Cost guide
How much do sockets and switches cost?
A single extra socket spurred from a nearby point is £80 to £160. Additional points on the same visit are £40 to £90 each, which is the reason to decide on all of them before the first one is fitted.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Extra socket, spur from a nearby point | £80 to £160 |
| Each additional point on the same visit | £40 to £90 |
| Socket moved during decorating | £70 to £140 |
| Double socket with integrated USB | £95 to £180 |
| New radial circuit from the board | £180 to £420 |
| Replacing accessories throughout a house | £12 to £25 each |
Decide every position in one go and have them done on one visit. The first point carries the travel, the isolation and the testing; the fifth carries a back box and twenty minutes.
What moves the price
- Distance from the nearest suitable existing point.
- Surface mounted against flush, which is the difference between a clip and a chase.
- Wall construction. Dot and dab plasterboard, solid brick and stone each take a different amount of time.
- Whether a new circuit is needed, which brings certification and notification with it.
- Making good, plastering and decorating after chasing.
- The accessory itself. Standard white, brushed steel, USB and smart modules span a wide range.
Who quotes for it
131 of the 133 electricians listed on this site take on sockets and switches.
Most of them in one place: Leeds (9), Birmingham (9), Glasgow (9), Liverpool (9), Edinburgh (9).
Questions about sockets and switches
Can I move a socket myself?
Nothing in the regulations forbids competent work by a householder on their own home. What they require is that the result is safe and, where notifiable, certified. The practical problem is the certificate, which is what a future buyer's solicitor asks about.
Why will my smart switch not work?
Usually because there is no neutral conductor at the switch. Lighting wired with the loop at the ceiling rose brings only switched line and permanent line down to the switch, and most smart switches need a neutral to power themselves.