How much does a house rewire cost?
What a UK house rewire actually costs in 2026, published averages by property size, and the six things that move the number up or down on your house.
Fuse board replacement: cost and when you need one
Published UK averages put a consumer unit replacement at around £485, rising to about £750 on a large detached house. The more useful question is whether yours needs doing at all.
A consumer unit change is one of the few electrical jobs with a genuinely predictable price, because on most houses it is a half-day to a full day of work with a board and a set of devices. What varies is everything the board is connected to.
| Item | Published average | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced property | £350 | Fewer circuits |
| Semi-detached property | £550 | |
| Large detached property | £750 | 12+ circuits |
| Overall average | £485 | Populated 10-way RCBO board, fitted |
| Moving the board | £400 | Same supply position |
| Moving it with the mains cable | £2,000+ | Involves the network operator |
| Installation time | 4–7 hours | Longer on complex installations |
Source: Checkatrade cost guide, retrieved September 2026. National averages, not Protec Elec Ltd prices. We quote a fixed price in writing after seeing the installation, because what the board is wired to matters more than the board. View the source.
What changes the answer
The things that actually matter.
01
A board change is not a rewire, and it does not fix bad cable
This is the single most important thing on this page. A new consumer unit protects the circuits it feeds. It does not improve them. If the wiring behind it is perished rubber, a new board will simply detect the faults that were always there and keep tripping. Any electrician who fits a board to an installation like that without telling you first has done you no favours.
02
Which is why we test before we quote
We test the existing circuits first. If they pass, a board change is a genuinely good piece of value. If they do not, we tell you before you have spent anything, and you decide what to do with that information.
03
Earthing and bonding often come with it
Older installations frequently have main protective bonding to gas and water that is undersized or missing entirely. That has to be put right as part of the work. It is not an upsell; it is the thing that makes the new board function as intended.
04
What you are actually buying
An 18th Edition metal-clad board with RCBO protection means each circuit has its own residual current and overcurrent device. One fault takes out one circuit, not half the house. Metal enclosures have been required in domestic premises since January 2016, so any plastic board is now at least a decade out of date.
05
Certification is included
A consumer unit change is notifiable under Part P. We self-certify it under our NAPIT registration and you get the certificate. No separate Building Control application, no extra fee.
Questions
Questions we get asked about this.
How do I know if my fuse board needs replacing?
Rewireable fuses rather than breakers, a wooden back-board, no RCD protection at all, cracked or scorched plastic, or a board that trips without an obvious cause. Any one of those is worth a look. A board with no RCD protection on socket circuits does not meet the standard applied to installations since 2008.
Can you just add an RCD to my existing board?
Sometimes, but it is rarely the right answer. On most older boards the cost of doing it properly gets close enough to a full replacement that you are better off with a new board and the certificate that comes with it.
How long does it take?
Published figures put a straightforward replacement at four to seven hours, and that matches our experience. You lose power for most of that day. Larger installations can run to a full day, and if testing uncovers circuit faults it can take longer — which is why we test first.
Will you fit a board if the wiring behind it is poor?
Not without telling you exactly what we have found and what it means. If the honest answer is that the house needs rewiring, you will hear it from us before you spend money on a board that cannot fix the problem.
Related
Do I need a rewire?
How to tell whether your house needs rewiring or just a new consumer unit, what the age of your property tells you, and when to get it properly tested.
Want a real number for your house?
Published averages only get you so far. We survey the property, write the price down and leave it with you.