A full electrical rewire of a typical London flat will often take around 3–7 working days. As a practical guide, a one-bedroom flat may take around 3–4 days, a two-bedroom flat around 4–5 days and a three-bedroom flat around 5–7 days when access is straightforward and the property is prepared for the work. Occupancy, wall construction, circuit numbers and access can extend the programme.
These are planning estimates, not guaranteed completion times. A reliable programme should be based on a site assessment because two flats of the same size can require very different amounts of electrical and building-access work.
Key Takeaways
- A typical London flat rewire is commonly planned over roughly 3–7 working days.
- One-bedroom flats can often be completed faster than larger two- or three-bedroom properties.
- An empty, accessible flat is usually quicker to rewire than an occupied property filled with furniture and belongings.
- Solid walls, difficult cable routes, additional circuits and restricted building access can extend the timescale.
- The programme should include final inspection, electrical testing and completion documentation rather than ending when the last socket is fitted.
What is a realistic rewire timescale for a London flat?
Property size gives a useful starting point, but it is only one part of the estimate. The figures below assume reasonable access, a defined electrical layout and no major unexpected difficulties once the existing installation is opened up.
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A studio or compact one-bedroom property with straightforward cable routes can sometimes be simpler than these examples, while a larger or heavily altered flat can take longer. Floor area alone should therefore never be used as a fixed promise.
Why does a rewire take several days?
Rewiring involves much more than replacing visible sockets and switches. The existing circuits have to be isolated and the new fixed wiring installed through the property before accessories can be connected and the completed installation tested.
First fix
The first-fix stage covers the main cable installation. It can involve opening routes through walls or floors, running new wiring, positioning back boxes and preparing circuits for sockets, lighting and other agreed electrical points.
Second fix
Once cable routes are complete and the relevant building work allows it, the second fix includes connecting sockets, switches, lighting points and other accessories, followed by final circuit connections.
Inspection and testing
The finished circuits need inspection and electrical testing before the new installation is handed over. This work needs to be included in the programme rather than treated as an optional extra.
Completion and handover
The final stage includes resolving any issues identified during testing and producing the appropriate documentation for the qualifying electrical work completed.
What can make a flat rewire take longer?
The biggest changes to a programme usually come from access and scope rather than the bedroom count alone.
Wall and floor construction
Cable routes through accessible voids can be more straightforward than routes through solid finishes. Concrete, masonry, restricted floor access or difficult existing routes can increase the time required for first-fix work.
Number of electrical points and circuits
A basic flat layout and a property with extensive new lighting, additional socket positions and several dedicated circuits are not equivalent jobs. More circuits and electrical points mean more cable installation, termination and testing.
Changes made after work begins
Deciding socket, switch and lighting positions before first fix helps avoid unnecessary alterations later. Moving points after cables have already been installed can add work and disrupt the planned sequence.
Condition of the existing installation
Earlier alterations, inaccessible wiring routes or conditions that only become visible once work starts can affect the programme. A pre-work
rewiring assessment
helps establish the likely scope before the flat is committed to a schedule.
Does an occupied flat take longer to rewire?
Usually, yes. An unoccupied flat gives electricians easier access to walls, floors, sockets and working areas. There is also less need to move belongings, preserve access to individual rooms or organise the work around the occupier's daily routine.
In an occupied property, planning may need to account for furniture, personal belongings, safe working areas and periods when circuits are isolated. Depending on those conditions, an occupied flat can add roughly one or two working days compared with a clear property of similar size.
Remaining in the property during rewiring is a separate practical decision from the overall project duration. The guide on
living in a property during rewiring
explains that disruption question in more depth.
Why can rewiring a London flat differ from rewiring a house?
A flat may be physically smaller than a house, but work within a managed or leasehold building can introduce access issues that are less common in a standalone property.
Examples include:
- restricted working or access hours;
- limited parking, loading or material access;
- rules for protecting communal corridors and entrances;
- access to shared electrical intake or distribution areas where relevant;
- requirements to coordinate with a managing agent or building management team;
- limitations on noisy work at particular times.
These factors do not necessarily increase the electrical work itself, but they can affect how efficiently the work can be scheduled. They are one reason a flat-specific site assessment is more useful than applying a generic house-rewire duration to every London property.
Does a partial rewire take less time?
A genuinely limited partial rewire can take less time because fewer circuits or areas are being replaced. However, the decision between partial and full rewiring should be based on the condition and scope of the existing installation rather than choosing a partial rewire simply to reduce the programme.
Where only part of the installation is being considered, the distinction between a
partial and full rewire
should be established before using a duration estimate.
How can you prepare a flat to avoid unnecessary delays?
Good preparation does not shorten every rewire, but it can remove avoidable interruptions once work starts.
- Agree socket, switch and lighting positions before the first fix.
- Move furniture and belongings away from walls and working areas where possible.
- Make sure electricians have access to every room included in the work.
- Confirm any building access or working-hour restrictions in advance.
- Arrange managing-agent or freeholder access where shared areas need to be reached.
- Coordinate decorating, flooring and other refurbishment work with the electrical programme.
If the flat is part of a larger renovation, plan the rewire before finished decoration wherever practical. New cable routes and electrical points are much easier to coordinate before final finishes are completed.
When is the rewire actually finished?
The rewire should not be treated as complete simply because the sockets and lights are working. Final inspection and testing form part of completing new electrical installation work, and any issues found during those checks need to be resolved before handover.
The IET provides Electrical Installation Certificate model forms for installation work under BS 7671. If you want the documentation question explained separately, the guide
Do I Need a Certificate After a Rewire?
covers the certification stage without adding it to the duration discussion here.
Allowing time for testing at the end of the programme gives a more realistic completion date than assuming the project ends as soon as the second fix has been physically installed.
How do you get a more accurate timescale for your flat?
A site assessment is the best way to turn the broad 3–7 day guide into a property-specific programme. The electrician can review the flat size, existing installation, wall and floor construction, required circuits, access arrangements and whether the property will be occupied during the work.
The resulting quotation and work plan should make clear what is included and identify any conditions that could change the expected completion date. This is especially useful for landlords, buyers and homeowners coordinating the rewire with decorating or a wider refurbishment.
Technical Reference
Electrical certification and final verification referenced in this guide are supported by the IET's current BS 7671 model forms.
Planning a flat rewire in London?
RCD Electrical can assess the existing wiring, discuss the proposed electrical layout and provide a project-specific plan for full or partial rewiring work.
Book a Rewiring Assessment
Call 020 3488 2928