Short answer: There’s no honest single price for rewiring a Sydney house. A one-bedroom unit and a two-storey Federation home are completely different jobs, and published “averages” vary so widely that they’re not much use for budgeting. The cost is driven by the size of the home, how easy it is to get cable into the walls and ceilings, how much plaster has to be opened and patched, whether the switchboard is replaced at the same time, and whether any supply work is needed. The only reliable number is a fixed quote after an inspection.
Rewiring is the biggest electrical job most homeowners ever face. In the Inner West it comes up all the time, because so many homes are terraces, cottages and Federation houses that have been partly rewired several times over the decades. This guide explains what drives the cost so you can plan, budget and compare quotes properly.
Full rewire, partial rewire or “make safe”?
Before thinking about cost, be clear about which job you actually need.
- Full rewire: all the old cabling is replaced, usually with a new switchboard, new power points and switches, and new lighting circuits. This is common when a home still has rubber-insulated cable or wiring that’s failing insulation tests.
- Partial rewire: only some circuits are replaced, often the oldest lighting circuits or a section of the house that wasn’t touched in an earlier renovation.
- Make safe and upgrade: the switchboard is replaced with full RCD protection, obviously damaged cable is replaced, and the rest is tested and left in service. This can be the right answer when most of the wiring tests well.
A good electrician will test the existing wiring before recommending a full rewire. If someone recommends a full rewire without testing anything, ask why.
The cost drivers, one by one
Size and layout
More rooms means more circuits, more cable and more points. Two-storey homes take longer because cable has to get between floors.
Access to walls and ceilings
This is often the biggest factor in Inner West homes. Things that make cable runs harder:
- solid double-brick walls (common in terraces), where cable often has to be chased into the brick or run on the surface in conduit
- low or no roof space, especially in single-fronted terraces with skillion roofs at the back
- timber floors with little or no subfloor clearance
- lath-and-plaster, ornate cornices and pressed-metal ceilings that you don’t want damaged
Homes with a generous roof space and a decent subfloor are much cheaper to rewire than homes where every run needs a new path.
Plastering and patching
Rewiring nearly always means some holes. Who patches, paints and makes good can change the total a lot. Many electricians don’t include patching, so check every quote. Rewiring during a renovation, while walls are already open, is usually far cheaper than rewiring a finished home.
The switchboard
Most rewires include a new switchboard with RCD or RCBO protection on every circuit. The NSW Government puts switchboard upgrades alone at about $1,500 to $4,000 on its Climate and Energy Action page. See our switchboard upgrade cost guide for the details.
Asbestos
Older switchboards are sometimes mounted on bituminous backing boards that may contain asbestos. Asbestos NSW notes these boards date from before 1987. Some older homes also have asbestos sheeting in eaves, bathrooms or meter boxes. Any asbestos needs proper handling, which adds cost and time.
Supply-side work
If the rewire also needs new consumer mains, a bigger supply, a phase change or a meter relocation, that part of the job is done by an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) Level 2. Blue Link Electrical Services isn’t Level 2 accredited, so we’ll flag this early if your home needs it.
What you add
A rewire is the cheapest time to add the extras you’ll want later: more power points, USB outlets, data cabling, outdoor lighting, an EV charger circuit or smart switches. Adding them during the rewire costs far less than coming back later.
Why we don’t publish a “per square metre” price
You’ll see online calculators and articles quoting rewiring costs per square metre or per bedroom. We’ve looked at them, and the published ranges for the same type of house vary by many thousands of dollars. That’s because access and plaster matter more than floor area. A price that ignores those things isn’t much help, and it can lead you to accept or reject a quote for the wrong reasons.
How to get a quote you can trust
Ask each electrician to cover:
- Whether they tested the existing wiring, and what they found
- Exactly which circuits are being replaced
- The number of power points, switches and lights in the new layout
- Whether a new switchboard with RCD or RCBO protection is included
- Who’s responsible for patching and making good
- How asbestos (if any) will be handled
- Whether any Level 2 supply work is needed, and who’s doing it
- Testing and the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW)
- How long the job will take, and how long you’ll be without power
For any job over $5,000, NSW requires a written contract, and for work over $20,000 the contractor must give you a home building compensation certificate before taking a deposit. The maximum deposit is 10%. See NSW Government guidance on contracts.
Signs your home may need rewiring
- rubber-insulated or cloth-covered cable visible in the roof space or at the switchboard
- ceramic fuses and no safety switches
- light switches or power points that get warm, buzz or smell
- lights that dim noticeably when appliances start
- safety switches that trip repeatedly after an upgrade, pointing to failing insulation
If any of these sound familiar, start with our guide to old wiring in Inner West terraces and Federation homes.
Thinking about a rewire? We work across the Inner West, including Petersham, Annandale, Lilyfield and Stanmore. We’ll test your wiring first and tell you straight whether you need a full rewire. See our electrical safety inspections, or call 0421 772 661 for a fixed quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to rewire a house?
It depends on the size and access. A small unit might take a couple of days, while a larger or two-storey home can take a week or more. Ask for a timeframe in the quote.
Can I stay in the house during a rewire?
Often yes, but expect the power to be off for parts of each day, and some dust and disruption. Many people plan a rewire around a renovation or time away.
Do I need a full rewire if I’m upgrading my switchboard?
Not necessarily. A switchboard upgrade includes testing, which shows whether the existing circuits are in good enough condition to stay. Only failing circuits need replacing.
Will a rewire damage my ornate ceilings and cornices?
A careful electrician plans cable routes to avoid heritage features where possible, using roof and subfloor access, existing cavities or surface conduit. Talk about this at the quoting stage.