The one thing I hate about Spain is the ever present fear (very real unfortunately) of being ripped off.

Just had a quote in to completely rewire a 4-bed villa, 150 sq metres, original wiring. It's about €4,500 + IVA. English electricial with good reputation. Two weeks work.

I've no reason to doubt the validity of the quote but why is it so expensive in Spain compared to England? Yes I know the walls are stone and so there is a lot of manual work but 2 people, 2 weeks work - €4500 - sounds good wages to me unless materials are a lot more than I realise?

I've just had a property of about the same size rewired for just over 2000! Admittedly, the 'labourers' had already put the tubing in the wall whilst they were replastering but 4500 still sounds very expensive.

Why use English? The spanish will be able to give you a boletin plus they understand Spanish wiring and the rules that need to be applied.

I had a two bed, 1 bath, lounge, office, hall wired completely a year or so ago and that cost me between €3000 - €3500, cant remember the exact figure. So based on that it doesnt seem like a bad deal. Took them 3/4 days, but the channels were already dug out for him.


Edit: Spanish electrician

the only way you will know if its a fair price is to shop around, both English and Spanish...check whats included in each quote and perhaps you can negotiate on the IVA for part payment in cash (quite likely the way the current work situation is in Spain )

Spanish electricians did ours... a 3 bed townhouse and the cost was 6,800 euros It took them 3 months as they only turned up when they felt like it and some days only worked a half day. We rent so didn't have to pay I think that is excessive particularly as the switch for the scullery at the back of the house doesn't have a lightswitch in the room....it is on the other side of the wall in the living area so we have to walk out of the kitchen into the living room, alongside the staircase, switch on the light, then walk all the way round again The reason for this....they just said they couldn't put the lightswitch in the room, "no possible" My advise to you is to stand over them when you have yours done if you are paying for it

Yes it does seem high. You might ask for a price breakdown.

If we say €100 per day per man. 2 men on site. 2 days chasing walls, fitting conduit, making good. 1 day fitting wall boxes consumer unit RCD. 2 days for running cable and connecting up. So labour €1000 + €500 for material.

If you look in www.toolstation.com for UK prices & UK spec. It may help.

do you think a qualified Spanish electrician charges 100e per day ?

the price will depend on how many sockets/switches etc there are, new consumer unit ? is there a boletin being given ? increase in input ?

as I said prev GCM, get other quotes you can compare, like for like...doubt the English guy will be qualified in Spain

Our electrician (Spanish) charges me 16euros/hour. On top of that you have, of course, all materials.

I don't know of anyone who charges 'per socket' - always get a presupuesto first.

I wasnt implying that they would charge per socket......but the quote qwill depend on how many sockets etc ie how much work is involved ! eg a bedroom could have 1 or 3 sockets, 3 sockets = more work = more cost

Our electricians wouldn't add any extra sockets in the living room or the scullery. When I asked them they just told me the rewire was basic and it would be more expensive to add more. When we were told the cost after the rewire we just shook our heads, the landlord hasn't even been out to check the work and we are sure he has been overcharged.

I was an electrician in my earlier years (obviously still am but dont practice) I have watched how houses are wired in Spain and how anyone can tell me that being an electrician in the UK is not qualified to work in Spain is beyond me. I dread putting a nail in my wall as cables seem to and do run everywhere I have even bought a cable tracker which I never had to do in UK or Ireland. Electrical work in Spain is no different to any other part of Europe there is a code and for some reason the Spanish dont bother with it ,cables in your house travel as the crow flies which is seriously dangerous ,possibly not all Spanish sparks do this but I have been to a lot of sites and it scares the c**P out of me the way cables run willy nilly around the walls .

Great post, just about says it all Karma for that

But, what I really like is they are all in conduits so adding new wires etc. is really simple. In UK you'd have to re channel everything. They also have distribution points in sensible places - once again, adding new switches etc. is simple here.

Yes...and doesn't it look lovely in your home - like a ships plumbing

Actually Hondon Voyager was commenting on the 'hidden' wiring - lethal!