House rewiring can take a few days to a week or two for the electrical work, with larger or more complicated projects taking longer. That broad NICEIC guide is a starting point, not a booking promise. The full renovation programme must also allow for planning, access, plastering, drying and decorating around the electrician’s visits.
Plan electrical rewiring in Tonbridge by stages
A credible programme begins with the scope. Ask which circuits are being replaced, how many accessories are included and whether the proposal covers the consumer unit, alarms, outbuildings or data cabling. A partial circuit replacement and a complete occupied-house rewire should not be compared using one headline number of days.
NICEIC’s homeowner guide gives a broad duration of a few days to one or two weeks, depending on size and complexity. It also explains that occupation can slow the work. Ask the contractor to turn that general range into a programme for your layout and agreed specification, including who will do the finishing work. Read NICEIC’s rewiring guide.
Before installation: settle the choices that affect time
The preparation period includes the survey, circuit planning, product selection and coordination with other trades. Decide socket positions against the furniture layout and confirm the kitchen appliance schedule before cable routes are agreed. Changes after walls are chased can mean reopening work that was already ready for the next trade.
Write down the agreed specification and identify any long-lead fittings. A decorative light arriving late can delay completion even when the cable is ready. Establish whether specialist supply work, building control arrangements or other approvals affect the start. Do not count the date you accept a quotation as the first installation day unless the contractor has confirmed attendance, access and the necessary materials.
First fix: the disruptive access phase
During first fix, electricians establish cable routes and install the wiring and back boxes before surfaces are finished. Depending on the building, this can involve lifting floorboards, accessing voids and chasing masonry. Clear rooms and accessible routes help, but the construction itself determines how straightforward the work will be.
Unexpected obstacles should be reported before the programme changes significantly. Solid floors, inaccessible ceilings and previously concealed alterations can need a revised approach. Ask for a hold point to review positions before plastering: checking a socket height against a desk or an island pendant position against the actual island is easier while the routes remain open. Avoid promising other trades an exact start immediately after first fix without a confirmed handover.
Practical next steps
- Confirm the circuit and accessory scope before comparing durations.
- Allow separately for first fix, finishing, second fix and verification.
- Agree how occupation and changes will affect the programme.
Second fix and testing need protected time
Once surfaces are ready, switches, sockets, light fittings and other accessories can be connected. The electrician then carries out the necessary inspection and testing before handover. This stage is part of completing the electrical installation; it is not spare time that can automatically be removed if earlier work overran.
A failed test, incomplete accessory delivery or change in the final appliance arrangement can require further work. Keep a clear distinction between ‘the lights come on’ and ‘the installation has been completed, verified and handed over’. Agree what certificates and building regulation documentation will be provided where applicable. Ask when these will arrive and who to contact if any snags appear after you begin using the new arrangement.
Living in the property changes the sequence
An occupied home may need work divided into smaller areas, daily clearing and agreed temporary arrangements. Talk about cooking, hot water, internet access and safe routes through the house. A room that can be used overnight may still need to be empty again the following morning. These practical requirements can lengthen the calendar even if the electrical scope is unchanged.
The IET’s April 2026 survey reported that 6% of respondents had attempted rewiring themselves. That is a behaviour statistic, not evidence of a safe shortcut. Do not try to reduce the programme by carrying out electrical tasks outside your competence. Agree any customer preparation with the contractor, such as safely clearing belongings, and leave cable installation, isolation and testing to the professionals. See the IET research.
Build a programme that includes the finishing work
Ask the quotation to identify who repairs chases, replaces disturbed floors and completes decoration. Electrical completion and a fully finished room are separate milestones. Plaster drying and subsequent finishes depend on the materials and conditions, so obtain advice from the relevant trades rather than assigning a universal drying period.
For a refurbishment, coordinate lighting installations with the rewire so positions are settled once. An illustrative programme might place first fix before plastering and second fix afterwards, with testing and handover at the end; it is not a fixed timetable for every house. Ask for the expected site days, gaps between visits and contingency arrangements in writing. That gives you a programme you can manage rather than a reassuring but incomplete completion date.
Before work starts, name the person who can approve a variation and agree how its effect on cost and completion will be recorded.
Summary
The time needed for rewiring depends on access, scope, occupancy and coordination with the rest of the renovation. A useful quotation distinguishes installation days from the full project calendar and protects time for testing. Speak to Tonbridge Electrical Testing about the work your property needs and the sequence required to complete it.
