Behind the freshly painted villa walls, the wiring is still 1935.
Wellington's character housing is its pride and its electrical liability. Original and early cabling degrades, insurers are asking harder questions, and modern loads keep growing. A full rewire is a multi-day project with published guide pricing, almost always paired with a switchboard replacement and a Certificate of Compliance at the end.
Is this your stream?
Pre-1960s home never rewired, old cabling visible in the roof or underfloor space, ceramic fuses, repeated faults, or an insurer asking about wiring age. That combination means the wiring, not the fittings, is the job.
A single faulty circuit or a tired switchboard can look like a rewire from the couch. Get an inspection first: a switchboard upgrade at $1,500–$4,000 is a very different bill from a full rewire.
What it costs in Wellington
The Wellington guide band
Weka Electrical's published guide puts rewiring an old Wellington house at $10,000–$20,000 depending on size, accessibility and whether a switchboard upgrade is required, with 5–10 working days a typical timeline.
The size-based NZ data
ServiceTasker's NZ cost guide runs 2-bedroom homes at $5,000–$8,000, 3-bedroom at $7,000–$11,000 and 4-bedroom at $10,000–$15,000. Smaller and simpler houses sit below the Wellington old-home guide band.
The switchboard inside it
Weka Electrical notes rewiring usually includes replacing the fuse board with a modern RCD-protected switchboard, typically adding $1,000–$3,000. Quote the rewire and the board together.
Wellington providers, compared
Six firms that take on rewiring work in Wellington, grouped by what they are best at. Hover a row for the detail that matters.
Common mistakes
Assuming a tidy villa means tidy wiring: the age of the cabling, not the paint job, decides the risk. Wellington's pre-war stock routinely carries original or early cabling behind renovated walls, and the only way to know is an inspection.
Quoting a rewire by phone: size, access, ceiling and underfloor space, and whether a switchboard replacement is needed all move the price. Weka Electrical's guide range of $10,000–$20,000 exists precisely because every house is different.
Rewiring room by room over years: partial rewires leave mixed old and new circuits, repeated callout costs, and no single Certificate of Compliance picture for the house. If the wiring is end-of-life, plan the whole job.
Not timing it with a renovation: walls open for a kitchen or bathroom project are the cheapest rewiring access you will ever get. Rewiring after the plasterboard goes back on costs significantly more.
Forgetting the insurance angle: insurers increasingly ask about wiring age on older Wellington homes, and some decline or load cover for very old cabling. A rewire with certification can be an insurance decision as much as a safety one.
Letting anyone but a licensed electrician touch it: rewiring is prescribed electrical work. It must be done by an EWRB-registered electrician with a current practising licence and certified afterwards. DIY here is both illegal and dangerous.
FAQ
How much does it cost to rewire a house in Wellington?
Weka Electrical's published guide puts an older Wellington home at $10,000–$20,000 depending on size, access and whether a switchboard upgrade is included. ServiceTasker's NZ data runs lower for smaller homes (2-bedroom $5,000–$8,000, 3-bedroom $7,000–$11,000), so size and scope drive the quote. Every serious quote follows an inspection.
How do I know if my villa needs rewiring?
Clues include ceramic fuses, old-style cabling visible in the ceiling or underfloor space, frequent tripping, discoloured fittings, and a home built before the 1960s that has never been rewired. An inspection by a registered electrician gives the definitive answer.
How long does a full rewire take?
Weka Electrical's guide says an average older Wellington home takes 5–10 working days, longer for larger or multi-storey homes or where wall and ceiling access is difficult. Ask for a project timeline in the written quote.
Do I have to move out during a rewire?
Not always, but expect power to be off in sections and floors to be lifted in places. Many owners time a rewire with a renovation or a period away. Discuss staging with the electrician before the quote is finalised.
Does a rewire include a new switchboard?
Usually, yes. Weka Electrical notes older homes often have fuse boards that do not meet current safety regulations, and a rewire typically includes a modern board with RCD protection, adding $1,000–$3,000 to the project.
An older Wellington home rewires at $10,000–$20,000 per Weka Electrical's published guide, less for smaller and simpler houses per ServiceTasker's NZ data, and the switchboard usually comes along for $1,000–$3,000 more. Get an inspection before any number, time it with renovations where possible, and finish with a Certificate of Compliance for your insurer.