If your Sydney home still runs on decades-old wiring, a rewire has probably crossed your mind, usually right after a tripping safety switch or a warm power point. The first question almost every homeowner asks us is a simple one: what is this going to cost?
The honest answer is that it depends on your home. A small unit and a four-bedroom heritage house in the Inner West sit at very different ends of the scale. Here is a clear breakdown so you can budget with confidence before anyone picks up a drill.
What a full house rewire actually involves
Rewiring is not just swapping out a few cables. A proper job means removing the old cabling running through your walls, ceiling and floor, then replacing it with new wiring that meets the current AS/NZS 3000 wiring rules.
That work usually covers:
- Lighting and power point circuits
- Cabling for fixed appliances like ovens and hot water systems
- Smoke alarm wiring
- A switchboard fitted with modern safety switches (RCDs)
Most homes take a licensed electrician between two and six days, depending on size and access. Power is isolated zone by zone, so you are rarely left completely without it for long.
How much does a house rewire cost in Sydney?
For a standard Sydney home, a full rewire typically lands between $5,000 and $12,000. Smaller, simpler properties sit at the lower end, while larger or older homes climb higher.
As a rough guide:
- Unit or small apartment: $3,500 to $7,500
- Two to three bedroom house: $6,000 to $12,000
- Large or heritage home: $14,000 to $26,000+
These figures cover the labour and materials for the rewire itself. If only part of the property needs updating, a partial rewire costs less, which is common when one section of the house was already redone during a past renovation. Our team can walk you through the right scope when we handle your residential electrical work.
What affects the final price
Two houses of the same size can be quoted very differently. The biggest factors we see across Sydney are:
- Access. Easy ceiling cavities and subfloor space mean faster work. Double-brick walls and tight roof spaces slow things down and add labour hours.
- Home age and size. Older homes often hide brittle or non-compliant cabling that takes longer to remove safely.
- Number of points. More rooms, outdoor areas and wet areas mean more circuits and outlets to run.
- Patching. We keep access holes small and neat, though full plastering and painting are best left to your chosen trades.
Labour is the largest part of any rewire, so anything that adds hours adds cost.
Don’t forget the switchboard
When you rewire, the switchboard almost always needs upgrading too. Older boards rarely have the safety switches now required, and they cannot support the extra circuits a modern home runs.
A switchboard upgrade generally adds $1,300 to $2,000, and replacing the consumer mains (the cable feeding power into your home) can add more again. We quote these as separate line items so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Signs your home is due for a rewire
Not sure whether you need one yet? A few warning signs are worth acting on quickly:
- Safety switches that trip often or fuses that keep blowing
- Flickering lights or buzzing from walls and outlets
- Discoloured or warm power points
- Cloth-insulated or rubber-coated wiring (common in pre-1980s homes)
- Too few power points, so extension leads run everywhere
If any of these sound familiar, book an inspection before small faults turn into a fire risk.
Get a fixed quote from a licensed Sydney electrician
Every price range above is a starting point. The only way to know what your rewire will cost is to have a licensed electrician inspect the property and quote the actual scope. At Charlie Sparks, we have completed hundreds of residential jobs across Sydney, and we stand by honest pricing with no surprises on the final invoice.
Ready to find out where your home sits? Get in touch with our team for a free, no-obligation quote and a safer home.