Home / Cost guides / What changes the cost of replacing a plug socket?
What changes the cost of replacing a plug socket?
Replacing a plug socket costs more or less depending on whether it is a straight swap on sound wiring, whether the back box or the wall needs work, how many sockets are done in one visit, and where the socket is. This guide does not print a price per socket, so ask for one written scope.
Last reviewed:Why is a socket swap not always a small job?
From the room, a plug socket is a plastic plate on the wall. Behind it there is a metal or plastic back box, the cables, and the circuit that feeds several other sockets. A replacement quote depends on what the electrician finds when the plate comes off.
A straight swap, where the box is sound, the cables are in good condition and the new socket fits the old box, is one of the quickest jobs an electrician does. A cracked box, a loose fixing in crumbly plaster, a cable that is too short, or signs of overheating turn it into a longer one.
This guide does not print a price per socket or a call-out figure. It explains what each quote should say, so you can compare them. Our electricians page covers the trade. QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post the job.
Is it notifiable work?
In most homes, no. Planning Portal says notifiable electrical jobs in England are the installation of a new consumer unit, the installation of a complete new circuit, and alterations to existing circuits in special locations, which are the spaces around baths and showers [S1]. Most repairs, replacements and maintenance jobs, and alterations or additions to existing circuits outside special locations, are not notifiable [S1]. In Wales, special locations also include kitchens and outdoors [S1].
GOV.UK's guide to building work lists additional power points, or any other alterations to existing circuits except around baths and showers, among work you do not need to tell a building control body about [S8].
Not notifiable does not mean anything goes. Planning Portal says non-notifiable work should still be designed, installed, inspected, tested and certificated in accordance with BS 7671, and that a qualified electrician should give you a Minor Works Certificate [S2]. Ask for one on the quote.
This guide gives no wiring steps. Use a registered electrician.
Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
You can search the Electrical Safety First register. GOV.UK explains building regulations approval for jobs that are notifiable.
What changes the quote?
| Factor | What to tell the electrician | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Number of sockets | How many, and in which rooms | Several in one visit spreads the travel and set-up |
| Type of socket | Plain, switched, USB, metal finish, outdoor | Parts differ, and some need a deeper box |
| Back box | Whether the plate sits flat and firm | A loose or broken box means cutting into the wall |
| Surface or flush | Plate on the wall, or a box on the surface | Changing from one to the other is more work |
| Location | Kitchen, bathroom area, outside, garage [S1] | Special locations and outdoor protection change the job |
| Condition | Scorch marks, buzzing, heat, loose plugs [S3] | Signs of a fault mean testing and repair, not a swap |
| Age of wiring | Rubber or fabric cable, round-pin or skirting sockets [S4] | May point to a bigger job |
| Certificate | Minor Works Certificate after testing [S2] | Testing takes time |
| Making good | Filling round the new plate, decorating | Often left to you |
| VAT | Included or extra. Registration applies above £90,000 of taxable turnover [S6] | Changes the total |
What can the electrician find behind the plate?
Old wiring. Electrical Safety First says cables coated in black rubber were phased out in the 1960s, and that cables coated in lead or fabric are older still and may well need replacing [S4]. If an electrician finds those behind a socket, they may advise against simply fitting a new plate. House rewire costs covers that bigger job.
Old socket types. The same Electrical Safety First page lists older round-pin sockets and black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards among items that may need replacing [S4].
Signs of heat. Electrical Safety First says not to ignore burn marks, buzzing or crackling sounds, fuses blowing, circuit breakers tripping, or anything that feels hot to the touch [S3]. An electrician will want to find out why a socket overheated, not just replace the part.
No RCD. Electrical Safety First says an RCD in the consumer unit protects you from electric shocks if a product is faulty, and that if you do not have RCD protection you should use an RCD plug on the socket [S3]. An electrician may recommend board work, which is a separate quote.
If the electrician recommends more work, ask for it in writing as a separate price. You can then decide whether to go ahead, get another quote, or ask for an inspection report first. EICR costs explains what an inspection report covers.
Are there too few sockets?
A house with an extension lead behind every sofa is telling you something. Electrical Safety First says overloading sockets creates a risk of fire, that most extension leads have a 13A rating but some older ones and many cable reels may be only 10A or less, and that plugging one extension lead into another can make the plug in the wall socket overheat [S3].
If you are replacing sockets anyway, ask whether a single can become a double, or whether a new socket can be added nearby on the same circuit. Planning Portal says additions to existing circuits outside special locations are not notifiable [S1]. A complete new circuit, such as a new ring for a home office, is notifiable [S1] and a bigger job.
Kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors and garages
Kitchens have sockets near water and heavy loads from appliances. In England, kitchens are not special locations under the notifiable rules [S1], but the work still has to meet BS 7671 [S2]. Ask the electrician about the position of each socket relative to the sink and hob.
Bathrooms and shower rooms are special locations in England [S1]. Ask the electrician what is allowed in that room before you ask for a socket there.
Outdoor sockets need weatherproof fittings and protection. Electrical Safety First advises using an RCD with all outdoor electrical equipment [S5]. In Wales, outdoors is a special location [S1].
Garages and sheds are covered by the building regulations too. If the garage needs its own supply, a garage consumer unit explains that job.
USB, smart and decorative sockets
The socket itself can change the price more than people expect.
USB sockets have charging electronics built in. They are usually deeper than a plain socket, so an old shallow back box may need replacing to fit one. Ask whether the electrician has checked the box depth before quoting a straight swap.
Smart sockets that are wired into the wall, rather than plugged in, may need checks on the wiring in the box, an app set-up and a signal that reaches your router. Ask who sets them up and what happens if the signal does not reach.
Metal and decorative plates in brushed steel, brass or black nickel usually cost more than white plastic. They also show scratches from screwdrivers, so ask the electrician to take care with the finish.
Switched or unswitched. Most sockets have a switch, but some fridge and freezer positions use unswitched sockets so nobody turns them off by mistake. Say what each socket is used for.
What should you do before the visit?
Make it easy for the electrician to see the problem and reach the sockets. Move furniture away from each socket, clear the space in front of the consumer unit, and make a list of which sockets you want changed. If a socket has stopped working, note when it happened and whether a breaker tripped at the time. Do not take the plate off yourself to have a look. Leave that to the electrician.
How do you compare quotes?
Write down how many sockets, where they are, what type you want, and anything you have spotted such as scorch marks or a loose plate. Add photos of each socket and of the consumer unit.
Electrical Safety First recommends getting at least three written quotes unless the work is minor, and checking the electrician is registered with a government-approved scheme [S7]. It also suggests giving the electrician a written summary of the work, so the quotes cover the same job [S7].
Ask each electrician whether their price includes a minimum visit charge, testing, the certificate and taking away the old fittings. A low per-socket figure with a large minimum charge can end up the same as a higher per-socket figure without one.
Electrician costs covers the wider picture for other small electrical jobs.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Kitchen double socket has a scorch mark and the plug feels warm. Please come and look, replace it and find the cause."
- "Five old white sockets in the lounge and bedroom, all working. Please quote to replace them with USB sockets and give a Minor Works Certificate."
- "Single socket by the bed, I would like a double. Please quote, including making good the plaster."
Posting a socket job
Photos of each socket, close up and from across the room, help the electrician quote. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
Questions about replacing a plug socket
How much does it cost to replace a plug socket?
This guide does not print a figure. One cracked socket on a sound circuit is a short job. Several sockets, a damaged back box, old cable behind the plate, or a socket in a kitchen or outside are bigger ones. Ask the electrician to price the visit, each socket, and any extra work they find, separately.
Do I need building regulations approval to replace a socket?
Usually not. Planning Portal says most repairs, replacements and maintenance jobs are not notifiable, and that alterations to existing circuits are notifiable only in special locations, which in England are the spaces around baths and showers. The work should still meet BS 7671, and a qualified electrician should give you a Minor Works Certificate.
My socket has scorch marks. Is it urgent?
Treat it as urgent. Electrical Safety First says not to ignore burn marks, buzzing or crackling sounds, fuses blowing, circuit breakers tripping, or a socket that feels hot. Stop using that socket and ask a registered electrician to look at it.
Can I add a socket while the electrician is here?
Often, and it can save a second visit. Planning Portal says additions to existing circuits outside special locations are not notifiable, though a complete new circuit is. Ask the electrician which one your extra socket would be before they quote.
Should I change old sockets before I sell?
Electrical Safety First says an inspection can find items that may need replacing, including older round-pin sockets and black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards. Replacing faceplates will not hide old wiring behind them. If the electrics are old, an inspection report first may save money.
Does VAT change the price?
It can. A business must register for VAT if its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000. Ask whether the quote includes VAT.
Does QuoteZila check electricians?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Part of Cost guides. All services
Related trades
Cost guides
Related pages
- Rewiring a house: what the quote covers. A house rewire in Cheshire replaces cables and usually the consumer unit. No rewire price is printed. See what to ask an electrician to put in writing.
- Smart Meter Installation: Who Fits It. In England the energy supplier arranges a smart meter, and you will not be charged for that visit. A local electrician is a different job.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Electrics: Building Regulations general information, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-general-information
- S2: Electrics: Building Regulations minor works, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-minor-works
- S3: Overloading sockets, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/home-and-people/house-maintenance/overloading-sockets/
- S4: Periodic inspection and testing, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-a-registered-electrician/periodic-inspection-and-testing/
- S5: Garden, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/home-and-people/garden/
- S6: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S7: Choosing a registered electrician, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-a-registered-electrician/choosing-a-registered-electrician/
- S8: Building work, replacements and repairs to your home, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-work-replacements-and-repairs-to-your-home/building-work-replacements-and-repairs-to-your-home