Electrics, plumbing and heating
Kitchen electrics
Kitchen electrics is the wiring a kitchen needs to match its layout: sockets above the worktop, supplies for built-in appliances, a dedicated circuit for the oven or hob, isolation switches, lighting points and a feed for the cooker hood. It is done in two stages, first fix before plastering and second fix after tiling, and finished with testing and a certificate to BS 7671.
When do you need kitchen electrics?
A new kitchen nearly always needs different electrics from the old one. Sockets end up behind a tall larder, the hob moves to an island, an induction hob needs more power than the old cooker supply can carry, or there are simply too few sockets for a kettle, toaster, coffee machine and chargers. Older homes may also have a consumer unit with no spare ways or no RCD protection, which has to be looked at before new circuits go in.
At the survey visit we mark where every appliance, socket and light will go against the kitchen plan, and look at the consumer unit and existing circuits. The electrician first fixes cables and back boxes once the old kitchen is out and before plastering, then returns after the units, worktops and tiling are finished to fit faceplates, connect appliances and test everything. You receive the right certificate for the work, and notifiable work is notified where your nation requires it.
What is included?
- A check of the consumer unit, existing circuits and earthing before the layout is fixed
- Socket positions planned around worktop appliances, the kettle spot and any breakfast bar
- First-fix cables and back boxes run before plastering or boarding
- A dedicated circuit for an oven, range cooker or induction hob where needed
- Accessible isolation switches for integrated appliances, reachable without pulling units out
- Supplies for the cooker hood, under-cabinet lights and a boiling water tap
- Second fix of sockets, switches and appliance connections once tiling is done
- Testing, the correct certificate, and notification of the work where it is required
How much does kitchen electrics cost?
These are national guide prices including VAT at 20%. Prices are higher in London and the South East and lower in much of the North, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area below for a local range.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Extra sockets or spurs on existing circuitsNew positions to suit the layout | £250–£500 |
| Kitchen electrics for a full refitCircuits, sockets, appliance points and under-cabinet lighting | £500–£1,500 |
| New cooker or induction circuitDedicated circuit from the consumer unit, tested and certified | £300–£700 |
Guide ranges cover the electrician's labour, cable, back boxes and standard white accessories with testing and certification; a consumer unit upgrade, decorative faceplates and plaster repairs are quoted separately if needed. Your price is confirmed after a free survey visit.
How long does it take?
Typical timescale: 1 to 3 days, split between first fix and second fix. The programme for your kitchen is set out in the quote, and depends on the size of the room, what is moving, lead times for units and worktops and, after plastering, drying time.
Do you need permission or building regulations approval?
The rules differ across the UK. Choose your nation:
In England, Part P makes a new circuit, such as a dedicated cooker or induction hob circuit, and a replacement consumer unit notifiable. That work is self-certified by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who notifies the council, or approved through building control. Adding sockets or spurs to an existing kitchen circuit is not notifiable in England, but it must still meet BS 7671 and should be recorded on a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
Part P in Wales goes further than in England. As well as new circuits and consumer unit replacement, extending an existing circuit within a kitchen is notifiable, and a kitchen means any room or part of a room with a sink and food preparation facilities. So most kitchen electrics in Wales are notified, either by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme or through building control, and all of it must meet BS 7671.
In Scotland, electrical work in a house does not normally need a building warrant, but it must meet building standards 4.5 and 4.6 and be designed, installed and tested to BS 7671. The notification arrangements used in England and Wales do not apply here. Ask for an Electrical Installation Certificate for a new circuit, or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate for additions to an existing one, and keep it with your property papers. Every home in Scotland must have an interlinked heat alarm in the kitchen, so it is kept or refitted, and tested, as part of the job.
Northern Ireland has no requirement to notify domestic electrical work in the way England and Wales do, so new kitchen circuits and extra sockets are not registered with the council. The work should still be designed, installed and tested to BS 7671, with an Electrical Installation Certificate for a new circuit and a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate for additions. Keep both for when you sell or let the home.
What should you think about before starting?
- Count the appliances that will live on the worktop, then add a couple of spare sockets; extension leads across a worktop are a poor substitute.
- Keep sockets and switches sensibly clear of the sink and hob, away from splashing water and heat, and agree the positions on the plan.
- Ask for isolation switches for the dishwasher, fridge and washing machine to be reachable without moving an appliance or a unit.
- Check whether your consumer unit has spare ways and RCD protection; an older board may need upgrading before new circuits can be added.
- Confirm the hob and oven ratings before first fix, because an induction hob or double oven may need a larger dedicated circuit.
- Decide on lighting, island power and any boiling water tap before plastering, as cables are far harder to add after tiling.
How does the project run?
- Guide price. Use the online guide-price tool or call us for a realistic range for your area
- Free survey visit. We measure the room, check walls, floors and service positions, and look at the plan or delivery
- Itemised written quote. Broken down by stage and trade, with any worktop templating, engineer or approval costs listed
- Fitting in the right order. Strip-out, first fix, units, worktops, second fix and finishing, with the trades booked in sequence
- Final check and handover. A walk-round together, certificates for electrics and gas, and the manufacturers' documents
Questions about kitchen electrics
How much do kitchen electrics cost?
Extra sockets or spurs on existing circuits usually cost £250 to £500 including VAT, and a new dedicated cooker or induction circuit about £300 to £700. Electrics for a full kitchen refit, covering circuits, sockets, appliance points and under-cabinet lighting, are typically £500 to £1,500. A consumer unit upgrade, if one is needed, is quoted separately. These national guide prices are confirmed after a survey visit.
Do I need an electrician to add sockets in a kitchen?
Yes, any kitchen wiring is a job for a qualified electrician. In England, adding sockets to an existing circuit is not notifiable, but it must meet BS 7671 and should be recorded on a Minor Works Certificate. In Wales the same job is notifiable because it extends a circuit in a kitchen. Scotland and Northern Ireland have no notification step, but the same wiring standard applies.
Does an induction hob need its own circuit?
Usually, yes. Most induction hobs draw too much power to run from a plug socket, so they are wired to a dedicated cooker circuit from the consumer unit. One circuit can sometimes feed both a hob and an oven if the cable and protection are sized for them. The electrician checks the hob rating against the existing circuit at the survey and tells you whether a new one is needed.
What is first fix and second fix in kitchen electrics?
First fix is the hidden part: running cables and fixing back boxes into walls and ceilings after the old kitchen is out and before plastering. Second fix comes after the units, worktops and tiling are in, when sockets, switches and appliance connections are fitted and the whole installation is tested. Getting positions right at first fix matters, because moving a box after tiling means cutting tiles.
Will I need a new consumer unit for a new kitchen?
Not always. If the existing consumer unit has spare ways, RCD protection and is in sound condition, new kitchen circuits can often be added to it. An older board with no RCD protection, no spare space or signs of damage may need replacing first. That is notifiable in England and Wales, and it is quoted separately once the electrician has inspected it at the survey.
What paperwork should I get for kitchen electrics?
You should get an Electrical Installation Certificate for any new circuit and a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate for additions to an existing circuit, such as extra sockets. In England and Wales, notifiable work is also registered with the council through a competent person scheme or building control, and a compliance certificate follows. Keep these papers safe, because buyers' solicitors and letting agents often ask for them.
Related guides
- What happens during a kitchen installation, day by day?
- How do you plan a kitchen layout that works?
- Do you need building regulations approval for a new kitchen?
- How much space and planning does a kitchen island need?
Related kitchen services
- Kitchen lighting
- Hob and oven installation
- Integrated appliance installation
- Kitchen underfloor heating
Where do we carry out kitchen electrics?
We take on kitchen electrics across England, Wales, mainland Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area for local guide prices and the rules that apply there.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- the East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- the Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- the West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire