Rewiring an old house can help increase its value and achieve a quicker sale.
Old houses that require rewiring are deemed unsafe for habitation by mortgage lenders. The property may be deemed unmortgageable, or the lender may pose restrictions on it – such as requiring the seller to have the house rewired or reducing their offer by a similar sum to cover the rewiring costs.
Before you start getting quotes for the cost of rewiring a house, you can sell your property for cash instead. In this article, we’ll discuss all this and more.
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Why do I need to rewire my house before I sell?
If the house was last rewired 30 years ago or more, then it is likely that it will need rewiring because electric safety legislation changes over time. One of the main benefits of rewiring is that it improves the safety and appeal of a property. Any potential buyers won’t have the trouble of having the house rewired.
Rewiring is quite disruptive and requires stripping out old wires, taking up plaster and re-plastering once it has all been tested. An electrical safety test provides further assurance.
Look for the following signs:
- If your property has an old fuse box
- The wiring cables are made of dated rubber or lead-insulated
- The main breakers or branch breakers trip up regularly for example, if you turn on the kettle
- Switching on appliances results in flickering or dimming lights
- There is damaged or exposed wiring.
Selling a house that needs rewiring
For ultimate peace of mind, it is best to install a modern consumer unit and new electric cables that meet current legislation. A qualified electrician can inspect your house and give you a quotation. The wear and tear of rewiring, installation and plastering afterwards can cost you thousands of pounds, so it is best to ensure that the work carried out is of the highest quality and comes with a guarantee.
Ultimately, rewiring an old home is a great investment as it increases the odds of selling your home on the open market. Potential buyers see this as a positive sign as they will enjoy the fruits of your labour.
What's the cost of Rewiring a House?
These are estimated costs for rewiring a house, depending on the area as prices vary. The cost of materials still remain all-time high:
| Size of House | Average Cost (plus VAT) | Job Duration |
| Cost to rewire 2 bedroom house | £1,500 – £3,000 | 3 – 4 days |
| Cost to rewire 3 bedroom house | £3,000 – £5,000 | 5 – 7 days |
| Cost to rewire 4 bedroom house | £5,000 – £7,000 | 7 – 10 days |
| Cost to rewire 5 bedroom house | £7,000 – £9,000 | 10 – 14 days |
| Cost to rewire 6 bedroom house | £9,000 – £15,000 | 14 – 20 days |
Once the property has been rewired, you may need to replace the floorboards and the skirting and replaster where necessary. In older properties, plaster, when disturbed, can easily come off the wall, and you’ll end up replastering a property like you have taken it back to the brick.
What may have been a straightforward rewiring job can turn into a full-blown refurbishment project. Would it be easier to sell instead?
What's the cost to Rewire a Bungalow?
The biggest benefit of bungalows is that you are on one floor, which is a shorter wire run.
In our experience, the bungalow rewiring costs have always been cheaper than a house:
| Size of Bungalow | Average Cost (plus VAT) | Job Duration |
| Cost to rewire 2 bedroom bungalow | £1,300 – £2,800 | 3 – 4 days |
| Cost to rewire 3 bedroom bungalow | £2,800 – £4,800 | 5 – 7 days |
| Cost to rewire 4 bedroom bungalow | £4,800 – £6,800 | 7 – 10 days |
| Cost to rewire 5 bedroom bungalow | £6,800 – £8,800 | 10 – 14 days |
| Cost to rewire 6 bedroom bungalow | £8,800 – £14,000 | 14 – 20 days |
Can I sell my house with an old fuse box in UK?
You can sell a house with an old fuse box to a cash buyer. Here at Property Saviour, we buy these types of inherited homes all the time.
If you sell your home on the open market, the buyer’s lender will insist that you upgrade your electrics or they might reduce or withdraw their mortgage offer.
Should I rewire my house before I sell?
Absolutely. If you are selling a house with original wiring, the mortgage lender may request an electric safety report and then insist that electrics are upgraded as part of mortgage conditions or put a retainer on the amount of money that they will lend. What if you don’t have the funds for the rewiring or refurbishment?
There’s an alternative option of selling to a cash house buyer, such as Property Saviour who will buy any house in any condition. Property Saviour will make you a cash offer and once accepted we will complete the purchase within a couple of weeks. There are no estate agency fees or solicitors fees to pay because we pay £1,500 towards your legal fees.
Sell with certainty & speed
Property Saviour Price Promise
- The price we’ll offer is the price that you will receive with no hidden deductions.
- Be careful with ‘cash buyers’ who require a valuation needed for a mortgage or bridging loan.
- These valuations or surveys result in delays and price reductions later on.
- We are cash buyers. There are no surveys.
- We always provide proof of funds with every formal offer issued.
We'll Pay £1,500 Towards Your Legal Fees
- No long exclusivity agreement to sign because we are the buyers.
- You are welcome to use your own solicitor.
- If you don’t have one, we can ask our solicitors for recommendations.
- We share our solicitor’s details and issue a Memorandum of Sale.
Sell With Certainty & Speed
- Our approach is transparent and ethical, which is why sellers trust us.
- 100% Discretion guaranteed.
- If you have another buyer, you can put us in a contracts race to see who completes first.
- Complete in 10 days or at a timescale that works for you. You are in control.
