Can You Live in a House During a Full Rewire?

This is one of those questions I get asked at least twice a week: "Do we have to move out, or can we stay?" It's completely understandable — nobody wants the hassle and expense of moving somewhere else for a week. But I'm going to be straight with you: we don't recommend it. Let me explain why.

The Short Answer: You Can, But You Really Shouldn't

Technically, yes — it is possible to live in a house while it's being rewired. Some electricians will even offer to do it room by room so you always have somewhere to sleep. But having done hundreds of rewires across Dublin, I can tell you it's not something we recommend. Not because we're trying to make things awkward, but because it creates genuine problems — for your safety, your insurance, the quality of the work, and honestly, your sanity.

The Safety Issue — This Is the Big One

During a house rewire, we're ripping out every cable in the building and replacing it. That means at various points during the job, there will be:

• Live circuits being disconnected and reconnected — there's always a transition period where old wiring is partially removed but not yet replaced
• Exposed cable ends and junction points — we make these safe at the end of each day, but during working hours the house is essentially a construction site
• Chased walls with loose plaster and dust — we cut channels into your walls to run new cables. That means rubble, dust, and debris throughout the house
• Floorboards up in multiple rooms — cables run under the floors, so boards come up. Not ideal when you're trying to get to the bathroom at 2am
• The fuse board being out of commission — there are points during the switchover from old board to new board where you may have no power at all, or power to only some circuits

We do everything possible to make the site safe at the end of every working day. But "safe" in this context means "an electrician considers it acceptably secure for an unoccupied work site." It doesn't mean "comfortable or suitable for a family to live in."

If you've got kids or elderly family members in the house, the risks multiply. Loose floorboards, exposed channels in walls, tools lying around, dust in the air — it's not an environment that's suitable for anyone, really, but especially not for children or anyone with mobility issues.

The Insurance Question Nobody Thinks About

This is the one that catches people out. Your home insurance policy almost certainly has a clause about "ongoing works" or "building works" that changes the terms when significant construction is happening in the property.

A full rewire counts as significant building work. If something goes wrong while you're living in the house during the rewire — a fire, water damage from a burst pipe we accidentally hit, an injury — your insurer may argue that you knowingly occupied a property undergoing major electrical work. That could complicate or invalidate a claim.

I'm not an insurance broker and I'm not giving legal advice. But I'd strongly recommend calling your insurer before deciding to stay in the house. Ask them specifically: "I'm having a full electrical rewire. Am I covered if I continue to live in the property during the work?" The answer might surprise you.

What It's Actually Like Living in a House Being Rewired

I'll be blunt — it's miserable. I've had customers who insisted on staying, and by day two they were asking if there was any way to speed things up. Here's what a typical day looks like:

• Power goes off to whatever section we're working on. That might include the kitchen, so no kettle, no fridge, no oven for hours at a time.
• The noise starts at 8am. Chasing walls with an SDS drill is loud. Really loud. It's not background noise — it shakes the house.
• Dust gets everywhere. We use sheeting and we're as careful as we can be, but fine plaster dust has a way of migrating through the entire house. Your clothes, your food, your bed — everything gets a fine layer of grey.
• Rooms are out of action. If we're working on the bedrooms, you can't use the bedrooms. If we're working on the bathroom circuit, no shower. It's constantly shifting and you never quite know what'll be available when.
• Floorboards are up. In a typical 3-bed semi, we might have boards up in 2–3 rooms at once. Navigating around open floors with cables hanging out isn't anyone's idea of home comfort.
• The heating may be off. If the boiler is on a circuit we're replacing (and it usually is), you might not have heating or hot water for part of the job.

I'm not saying this to put you off getting a rewire — I'm saying it because the honest reality of living through one is worse than most people imagine when they're making the decision.

Staying in the House Actually Costs You More

This is the bit that often settles the debate. If you stay in the house during a rewire, the job takes significantly longer — and longer means more expensive.

When a house is empty, we can work on multiple rooms at once. Two or three electricians can spread out, run cables through floors and ceilings freely, and work without worrying about disturbing anyone. A 3-bed semi that takes 4–5 days when vacant can take 7–8 days if someone is living there.

That's because we have to work room by room, making each area safe and usable before moving on to the next. We have to protect furniture, work around your schedule, and spend time at the end of every day cleaning up and temporarily reconnecting things so you can function in the evening. All of that eats into productive work time.

When you compare those extra costs to the price of a week in a short-term rental, the maths usually speaks for itself.

What Are Your Options Instead?

If moving out for a week sounds daunting, it's worth knowing there are several ways people handle it:

Stay with Family or Friends

The most common option. A week on someone's spare bed or sofa bed isn't glamorous, but it's free and it means the work gets done as quickly as possible. Most of our customers go this route.

Short-Term Rental or Airbnb

For a 2-bed or 3-bed rewire, you're looking at roughly 4–6 days away. An Airbnb in Dublin for that period might cost €500–€1,000 depending on the area and time of year. That's less than the extra cost of an occupied rewire.

Time It With a Holiday

Some customers schedule their rewire for a week when they're going away anyway. If you've got a family holiday planned, that's the perfect window — you come back to a fully rewired house with no disruption at all.

Between Tenants (If It's a Rental)

If you're a landlord, the ideal time for a rewire is between tenancies. The house is already empty, there's no tenant to relocate, and the work can be done quickly and efficiently. We work with a lot of landlords in Dublin who time their rewires this way.

What About a Partial Rewire — Can You Stay for That?

If you're only getting part of the house rewired — say, the kitchen and bathrooms — then yes, living in the property is more realistic. A partial rewire typically affects fewer rooms and can often be completed in 1–2 days, so the disruption is much more manageable.

That said, a partial rewire isn't always the right call. If the rest of the wiring is old, you could end up spending money twice. We'll always tell you honestly whether a full or partial rewire makes more sense for your situation — the online estimator is a good place to start that conversation.

How to Prepare Your House Before a Rewire

Whether you're staying or going, a bit of preparation makes the whole process smoother:

1. 1Clear furniture away from walls — we need access to every socket, switch, and light fitting. The more space we have, the faster we can work.
2. 2Move valuables and electronics out of rooms being worked on — dust is inevitable, and the last thing you want is plaster dust in your TV or laptop.
3. 3Make sure the loft is accessible — a lot of cable routing goes through the attic space. If it's full of boxes, we'll lose time moving them.
4. 4Take down curtains and blinds — we'll be working around windows and the dust gets into fabric fast.
5. 5Let the neighbours know — there'll be noise during the day. A quick heads-up avoids complaints.
6. 6Plan for no power — even if you're not living there, you might need to empty the fridge/freezer. Same for any fish tanks, medical equipment, or home security systems that need continuous power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stay in the house if it's just a fuse board upgrade?

Yes, absolutely. A consumer unit upgrade is usually a one-day job. You'll be without power for most of the day, but you can stay in the house. It's a completely different scale to a full rewire.

How long does a full rewire take?

For a vacant property: 3–4 days for a 2-bed, 4–6 days for a 3-bed semi, 6–8 days for a 4-bed detached. If you're staying in the house, add 30–50% to those timelines because we have to work room by room.

Will I have any power at all during the rewire?

It depends on the stage of work. On some days you'll have partial power (circuits we haven't touched yet). On the day we swap over the consumer unit, you'll likely have no power for several hours. We always let you know the day before what to expect.

Is it safe to sleep in the house overnight during a rewire?

We make everything safe at the end of each working day — no exposed wires, temporary connections properly secured. But "safe" means the electrical risk is managed, not that it's a comfortable or sensible living environment. There will still be open floors, dust, and disrupted rooms. We just don't recommend it.

What if I have pets?

Definitely make arrangements for pets to be elsewhere. Open floorboards, exposed cables, and power tools are a recipe for disaster with curious dogs or cats. Doors are left open, people are coming and going — it's not a safe environment for animals.

How much does a house rewire cost in Dublin in 2026?

A 2-bed house is typically around €11,000 including VAT, a 3-bed semi around €12,000–€14,500. The fastest way to get an accurate figure for your property is our online estimator at estimator.ges.ie — it takes about 60 seconds.

Still weighing up your options? Give us a ring on 01 963 6636 and we'll talk you through it. Or if you want to start with a price, the estimator at estimator.ges.ie is the quickest way to get a number. You can also learn more about the full rewire process on our house rewiring page.