(A practical guide for homeowners in Harlow, Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford & surrounding areas)
Buying a house is exciting.
Renovating it before you move in is even better.
But there’s one part of the process that gets overlooked more than almost anything else — and it’s the thing that causes the biggest regrets later:
The electrics
I’ve lost count of the number of homeowners we speak to in Harlow, Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford, Epping, Theydon Bois, Loughton and Dunmow who say some version of:
“If I’d known then what I know now, I’d have done the rewire before we moved in.”
This blog is written to stop you becoming one of those people.
If you’ve just bought an older property and you’re planning a renovation before moving in, this will give you a clear, honest picture of:
- when a house actually needs rewiring
- what a rewire really involves (no sugar-coating)
- why timing matters more than most people realise
- and why moving out during a rewire is often the smartest financial decision you can make
First things first: does your house even need rewiring?
Not every property needs a full rewire.
If you’ve bought a modern home — say built within the last 10 years — a rewire is unlikely unless the electrics have been badly altered or DIY’d.
But with older houses, especially those built pre-1990s, it’s very different.
The things we notice immediately when we walk into a house
When we’re asked to quote a rewire, there are a few things that immediately raise eyebrows.
If you notice any of the following, it’s a strong indicator the electrics are outdated — and possibly overdue attention:
- Old accessories
- Round switches and sockets are a big giveaway. These were common in properties from the early to mid-20th century. If they’re still there, the wiring behind them is often original too — which means it could be 70+ years old.
- Sockets on skirting boards - Another classic sign of an older installation. It’s not how modern domestic electrics are designed, and it usually points to a system that hasn’t been properly updated.
- An old fuse box (consumer unit) - The fuseboard tells a story.
If you open it up and see rewireable fuses, that alone means the board needs upgrading — and in many cases, it suggests the wiring itself is from the 1980s or earlier. Modern installations use RCD protection as standard. Older systems often don’t. - DIY electrics everywhere - This is a big one.
If you can see evidence that previous owners have added sockets, moved lights, extended circuits or “had a go themselves”, it doesn’t automatically mean a rewire is required — but it absolutely means the system needs testing.
The mistake homeowners make: leaving electrics until last
Here’s what we see all the time.
Someone buys a house.
They plan the kitchen.
They plan the bathroom.
They choose flooring, paint colours, tiles, lighting.
The electrics get pushed to the bottom of the list.
Then one of two things happens:
1. An electrician points out the installation is unsafe or outdated after work has started
2. Electrical issues start appearing once the house is already decorated and furnished
At that point, a rewire becomes:
- more expensive
- far more disruptive
- emotionally painful, because it undoes work you’ve already paid for
This is why rewiring before you move in is such a big advantage.
What a rewire actually involves (the honest version)
A full rewire is not a tidy little job.
It’s invasive.
It’s noisy.
It’s dusty.
And for a period of time, the house looks worse before it looks better.
The first fix (the messy bit)
This is where most of the disruption happens.
During first fix we’re:
- chasing walls for cables and back boxes
- lifting floorboards
- drilling through joists and walls
- running new cabling throughout the property
- cutting access holes in ceilings and plasterboard
- We use proper wall chasers with dust extraction, but no system is perfect. Dust still gets everywhere. We often joke that it looks like it’s been snowing indoors.
There will also be:
- SDS drills
- saws
- hammers and bolsters
- floorboards going up and down
- And in most cases, the power is off for the duration until we’re ready to re-energise safely.
This is where expectation management matters.
Why we strongly recommend moving out during a rewire
This is the most important part of this entire blog.
If you only take one thing away, take this:
Living in a property during a rewire can make the job take two to three times longer
That extra time doesn’t come from nowhere. It comes from:
- constantly moving furniture
- working around belongings
- limited access to walls and floors
- stopping and starting work
- protecting items that shouldn’t even be there
And that extra time adds directly to the cost.
The counter-intuitive truth
In many cases, it actually works out cheaper overall for homeowners to:
- move out temporarily
- put their belongings into storage
- stay with family, friends, or even go on holiday
Because an empty house lets us work efficiently, safely, and quickly.
We often say to customers:
“If you can, go away for a week or two and come back to a rewired house.”
It sounds extreme — until you understand the alternative.
Clearing the property properly makes or breaks the experience
Even if you move out, the house still needs to be cleared.
What should ideally be removed?
- Large furniture
- Beds and mattresses
- Sofas
- Freestanding wardrobes
- Cabinets and bulky items
If these stay, they block access and slow everything down. We can help arrange removals and storage if needed.
Loose belongings - If you don’t want it covered in dust, pack it away.
Shelves full of ornaments, books, clothes in wardrobes — box them up and ideally remove them from the property altogether.
The loft - This catches people out. A lot of rewiring work happens in loft spaces. If the loft is full of stored items, access becomes difficult and time-consuming.
We don’t normally allow for days of moving someone’s loft storage around. If it’s not cleared, it can increase the cost of the job.
Why this matters
If a house isn’t cleared properly, customers often feel disappointed — not because the electrical work isn’t good, but because they weren’t prepared for how disruptive the process really is.
This blog exists to stop that disappointment.
How long does a rewire take?
There are two common scenarios.
1. The empty house rewire
This is the most straightforward.
If the property is empty and we’re doing the rewire start-to-finish:
Typical timeframe: 5–10 working days, depending on size and spec
This is the “go on holiday” scenario.
2. Rewiring as part of a renovation
If the house is being replastered, redecorated, or remodelled, the rewire is usually staged:
- first fix
- plastering
- second fix
- snagging
In this case, the rewire timeline follows the renovation timeline. If the renovation takes six months, the electrical works span that period.
How much does a full rewire cost?
This is the hardest question to answer simply — because the range is huge.
We’ve completed:
budget rewires under £3,500
standard two-bed rewires around £4,500 + VAT
large, high-spec five-bed properties exceeding £45,000
What drives the cost?
- size of the property
- number of sockets and lights
- downlights vs pendants
- feature lighting
- complexity of the layout
- access
- and how well the job is planned
The biggest cost increases usually come from:
- lots of downlights
- high socket counts
- design changes mid-job
Planning properly saves money (and stress)
A rewire is your one chance to design the electrics properly.
During the quotation stage, we walk the property with you and talk through:
- how rooms will be used
- where furniture is likely to go
- where sockets will actually be useful
- lighting layouts
- switches and control points
- Changes can be made during a job — but once something has been installed, altering it means doing work twice. That’s where costs creep up.
Good planning at the start avoids that.
Safety, compliance and paperwork (brief but important)
At the end of a full rewire, you should receive:
- an Electrical Installation Certificate
- a Building Control notification
- and test results confirming the installation meets current regulations
- As NICEIC contractors, the work is also backed by the NICEIC Platinum Promise, giving homeowners additional protection if something were to go wrong.
Final thoughts: do it once, do it right, do it before you move in
Rewiring isn’t glamorous.
It doesn’t look exciting on Instagram.
...But it underpins everything else you’re about to spend money on.
If you’re renovating an older property and you have the opportunity to rewire before you move in — take it.
- Clear the house.
- Move out if you can.
- Plan properly.
It’s almost always:
- faster
- cheaper
- less stressful
- and far less disruptive in the long run
Thinking about a rewire?
If you’ve recently bought a property in Harlow, Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford, Epping, Theydon Bois, Loughton or Dunmow and you’re planning renovations, the earlier we’re involved, the smoother the process tends to be.
You can call Full Circuit Solutions on 01279 939 102, or use our online enquiry form to start the conversation.
Even if you’re still in the “thinking about it” stage — that’s often the best time to talk.
