Cost of electrical works in an extension

[plastics77]

Hi, wondering if anyone can give me an idea on whether we are getting quotes in the right ball park or way off.
We had a 4 bed 1700sqft house, in the middle of a build extension of a further 1000 or so sqft - 2 storey, side (breaking into the garage) and rear. The initial provisional sums for the 'electrical work' for new extension part only was £15,000 - including new consumer unit to new build area only, installing smoke alarms to new rooms in extension, install standard single pendant light fittings, switches in white plastic, double sockets in white plastic, in extension part only. We have now been told the electrical wiring to the existing part of the house is very old and the whole thing needs doing, and this will be an extra £10,000.
This seems like a crazy figure, when online it seems that even rewiring a whole 5 bed detached house is around £11-12k at the upper end of the scale.
Am I missing something here, £25k just seems liek acrazy figure?

 

[James]

It sounds expensive, however costs can vary in different parts of the country.
I suggest you get another quote or two.

put your approximate location on here, maybe a member is close to you.

 

[littlespark]

Get a quote direct from a few electrician companies…. Not ones that are linked to the builders.

Other things to consider are larger companies have more overheads and will charge more….. but then they have the manpower to avoid delays that smaller companies can fall behind

 

[SJD]

I once (briefly) contemplated subbing for a builder, then realised he was going to add 50% to my prices as "extra profit" for himself! As mentioned, get a couple of independent direct quotes.

 

[Electrics]

Depends on a multitude of factors. Amount of beds doesn't really give adequate information - do you have a porch, utility room, conservatory, outhouse, workshop, garage? I know people who have all of these. That can skyrocket the price.

So more info is needed - how many actual rooms in the house, are you wanting the basics or outside lights etc too. Do you want under cupboard lighting in the kitchen? How many bathrooms? Is the layout weird? Is the house going to be occupied?

All things that have to be taken into account.

Sounds expensive but hard to tell without actually looking ourselves.

I would definitely never let a builder quote for electrical work. Get a proper electrical firm in to quote but remember that proper electricians are highly skilled, highly qualified and have huge outlays to remain as such and so a good firm will charge good money for their work.

EDIT: just re-read, and if they're wanting to charge £15k for an empty 1000sq ft new build part of the house they're ripping you off. Even on the high side if they charged £100 per point it would never come to that much.

I have a feeling, given that you're adding the size of someone else's normal house to your existing house, that you're worth a few quid, and the builder knows this and is charging accordingly. I mean if you rocked up at Wayne Rooney's house to do an electrical install you're gonna charge more than £50 per point like normal because you know he'll just pay it.

Get quotes elsewhere.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Last 4/5 bed rewire I did was around 2017 come out with extras like bollard driveway lighting outside etc etc to £37,500

It was all high end spec , chrome sockets switches , loads of down lights , 2 consumer units

This was direct dealings with the home owners , builder would have added at least 40-50% to my price if it was subbed out

Builders are money grabbing A holes most of the time

 

[Markyd]

Get some more quotes easy

 

[UNG]

So it's £15K to wire a 1000sqft empty extension but only £10K to rewire the 1700sqft existing lived in property something doesn't sound right with those figures, do you have any breakdown of what is being quoted for
How old is this "old" wiring saying that it is old and needs redoing should really be backed up with some testing or visual inspection that indicates it is failing. There is always the argument if you intend to redecorate the whole house after the building work is done then it may be prudent to rewire now rather than later
May be it is time to get another electrical company or 2 to quote for the whole job

 

[Dustydazzler]

The £10K rewire could be a very simplistic re-wire on only the existing points , 1 light , 2 sockets per room etc

The £15K extension could be more points , lots of DLs , Sockets , Cat6 etc ?

 

[Electrics]

The £10K rewire could be a very simplistic re-wire on only the existing points , 1 light , 2 sockets per room etc

The £15K extension could be more points , lots of DLs , Sockets , Cat6 etc ?

There's only so complicated a rewire can be. That price is 250 points at £100 a point. Not likely. I think he's trying a fast one.

 

[Dustydazzler]

For Re-wires Most contractors in my area are quoting between £175-200 per white plastic point. This rises about 30% if you want anything fancy like chrome accessories.

You can still find guys working on £150 per point but they are very few and far between now

New build stuff is probably less but again by the time the builder adds his pound of flesh you are probably not far off the £150 per point

 

[loz2754]

For Re-wires Most contractors in my area are quoting between £175-200 per white plastic point. This rises about 30% if you want anything fancy like chrome accessories.

You can still find guys working on £150 per point but they are very few and far between now

New build stuff is probably less but again by the time the builder adds his pound of flesh you are probably not far off the £150 per point

Yikes

 

[telectrix]

For Re-wires Most contractors in my area are quoting between £175-200 per white plastic point. This rises about 30% if you want anything fancy like chrome accessories.

You can still find guys working on £150 per point but they are very few and far between now

New build stuff is probably less but again by the time the builder adds his pound of flesh you are probably not far off the £150 per point

do they all work for pimlico?

 

[Electrics]

For Re-wires Most contractors in my area are quoting between £175-200 per white plastic point. This rises about 30% if you want anything fancy like chrome accessories.

You can still find guys working on £150 per point but they are very few and far between now

New build stuff is probably less but again by the time the builder adds his pound of flesh you are probably not far off the £150 per point

Where do you live where sparks are on 4x the average? Monaco? LA?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Where do you live where sparks are on 4x the average? Monaco? LA?

No where near that Exotic

Leafy Surrey Suburbs is my patch just south of London

You won't get a gardener for less than £35Ph , if you need a Wet Pants who can touch gas you will be paying north of £125ph

 

[Dave OCD]

Crazy !

 

[Electrics]

No where near that Exotic

Leafy Surrey Suburbs is my patch just south of London

You won't get a gardener for less than £35Ph , if you need a Wet Pants who can touch gas you will be paying north of £125ph

I worked in Godalming once. Was nice.

 

[Risteard]

Where do you live where sparks are on 4x the average? Monaco? LA?

In fairness £50/point is hardly the average any more surely?

 

[Dustydazzler]

In fairness £50/point is hardly the average any more surely?

We were doing basic rewires at £50 per point back in 1998

 

[plastics77]

Ok thanks for all the comments and views, it is helpful to get some perspective on here. The build is based in Surrey, it was a 1700 sqft 4 bed house with integral garage. The extra 1000sqft is by breaking into the integral garage and extending on top as a 2 storey side extension, and a 2 storey rear extension to increase size of bedrooms at back as well as living space and conservatory at rear, no outbuildings or anything - standard open plan living/kitchen downstairs, with separate loung and study. The builder has already been contracted and provisional sums for electrical work was £15000+VAT just for the new extended parts of the house (around 1000sqft)- this included a new consumer unit for these extended parts, installing pendant light fittings, switches and sockets (white plastic, standard); at the time they didn't mention anything about costs to do electrics to the original part of the house, and that was all working fine (oringinally 1950s house)- the place is a demolition site in any case and we have moved out - they are part way through the build, so we don't have much leverage now as it feels like we are stuck with whatever they say. But suddenly been told that the electrics/wiring to the old part of the house is in need of overhaul and this will be an extra £10,000+Vat. Not sure why they couldn't identify this at the time of giving the quote, but it is hard to enforce anything as we also don't want them to disappear mid-build. This extra electrical work hasn't been itemised into materials/ or labour, just 'extra electrical work to main part of house'. I don't know what that could be apart from re-wiring and a new consumer unit but struggle to see what can cost this much...