They get confused constantly, and it costs people money either way: paying for a rewire they didn't need, or delaying one they did. Here's the actual difference.
Last updated: 6 August 2026 · Written by The London Electrical Compliance Company, NAPIT-approved electricians serving London & Surrey
An EICR is an inspection; a rewire is a repair. An Electrical Installation Condition Report checks whether your existing wiring is safe and compliant. It doesn't change anything. A full rewire physically replaces the wiring. Most properties only ever need an EICR; a rewire is only necessary when an inspection finds the existing installation is genuinely unsafe, or the cost of patching it up exceeds the cost of starting again.
| EICR | Full rewire | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An inspection and report on your existing wiring's condition | Physical replacement of the wiring itself |
| Typical duration | A few hours to one day | Several days to a few weeks, depending on property size |
| What you get | A certificate, graded C1–C3/FI against any faults found | New wiring, new consumer unit, a fresh installation certificate |
| When it's required | Every 5 years for rental properties (by law); recommended at point of sale/purchase | Only when an inspection finds the existing wiring unsafe or beyond economical repair |
| Disruption | Minimal, access to sockets and the consumer unit | Significant, lifting floors, chasing walls, redecorating after |
If you let a residential property in England, you're required to have a valid EICR at least every 5 years, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. Any C1 or C2 faults the report identifies must be fixed within 28 days, with proof sent to the tenant and, if requested, the local council. HMOs have had equivalent requirements for longer.
A rewire isn't triggered by age alone. It's triggered by condition. In practice, we recommend one when an EICR turns up:
A single fault on an otherwise sound installation is usually a repair, not a rewire. We'll always tell you honestly which category a property falls into. A repair costs a fraction of a rewire, and we don't have anything to gain by recommending more work than a property actually needs.
Under BS 7671 (the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations), every observation on an EICR gets one of four codes: C1 (danger present, immediate risk), C2 (potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required), C3 (improvement recommended, not required for a satisfactory rating), or FI (further investigation needed). An EICR with any C1 or C2 codes is marked "Unsatisfactory" until those items are fixed. That's the trigger point where a property owner needs to decide between targeted repairs and a full rewire.
Yes. An EICR grades any faults it finds using codes C1, C2, C3 or FI. A C1 or C2 code means work is required, but even multiple C2s across an old installation don't automatically mean a full rewire; your engineer will tell you whether targeted repairs or a full rewire is the more cost-effective fix.
An EICR is a fixed-fee inspection, typically completed in a few hours to a day depending on property size. A full rewire is a much larger job, usually several days to a few weeks, because it involves lifting floors, chasing walls, and replacing the consumer unit, so it costs significantly more. We provide fixed quotes for both after seeing the property.
By law, private landlords in England need a valid EICR at least every 5 years, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. There's no legal requirement to rewire on a fixed schedule; a rewire is only required if an EICR (or other inspection) finds the existing wiring unsafe.
There's no fixed age limit. Condition matters more than age. That said, wiring installed before the 1970s (often with rubber or fabric insulation, or no earthing on lighting circuits) has usually degraded enough that a full rewire is recommended once it's properly inspected.
Not sure which one your property needs? That's exactly what an EICR is for: book one and we'll tell you straight, with a fixed quote for whichever comes next.
Prefer to talk? Call 07874 950467, or WhatsApp us, Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00.