How Much Does a Full House Rewire Cost in Kent? (2026 Guide)

If your home was built before the 1970s, or if you have never had the wiring inspected by a qualified electrician, there is a reasonable chance that the electrical installation is approaching or has exceeded its safe working life. Rubber-insulated wiring from the 1960s and earlier, aluminium wiring from the 1970s, and installations without RCD protection are all common in Kent's older housing stock — particularly in Sittingbourne, Faversham, and the surrounding ME postcodes. A full rewire replaces all of this with modern PVC-insulated cabling, a new consumer unit, and a fully compliant installation certified to the current edition of BS 7671.

This guide covers what a full rewire costs in Kent in 2026, what the process involves, how long it takes, and what questions to ask before you appoint an electrician.

Full House Rewire Costs in Kent — 2026

Rewire costs vary primarily with the size of the property, the number of circuits required, and the condition of the existing installation. The figures below are based on standard domestic properties in the Kent area and include all labour, materials, a new consumer unit, full testing, and the Electrical Installation Certificate. They do not include redecoration — some making good of walls and ceilings is typically required after a rewire, and this is usually quoted separately.

What Is Included in a Full Rewire?

A full rewire replaces every circuit in the property from the consumer unit outward. This includes all lighting circuits (with new ceiling roses, switch drops, and switches), all ring main and radial socket circuits, the cooker circuit, the shower circuit, the immersion heater circuit if present, and any outdoor or garage circuits. The consumer unit is replaced with a modern RCBO board providing individual RCD protection on every circuit. All new cabling is run in the most practical route — typically through the ceiling void above and the floor void below — and surface-mounted trunking is used where concealed routes are not practical.

At the end of the rewire, the electrician carries out a full inspection and test of every circuit, issues the Electrical Installation Certificate, and notifies Building Control through the NICEIC self-certification scheme. You receive a copy of the certificate, which is required for property sales, mortgage applications, and landlord compliance.

What Is Not Included?

A rewire quote from Kent Trade Solutions covers all electrical work and certification. It does not include redecoration. Running new cables typically requires lifting floorboards, chasing walls for switch and socket drops, and cutting into plasterboard ceilings in some areas. The electrician will make good the immediate area around each fitting, but full redecoration — filling, skimming, and painting — is the homeowner's responsibility. This is standard practice across the industry and should be factored into the overall project budget.

Do You Need a Full Rewire, or a Partial Rewire?

Not every property that needs electrical work requires a full rewire. If the existing installation is largely sound but certain circuits are outdated or have been identified as requiring remedial work on an EICR, a partial rewire — replacing only the affected circuits — may be the most cost-effective approach. Kent Trade Solutions will always recommend the most proportionate solution following a survey. A full rewire is typically recommended when the wiring is original pre-1970s rubber-insulated cable, when the installation has been significantly extended or modified over the years without proper certification, or when an EICR has identified multiple C2 or C1 observations across different circuits.

How Long Does a Rewire Take?

For a standard 3-bedroom house in Sittingbourne or the surrounding ME postcodes, a full rewire typically takes four to five working days for a single electrician. During this time, the property will have no mains power for periods each day while circuits are disconnected and reconnected. Most homeowners choose to remain in the property during a rewire, though this requires some flexibility around access and power outages. For larger properties or those requiring significant making good, the programme may extend to a week or more.

Rewire and EV Charger: The Smart Combination

If you are planning to install an EV charger in the near future, combining it with a rewire is the most cost-effective approach. The new consumer unit installed as part of the rewire will have the capacity and specification to support the EV charger circuit, and the electrician can run the dedicated cable to the garage or driveway at the same time as the rest of the rewire — saving a separate call-out and the associated labour cost. The same logic applies to air conditioning: if you are considering AC installation, having the dedicated circuit run during the rewire is significantly cheaper than adding it later.

Questions to Ask Before You Appoint an Electrician

Before appointing any electrician for a rewire, confirm that they are registered with a government-approved competent person scheme — NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA. This is the only way to guarantee that the work will be self-certified and notified to Building Control without requiring a separate Building Regulations application. Ask for a fully itemised written quote that specifies what is included, what is excluded, and what the payment terms are. A reputable electrician will not ask for full payment upfront — a deposit of 25–30% is standard, with the balance on completion.