How Much Does Socket Installation Cost UK? 2026 Guide

Typical Socket Installation Costs in 2026

Published UK price guides do not give one universal figure because the scope of socket work varies considerably. For a straightforward additional socket using a suitable existing circuit and an uncomplicated cable route, a practical planning range is around £75–£200.

Larger jobs can vary more widely. A May 2026 Which? survey of electricians reported a range of £125–£450 for supplying and fitting two extra double sockets, excluding VAT. It also noted that London and South East prices are more likely to sit towards the upper end of national ranges.

These figures are general market-guide prices rather than RCD Electrical quotations. Published guides also differ on VAT and exactly which materials are included, so an itemised quote is the useful figure for a specific property.

What Changes the Cost of Adding a Socket?

The socket faceplate is only one part of the job. Labour and the route needed to connect the new point often have a greater effect on the final price.

Access also matters. Furniture, fitted cabinetry, finished decoration and difficult cable routes can increase the time needed to complete the work. If a new circuit is required instead of an extension to an existing one, the scope changes considerably.

New Socket, Replacement or Relocation?

These jobs can look similar from the room, but they are not the same electrically. A like-for-like replacement may reuse the existing wiring and box. Adding a new point requires a suitable connection to the fixed installation, while relocating a socket can involve removing or altering the existing point and extending the wiring.

If your existing socket is simply worn, damaged or due for replacement, the separate guide on replacing plug sockets explains that narrower situation. New and additional socket work remains part of electrical installation work .

What Should a Socket Installation Quote Include?

Before comparing prices, check what each electrician has actually included. A useful quote should identify the work clearly enough for you to compare like with like.

• Labour for the agreed socket installation.
• The socket, back box and normal installation materials.
• Any additional cable or containment required.
• Testing of the completed electrical work.
• Any certification or Building Regulations notification that applies to the actual scope.
• Whether VAT is included.
• Whether wall repair, plastering or decorating is included or left for another trade.

If the electrician discovers that the proposed point cannot simply be added to the existing circuit, the quote may need to change. That should be explained before extra work proceeds.

Do New Sockets Need Part P Notification?

In England, Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical safety in dwellings, but not every socket addition is notifiable. Work involving a new circuit, replacement of a consumer unit, or certain additions and alterations within a defined special location is notifiable. An ordinary socket added to a suitable existing circuit outside a special location is generally non-notifiable.

Non-notifiable does not mean that the electrical work can ignore safety requirements. The new work still needs to be suitable for the existing installation and properly inspected and tested. Electrical Safety First also advises householders to use a competent electrician rather than attempting electrical DIY where they are not suitably competent.

Can Installing Several Sockets at Once Reduce the Cost?

It can improve the overall value of the visit. Smaller electrical jobs often include travel, preparation, isolation and testing time that applies whether one point or several are being fitted. Planning several socket positions together can therefore be more efficient than arranging separate visits.

This does not mean every additional socket costs the same amount. A point on the opposite side of a solid wall, upstairs, outdoors or far from a suitable circuit may need significantly more work than another socket in the same room.

Decide where sockets are genuinely needed before the electrician arrives. Think about furniture positions, desks, televisions, kitchen equipment and places where extension leads are currently being used. Electrical Safety First advises against overloading sockets and extension leads, so properly planned fixed outlets can be preferable to relying on multiple adaptors.