Rewiring a house: electrical work and its cost
Design IRL Editorial · Figures checked 7 November 2026 · For owners of an older home, or anyone adding or moving electrical points · How we make our guides
Wiring is hidden in the walls, so it is easy to skimp on and hard to fix later. In an older home, a full rewire is often cheaper than chasing faults one by one.
How electricians price
Most electricians price new work by the point: each light, fan, socket or appliance outlet. A point usually includes the wire back to the board, the conduit, the switch and the labour. A full rewire of an existing home is often priced per sq ft instead.
| Item | Approx. ₹, all-in | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Light or fan point, concealed | ₹350–800 per point | Wire, conduit, switch, labour |
| Socket point, 6A | ₹400–850 per point | For phones, TV, lamps |
| Power point, 16A | ₹800–1,600 per point | AC, geyser, oven, washing machine |
| Moving an existing point | ₹150–500 per point | Labour and short wire runs |
| Full rewiring | ₹40–120 per sq ft of carpet | New wire through the home, existing layout |
Wires, switches and the board
| Circuit | Copper wire size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and fans | 1.0 sq mm | Light circuits |
| 6A sockets | 1.5–2.5 sq mm | Sources differ; 2.5 gives more headroom |
| 16A power sockets | 2.5 sq mm | Kitchen, washing machine |
| AC | 2.5 or 4 sq mm | Depends on the tonnage and wattage |
| Geyser, oven | 4 sq mm or more | High-load appliances |
- Wire: ask for ISI-marked copper wire. FRLS (fire-retardant, low-smoke) insulation limits the spread of fire and smoke. Prices rise with copper.
- Switches: modular switches and sockets cost about ₹60–600 a piece, depending on brand and type. A fan regulator or dimmer is ₹200–600.
- Distribution board: one MCB (miniature circuit breaker) per circuit, so a fault trips only that circuit. One price guide's 1,000 sq ft example puts the board with MCBs at ₹4,000; larger boards cost more. Our calculator allows ₹5,000–16,000 for a new board with MCBs and an RCCB, as a rough estimate.
- RCCB: a residual current device that cuts the supply if current leaks to earth, as it would through a person. Get a dealer quote for one matched to your load.
An RCD is the law at home
The Central Electricity Authority's 2023 safety regulations (regulation 44) say domestic installations must be protected by a residual current device that trips at no more than 30 mA. Many older homes have none. Add one when you rewire.
Earthing
Earthing gives a fault current a safe path to the ground. Without good earthing, the RCCB and the appliances' own protection can't do their job. A typical 2 or 3 BHK needs at least two earth pits; a house with lightning protection may need three or more.
| Type | Approx. ₹ per pit, installed | Lasts about |
|---|---|---|
| GI pipe | ₹3,000–4,500 | 3–5 years |
| Copper plate | ₹6,000–9,000 | 8–10 years |
| Chemical, maintenance-free | ₹7,000–10,000 | 15–20 years |
When an older home needs a full rewire
- As a rough guide, the wiring is more than 20–25 years old, or uses aluminium or rubber-insulated wire.
- There are still rewireable fuses instead of MCBs.
- Switches or sockets get warm, smell of burning or spark.
- Breakers trip often when the AC, geyser or induction cooktop is on.
- There's no earth wire in the sockets, or no RCCB.
- You are adding several ACs, an EV charger or a full kitchen of appliances.
If the conduits are sound, new wire can often be pulled through them with little wall-cutting. If they are blocked or there are none, the walls are chased, which means plaster repair and repainting afterwards. That is why rewiring belongs at the start of a renovation, not the end.
Worked example: a 2 BHK
A 25-year-old 2 BHK of 750 sq ft carpet in a metro like Pune or Bengaluru. You rewire the whole flat, add 4 power points (two ACs, a geyser and the kitchen) and 6 sockets, move 8 points, fit a new board with MCBs and an RCCB, and add two earth pits.
| Line | Working | Approx. ₹ |
|---|---|---|
| Full rewiring | 750 sq ft × ₹40–120 | ₹30,000–90,000 |
| New power points | 4 × ₹800–1,600 | ₹3,200–6,400 |
| New socket points | 6 × ₹400–850 | ₹2,400–5,100 |
| Moving points | 8 × ₹150–500 | ₹1,200–4,000 |
| Board with MCBs and an RCCB | Our rough estimate | ₹5,000–16,000 |
| Two earth pits | 2 × ₹3,500–10,000 | ₹7,000–20,000 |
| Total, before GST | About ₹49,000–1.42 lakh |
If your sanctioned load is too low for the new appliances, you also apply to your electricity company (DISCOM) for more load, and sometimes a three-phase meter. Its charges and security deposit are set by your state's regulator and vary widely. As a rough estimate, a load upgrade with the wiring work it needs can cost ₹30,000–1.2 lakh. Check your DISCOM's schedule of charges.
How to save without regret, and who to hire
- Don't save on wire, the board or earthing. Save on switch plates instead: mid-range modular switches work as well as premium ones.
- Plan every point once, room by room, with your furniture layout. Moving a point later costs ₹150–500 plus the wall repair.
- Run spare conduits for future AC, internet and an EV charger while the walls are open.
- Label every MCB in the board.
- Ask for a test report before you pay the last instalment: insulation, earth and RCCB trip test.
Use a licensed electrical contractor, who can sign the test report your DISCOM may need for a load change. On a larger home or a full renovation, an MEP consultant can size the load, the circuits and the board. These figures are approximate; get 2–3 quotes against the same point list.
Find the people
Sources
Most published cost figures come from firms that sell the work. We give ranges and you should get 2–3 quotes.
- Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023 (Gazette, via KSEB)
- Crompton: electrical wires for the home
- Houseyog: electrical wiring cost per sq ft in India
- Houseyog: modular switches cost in India
- Houseyog: earthing system cost in homes
- NoBroker: home renovation cost