What should a house rewire quotation include?

A useful house rewire quotation should describe the work in enough detail for you to compare it with another quotation fairly. It should cover the labour, materials, fixtures, testing, certification, VAT and any work that is specifically excluded.

The price alone tells you very little. Two quotations can show similar totals while allowing for different numbers of sockets, different levels of making good or different consumer unit specifications. The written scope matters as much as the final figure.

The survey findings and proposed scope

Your quotation should explain what we found during the survey and which parts of the installation we plan to replace. That normally includes the existing consumer unit, wiring, switches, sockets, lighting points and any other circuits included in the work.

The document should state whether the rewire covers the whole house or only particular circuits, floors or outbuildings. If an external garage, workshop, loft room or garden office is not included, that should be clear.

Older properties often need a more detailed scope. Solid walls, exposed beams, listed features and unusual floor construction can affect how we route cables. A quotation should explain whether cables will run in walls, under floors, through loft spaces or in surface-mounted containment. It should also identify any areas where access is restricted.

The number and position of fittings

Your everyday use of each room should shape the quotation. It should list the planned number and position of:

• Socket outlets, including single, double or switched units
• Lighting points and switches
• Outdoor sockets and lighting
• Extractor fans and other fixed appliances
• Cooker, oven, shower and immersion heater supplies
• Smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms where included
• Data, television or other low-voltage points where included

A drawing or room-by-room schedule makes this easier to check. If the quotation says only “rewire the property”, ask how many fittings that includes. The position of a socket can matter as much as the number, particularly in a kitchen or home office.

The consumer unit and protective equipment

The quotation should identify the proposed consumer unit and the protection provided for each circuit. It should explain whether the price includes circuit breakers, residual current protection, surge protection and labelling.

If the existing earthing or bonding needs upgrading, that work should appear in the scope. We also check whether incoming services and older metal pipework need bonding changes. These details affect safety and can change the price if they are left undiscovered.

The quotation should also say what happens if we find a fault in the incoming supply or an issue that belongs to the electricity network. That work may need a separate arrangement with the network operator rather than being part of the house rewire.

Labour, materials and making good

A clear quotation separates the main types of cost, even if it presents them as one total. It should make clear whether the price includes cable, back boxes, accessories, consumer unit equipment, fixings, protective materials, testing and waste disposal.

Disruption and redecoration are common concerns. The quotation should state whether we will lift and replace floorboards, remove carpets, chase walls, drill through joists and seal cable routes. It should also say who will fill chases, repair plaster, replace decorations and move furniture.

Reinstatement is often limited to making the wiring safe and leaving openings ready for decoration. If full plastering or painting is not included, the quotation should say so rather than leaving you to assume it is part of the price.

For a house with original plaster, stone walls or listed features, ask how the proposed cable routes will minimise damage. A lower quotation may allow for a faster installation method that creates more visible work afterwards.

Access, preparation and temporary arrangements

Your quotation should explain what access we need and what you need to move before work starts. It should identify whether cupboards, stored items, curtains, fitted furniture or floor coverings could prevent access to cables and fittings.

It should also explain how the electrical supply will be isolated and whether temporary supplies are needed for essential equipment. If you plan to remain in the house during the rewire, ask how the work will be divided between areas and when each part will be without power.

Where the property has an unusual construction or a separate supply, the quotation should record the assumptions behind the price. For example, concealed cable routes may depend on floorboards being removable without damage. An assumption like this should not be hidden in a verbal conversation.

Testing and certification

Testing should not be treated as an optional extra. The quotation should include inspection and testing of the completed installation, identification of any defects and the paperwork issued when the work passes the required checks.

For a complete rewire, this normally means an Electrical Installation Certificate and the relevant building regulations notification or compliance certificate. Ask who will arrange the notification and whether any associated charge is included.

Our NICEIC and ECA electrical registrations relate to the standards and certification behind the work, not just the installation itself. The finished paperwork should identify the work completed and any limitations or recommendations that remain.

Exclusions and possible additional work

A quotation should list exclusions as carefully as inclusions. Common examples include asbestos surveys or removal, major structural repairs, full decoration, replacement of damaged flooring, work to the incoming supply and repairs to concealed defects.

Your house may contain faults that cannot be confirmed until walls or floors are opened. The quotation should explain how we deal with that situation. It should say whether we stop and discuss the finding with you, provide a separate price or proceed only after you approve a change.

Be cautious with large provisional sums. They make the initial total look precise while leaving important costs undecided. A sound quotation identifies the uncertainty and explains what will determine the final cost.

Price, VAT and payment terms

The quotation should show the total price and state clearly whether VAT is included. It should also set out any deposit, staged payments, balance payment and payment dates. If the price is valid for a limited period, that date should be shown.

We provide a written quotation before work starts. That gives you a record of the agreed scope and price, including anything excluded, rather than relying on a conversation or a broad estimate.

How to compare quotations

Put each quotation beside the same room plan and check the details line by line. Compare the number of outlets, the consumer unit protection, cable routes, access arrangements, making good, testing and certification before comparing totals.

Ask for any vague wording to be explained in writing. “Full rewire”, “standard fittings” and “all necessary work” can mean different things to different contractors. A detailed quotation leaves you knowing what will be installed, what the house will look like afterwards and how additional work will be agreed.