House rewiring in Bristol
Planning a house rewire in Bristol? We are a NAPIT approved electrical contractor based in South Bristol, and full and partial house rewires are among the jobs we do most. Here is what is involved, what it costs, and what to expect if you live in one of the city's older terraces.
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Fixed price after survey
Full & partial house rewires
Signs your Bristol home might need a rewire
Bristol has a lot of housing stock built long before modern wiring standards existed, especially the Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bedminster, Southville, Windmill Hill, Totterdown and Knowle. Age on its own does not mean a house is unsafe: Electrical Safety First is clear that there are no set guidelines on when a property must be rewired, and that old wiring is not automatically unsafe wiring. Condition is what matters, not age alone. That said, a few signs are worth acting on.
- Burn marks around a socket or switch, or a plate that feels warm to the touch
- A buzzing or crackling sound from a socket, switch or the consumer unit
- Fuses that blow, or a circuit breaker that trips repeatedly for no obvious reason
- Round pin sockets, black rubber cable, or a wooden backed fuse box rather than a modern consumer unit
- Only one or two sockets per room, so extension leads are doing the job the wiring should
- No RCD protection listed on the consumer unit
If any of that sounds familiar, the next step is a proper look rather than guesswork. See our guide to 7 signs your house needs rewiring for a fuller, ranked breakdown, or read about old wiring colours if you are trying to work out how old your cabling actually is.
What's included in a house rewire
A full rewire replaces the cable, accessories and consumer unit throughout the property, so the whole installation meets current standards and is tested and certificated as one job rather than patched over time. A partial rewire targets one floor, one circuit type, or the areas affected by an extension or loft conversion, and is priced the same way: from a survey.
| Included as standard | Priced separately after survey |
|---|---|
| New cable, sockets, switches and lighting circuits throughout the areas agreed | Plastering, decorating and making good beyond a first fix tidy up |
| A new consumer unit sized correctly for the property, with RCBOs and surge protection | Kitchen and bathroom containment beyond the standard first fix route |
| Testing, the Electrical Installation Certificate and Building Regulations notification | Asbestos surveys, structural work, scaffolding or specialist access |
| Removal and disposal of the old wiring and consumer unit | Repairs to circuits that fail testing for reasons unrelated to the rewire itself |
We agree the exact scope with you in writing before anything starts, so there is no guessing later about what was and was not included.
The rewire process, first fix to certificate
Most house rewires follow the same shape. First fix comes first: cable is run through walls, floors and ceilings, and the old wiring and board are stripped out. Chased walls then need making good before we return for second fix, fitting sockets, switches, light fittings and the new consumer unit. The job finishes with full testing and your Electrical Installation Certificate.
A typical three bedroom house takes roughly a week to ten days from first fix to a finished, certificated job, longer for bigger properties or where you want to keep living there while we work room by room. Our full house rewire walkthrough and cost guide go through timings and pricing in more depth.
What a house rewire costs in Bristol
That band is a guide, not a menu price. Every rewire is surveyed and specified in writing before we give you a firm price, and the price we agree is the price you pay. Partial rewires, larger homes and occupied properties are all quoted the same way, from a proper survey.
That range sits close to the wider UK picture. Checkatrade's current guide puts a three bedroom rewire at £4,450 to £8,000, averaging around £6,225 including VAT, and MyBuilder quotes £4,000 to £8,000 for a three bed home. Location, access, the state of the existing wiring and how much making good is needed all move the number, which is exactly why we look before we quote.
Regulations and certification
Every rewire we carry out is designed, installed and tested to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. The standard was updated in April 2026 with Amendment 4, BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, which becomes the only current version from 15 October 2026. Working to the latest edition matters most on a full rewire, since it is the one job where the whole installation is brought up to today's standard in one go rather than patched.
A full house rewire is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. As a NAPIT registered contractor, we self certify the work under NAPIT's Competent Person Scheme rather than you having to book and pay for a separate Building Control inspection, and you receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate for your records once the job and paperwork are complete. Our Part P guide covers this in more detail.
Once a rewire is finished, Electrical Safety First recommends a periodic inspection (EICR) at least every 10 years for an owner occupied home, simply as a routine check rather than a sign anything is expected to be wrong.
Rewiring South Bristol's older homes
We are based in South Bristol, and the house rewires we quote most often are in the Victorian and Edwardian terraces and bay fronted semis around Bedminster, Southville, Windmill Hill, Totterdown, Knowle and Headley Park, plus the newer housing further out towards Whitchurch and Long Ashton. A lot of that stock still has its original wiring behind later cosmetic updates, so a house can look fine at socket level while the cable behind the wall is forty or fifty years old.
If you are extending, converting a loft, or working with a builder on a wider renovation, we coordinate first and second fix around their programme. If it turns out your project is really about new build style wiring rather than rewiring an existing house, our rewiring and new build wiring page covers that instead.
What Bristol customers say
"Great quality work, punctual and very clean. Highly recommend."
"The most reliable and knowledgeable electricians I've come across. Extremely professional."
"Really happy with the job Luke and his team did. They completed a full rewire of our house and we could not be happier with the result... Luke was really great at explaining everything, helping us think through the different options."
How we price, no surprises
Every job is different, so we look before we quote.
We check what's actually there before quoting anything.
The price we agree is the price you pay.
If we find anything unexpected, we stop, explain it, and agree any change with you before continuing.
Estimates are always free, and there is never any obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I need a full rewire or just some repairs?
It comes down to the condition of the installation, not just its age. Warning signs such as burn marks, buzzing sounds, or a breaker that trips repeatedly are worth acting on, and so is a consumer unit that is still a wooden backed fuse box. An inspection will tell you honestly whether targeted repairs are enough or whether a rewire is the better long term answer.
How much does a house rewire cost in Bristol?
Most full domestic rewires come in between £4,500 and £6,500 plus VAT. It is a guide band rather than a fixed price: we survey the property first and give you a written specification with a firm price before any work starts.
What is the difference between a full and a partial rewire?
A full rewire replaces the cable, accessories and consumer unit throughout the whole property in one certificated job. A partial rewire covers a defined area, such as one floor, one circuit, or the rooms affected by an extension, and is priced the same way, from a survey.
Do I need building control involved in my house rewire?
A full rewire is notifiable work under Part P, but as a NAPIT registered contractor we self certify the job under the Competent Person Scheme. That means you are not left arranging or paying for a separate Building Control inspection, and you receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate once the job and paperwork are complete.
Can I stay living in the house while it is rewired?
Often, yes, especially on a partial rewire or where we can work through the property room by room. On a full rewire of an occupied house we will talk through what is realistic at survey stage, since parts of the house will be without power while first fix work is underway in that area.
Get your free house rewire quote
Tell us a little about the property and what is prompting the rewire, and we will come back to you with next steps. Prefer to talk? Call 0117 2447 382, or visit our contact page for other ways to reach us.