Trades Around
Renovation timeline planner · 2026

How long will your full house rewire actually take?

Replacing the entire fixed-wiring installation — first-fix (cables, back boxes, consumer unit position) followed by plaster making good, then second-fix (faceplates, fittings) and final test/certification. Most UK rewires take 4–10 working days on site, but Victorian and Edwardian properties, or any home that's occupied during the work, run noticeably longer.

Sources cited per phaseNo email gateUpdated quarterly
The plan

Full House Rewire

Replacing the entire fixed-wiring installation — first-fix (cables, back boxes, consumer unit position) followed by plaster making good, then second-fix (faceplates, fittings) and final test/certification. Most UK rewires take 4–10 working days on site, but Victorian and Edwardian properties, or any home that's occupied during the work, run noticeably longer.

Tell us about itLive updates — no submit button.
Property
3-bed house (modern build)
Occupied?
No — empty
Coverage
Partial circuits/rooms
Consumer unit
New RCD/RCBO board
Week-by-week

Your timeline

Hover any bar for the trade detail · scroll horizontally on small screens
Phase
W-5
W-4
W-3
W-2
W-1
DAY 1
W1
W2
W3
W4
Pre-construction · before day 1
Quotes from Part P registered electricians
Pre-rewire survey / EICR
Walk through, mark socket/switch positions
Book plasterer for after first-fix
Order consumer unit, sockets, switches
Plan decant — empty rooms, lift carpets
Notify utility of any supply changes
Asbestos survey (pre-2000 artex ceilings)
On site · from day 1
Walk-through & marking out
Lift floors, isolate circuits, set up site
First-fix wiring (chasing & cable runs)
Plaster making good
Second-fix wiring
Consumer unit install & connection
Testing & commissioning
On-site trade workRegulatory / professionalDecision deadline (you act)Contractor prep / lead time
On-site total
14–16 days

On-site only. Add ~4 weeks of pre-construction (planning, ordering, lead times) before day 1.

Reality check

Where it tends to slip

If your project goes long, it’ll usually be one of these. Worth knowing before you sign anything.

01Lath & plaster walls cracking beyond chase lines — additional skim-coats and sometimes whole-wall re-skim, adding 2–4 days.
02Discovery of asbestos in artex ceilings — stops work pending licensed removal.
03Foam-backed carpets disintegrating when lifted — homeowner needs new flooring before refit.
04Solid concrete floors with no usable voids — cables have to be surface-run in trunking or chased into walls only.
05Listed building consent for period property cable runs — can add weeks to start.
06Live cabling found from past rogue work — extra time tracing and isolating before new circuits can be tested.
When you’re ready

Trades you’ll need

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