complete rewire, not standalone package promises.
FIRST FIX
Concealed wiring and circuit preparation.
First fix can include cable routes, back boxes, circuit wiring, preparation at the consumer unit and coordination with open walls, ceilings and floors before finishes are completed.
SECOND FIX
Accessories, connections and final completion.
Second fix can include sockets, switches, lighting accessories, appliance connections, final consumer-unit work, testing, certification and commissioning as applicable to the agreed scope.
The electrician responsible for testing and certification should control or inspect the relevant installation stages. Growchance does not advertise completion of another contractor’s concealed first fix as a routine second-fix service.
REWIRE INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Confirm what the rewire price actually covers.
A complete rewire quotation should identify the electrical installation, standard accessories, testing and the extent of associated building work.
Do not compare headline prices until the point quantities, products, making good and exclusions are understood.
TYPICALLY INCLUDED
Standard electrical installation scope.
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Consumer unit
Suitable new domestic consumer unit as defined by the quotation.
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Standard cabling and back boxes
Ordinary circuit wiring, standard back boxes, connectors, fixings and installation sundries.
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Standard white accessories
Standard sockets, switches and ordinary electrical accessories within the agreed quantity.
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Testing and certification
Appropriate inspection, testing and electrical certification for the completed installation.
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Notification where applicable
Building Regulations notification through the applicable route where the completed work is notifiable.
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Basic chasing and filling
Basic cable chases and initial filling where included in the agreed rewire scope.
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Accessible floorboard lifting
Careful lifting and reinstatement of suitable accessible floorboards where reasonably practical.
TYPICALLY SEPARATE
Finishes and selected premium products.
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Final plaster skim
Complete plaster finishing beyond basic filling of electrical chases is priced separately.
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Painting and decoration
Final preparation and decoration of affected walls, ceilings and woodwork are separate.
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Specialist finished flooring
Replacement, repair or specialist reinstatement of finished flooring is not included automatically.
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Decorative sockets and switches
Metal, designer, specialist USB and premium accessory products are priced separately.
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Decorative light fittings
Pendants, wall lights, feature fittings and architectural lighting products are customer-selected items.
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Smart controls
Smart switches, connected controls, specialist dimming and control-system products require separate specification.
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Unexpected remedial work
Hidden defects or unsuitable existing construction discovered during the project may require an agreed variation.
The final quotation takes precedence over a general cost guide. Point quantities, accessory specification, consumer-unit requirements, making good and the responsibility for final finishes should be recorded clearly before the rewire begins.
ELECTRICAL COST FACTORS
The same electrical task can require very different site work.
Electrical prices are affected by more than the visible socket, fitting or consumer unit.
Cable routes, wall construction, floor and ceiling access, occupancy and the existing installation can all change the labour, protection and making-good requirements.
Finished occupied property
Potentially +10% – 15%Applied only where belongings, temporary power, room access and repeated protection materially slow the work.
Solid masonry cable routes
Typically +10% – 20%Chasing, drilling, dust control and making good can increase the labour compared with accessible open construction.
Lath-and-plaster construction
Potentially +15% – 25%Fragile finishes and concealed construction may require slower access, additional care and more extensive making good.
Difficult floor or ceiling access
Potentially +10% – 25%Restricted voids, fixed finishes and difficult cable routes may require additional investigation and labour.
High ceilings and specialist access
Priced separatelyTowers, scaffold or specialist access equipment are assessed according to the working height and site conditions.
Parking, permits and congestion
Additional where incurredProperty-specific parking, permit and Congestion Charge costs are identified separately where applicable.
Premium fittings and controls
Product difference separateDecorative accessories, smart controls and specialist lighting can vary substantially from standard product allowances.
Existing faults and remedial work
Scope confirmed after testingHidden faults, damaged circuits or unsuitable protective arrangements can require additional work beyond the planned installation.
PLANNED FAULT FINDING
Diagnosis should identify the problem before repair costs are assumed.
Planned fault tracing may be available within renovation and small building work. The initial charge covers the diagnostic visit; further tracing or repairs proceed only after the additional scope is discussed. This guide does not cover emergency or out-of-hours call-outs.
TESTING AND CERTIFICATION
Certification belongs to the completed electrical installation.
Testing and the appropriate electrical certificate should form part of the quoted installation where they are required.
The certificate is issued by the qualified electrician responsible for the installation, inspection and testing.
Minor electrical alterations
An appropriate Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate may be issued where applicable to the completed alteration or addition.
New circuits and rewires
New circuits and complete rewires require appropriate inspection, testing and an Electrical Installation Certificate for the completed installation.
Notifiable electrical work
Where the work is notifiable, the applicable Building Regulations notification route must also be completed by the responsible electrician or through the agreed approval process.
COMPETENT-PERSON REGISTRATION
Notification is completed through the applicable authorised route.
Electrical work requiring notification is carried out and certified by an electrician registered with an appropriate government-authorised competent-person scheme, or through another valid Building Regulations approval route. Growchance does not name a particular scheme unless the responsible electrician’s current registration has been verified.
Standalone EICRs and landlord electrical inspections are not offered under this service. Testing and certification described here relate to electrical installation or alteration work completed as part of an agreed Growchance project.
COMPLETED PROJECT EVIDENCE
Electrical work coordinated within a bathroom renovation.
Electrical installations are often one connected part of a wider renovation rather than a standalone project.
This completed Chiswick bathroom shows lighting and ventilation coordinated with the room layout, preparation and finishing sequence.
COMPLETE BATHROOM PROJECT
This is the cost of the complete bathroom renovation. It is not an electrical-only cost.
CHISWICK · WEST LONDON
Bathroom electrical preparation, lighting and ventilation.
The approximately 2 × 2.5 metre en-suite project included electrical preparation, bathroom lighting, an illuminated recessed shower niche and improved ventilation coordinated with the complete bathroom renovation.
No electrical-only cost is assigned to this project. The published £10,300 excluding VAT relates to the complete bathroom renovation and must not be used as the price of the electrical work in isolation.
COMPARING ELECTRICAL QUOTATIONS
Compare the defined scope, not only the final number.
Two quotations can appear to cover the same electrical project while allowing for different point quantities, products, making good and certification.
A useful comparison checks the installation specification, exclusions and responsibility for completing affected finishes.
Point and circuit quantities
Confirm the number of sockets, switches, lighting points, appliance supplies and new or retained circuits.
Accessory specification
Check whether the price includes standard white accessories, customer-supplied products or a defined premium range.
Consumer-unit allowance
Confirm the proposed unit, circuit capacity, protective devices, surge-protection arrangement and associated testing.
Testing and certification
Identify the certificate applicable to the work and whether Building Regulations notification is required and included.
Chasing and making good
Establish whether the quotation includes chasing, basic filling, final plastering, decoration and reinstatement of affected finishes.
Existing-installation assumptions
Check how faults, unsuitable circuits, earthing, bonding and hidden defects will be handled if discovered during testing.
Bedroom count helps establish an initial rewire range, but the final price should reflect the actual point schedule, cable routes, property construction, access, occupation, product specification and required finishing work.
SERVICE BOUNDARIES
This guide covers planned residential electrical services.
The page supports electrical installation, alteration and upgrade work within London homes and wider Growchance renovation projects.
It does not reposition Growchance as an emergency electrician, commercial electrical contractor or specialist technology installer.
COVERED BY THIS GUIDE
Planned electrical work within residential properties.
- Sockets, switches and fused connection units
- Internal and external domestic lighting
- New domestic circuits and appliance supplies
- Consumer-unit and protection upgrades
- Kitchen and bathroom electrical installation
- Complete residential rewiring
- Normal smoke and heat alarms within a renovation or rewire
- Testing and certification for completed project work
NOT OFFERED UNDER THIS GUIDE
Emergency, commercial and specialist-system services.
- Emergency or out-of-hours electrical call-outs
- Commercial electrical contracting
- Standalone EICRs or landlord electrical inspections
- Electric-vehicle charging installations
- Solar photovoltaic or battery-storage systems
- Specialist fire-alarm system design
- Data and structured-network installations
- Security, alarm and CCTV systems
Planned diagnosis may be available within renovation and small building work. This does not include emergency attendance or a 24-hour fault-response service. Describe the issue and project context when making an enquiry so suitability can be reviewed.
COST QUESTIONS
Useful answers before electrical work begins.
The final cost depends on the property, existing installation, proposed work and selected products. These answers explain how the planning ranges should be interpreted.
Discuss Your Electrical Project01 Why is there a £135 minimum electrical job charge?
A small task still requires travel, preparation, safe isolation, installation, testing and administration. The minimum normally applies where a low-value task is booked as an isolated visit. Individual item rates become more relevant when several compatible tasks are completed together.
02 Do the prices include electrical materials?
Standard task prices may include ordinary cable, back boxes, connectors, fixings, electrical sundries and a standard white accessory where specifically stated. Decorative accessories, designer fittings, smart controls and specialist products are normally priced separately.
03 Are the electrical prices inclusive of VAT?
No. The Growchance planning ranges on this page exclude VAT. The applicable VAT is added to the final quotation. Parking, permits and the Congestion Charge may also be additional where incurred.
04 Is testing and certification included?
Testing and the appropriate electrical certificate are included where required for the quoted installation. Where work is notifiable, notification is completed through the applicable Building Regulations route by the electrician responsible for the work.
05 Does a rewire price include plastering and decoration?
Basic chasing and initial filling may be included where stated. Final plaster skim, complete decoration, wallpaper repair and specialist finished-flooring reinstatement are normally separate unless expressly included in the quotation.
06 Can we remain in the property during a rewire?
Sometimes this is possible, but occupation can affect protection, access, temporary power, cleaning and the daily work sequence. A potential 10% – 15% adjustment is considered only where continued occupation genuinely increases labour and disruption management.
07 Does Growchance provide standalone EICRs?
No. Standalone EICRs and landlord electrical inspections are not offered under this service. Testing and certification relate to electrical installation or alteration work completed as part of an agreed Growchance project.
08 What should I send for an initial electrical quotation?
Send the property postcode and type, a description of the proposed work, approximate point quantities, photographs of the consumer unit and affected rooms, your preferred timescale and any kitchen, bathroom or renovation drawings already available.
DISCUSS YOUR ELECTRICAL PROJECT
Tell us about the property and planned electrical work.
Share the property details, the electrical installation or alterations you are considering and whether the work forms part of a wider renovation. Growchance will review the initial information and contact you to discuss whether a site assessment is appropriate.
London postcode, property type, approximate age and whether the property is vacant, stripped or occupied.
Describe the sockets, lighting, circuits, consumer unit, kitchen, bathroom or rewiring work you are considering.
Include approximate point quantities, photographs of the consumer unit and affected rooms, preferred timescale and any renovation drawings.
This enquiry route is for planned residential electrical work. It is not an emergency or out-of-hours electrical service. Submitting an enquiry does not create a contract, confirm suitability or guarantee availability.