Outdoor Socket Cost

How Much Does it Cost to Install an Outdoor Socket?

Are you considering installing an outdoor socket but wondering about the costs that may be involved?

So, how much does an outdoor socket installation cost?

An outdoor power socket typically costs around £80-£150 to install. However, the actual price will depend on the type of socket you choose and your location within the UK.

The main thing that you will need to budget for with this type of work is the hourly rate of an electrician.

Installing an outdoor socket is quite simple and shouldn’t take any more than two hours to complete.

If you choose a budget socket with an easy access location, you may pay around £80-£100 for the work.

If you choose a more complex socket that’s a bit more difficult to install, this may cost around £100-£250+ on average.

The location in which you choose to have the socket installed will affect the difficulty of the installation. Therefore, this can affect the overall cost of the job.

If you can be a bit flexible with the location and work with your electrician to choose the best spot for the installation, this can help to keep the overall costs low.

The location of your property will also affect the job's overall cost. Those based in the London area can expect to pay around 10-20% more than those based in the North or other parts of the UK. This is because labour costs are typically higher in these areas.

Outdoor Socket Prices

Below is a table showing the average cost of installing an outdoor electrical socket depending on the type of socket that you choose:

What are the Supply Costs for an Outdoor Socket Installation?

In this section, we will go over the costs of the supplies for installing an outdoor socket. These are the prices for the supplies alone without the cost of labour.

On average, a single outdoor socket will cost around £10-£35. An outdoor double socket will cost around £10-£50. These are the prices for the socket alone.

If you require a socket with a timer, this usually comes at a higher cost of around £50-£60. If you require a plug with an RCD, this will cost around £60-£90. Multiple outdoor sockets with junction boxes usually cost around £65-£95.

Take a look at the table below for the average costs of various different types of outdoor sockets:

What are the Additional Costs of Fitting an Outdoor Socket?

When it comes to fitting an outdoor socket, several additional costs may come up with this type of work. You may also be interested in completing some additional jobs alongside this job simultaneously.

Below, we will go over the additional things that you may need to budget for with this type of work:

Outdoor Security Lights Installation

If you want to improve the security of your home, it would be a good idea to think about adding some outdoor security lights.

These lights are great for placing at the front of your property to light up the driveway and at the back of your property to light up the garden. There are several different types of security lights that you can choose from.

On average, you can expect to pay around £50-£90 to have a motion sensor light fitted. If you want floodlights, this will usually cost around £80-£180.

If you prefer landscape lighting, this can range from anywhere between £80-£1100. If you’re looking to have spotlights installed, these will usually cost around £80-£500 on average.

CCTV Installation

If you want to improve the security of your home even further, you may consider installing a CCTV system. There is a wide range of CCTV cameras on the market for you to choose from.

Dome cameras will usually cost around £60-£80. If you would prefer a bullet or C-mount camera, this will usually cost around £100-£140. A more sophisticated pan, zoom, and tilt camera cost around £150-£190.

If a network CCTV system is the one for you, you can expect to pay around £140-£180 for this.

If you want a wireless CCTV system, this will usually cost around £100-£170. An infrared system will usually cost around £100-£180, and a high definition CCTV system will usually cost around £130-£180.

Electrical Inspection

If you live in an older property, you may want to consider getting a full electrical inspection completed. The average cost for this is usually around £150-£300.

This price includes a comprehensive check of the state of the electrical system in your home. At the end of the inspection, you will receive a report which identifies any areas that need to be fixed.

A separate option would be to get an electrical safety certificate. This can be very useful if you want to sell your home. The average cost to obtain an electrical safety certificate is around £80-£150.

House Rewiring

If the wiring system in your home is quite old and hasn't been updated, it may need to be completely replaced. This is a very big job, but it is totally worth it as it helps make your home much safer and reduces any risks of fires and electric shocks.

The average price of getting your home rewired will depend on the size of your home. However, on average, you can expect this to cost around £2400-£5500.

Gardening

While your electrician is working in your garden fitting your outdoor sockets, you may notice that the garden area requires a little bit of TLC.

The cost for regular garden maintenance will usually be around £30-£50 per visit. This includes weeding, trimming, and mowing.

If you require more manicured work or a one-time big garden clean up, you will usually be charged an hourly or a daily rate, depending on how long the work takes to complete.

The average price that you can expect to pay an experienced gardener for this type of work is around £25-£30 per hour or around £200-£250 per day.

Tradesmen Costs for an Outdoor Socket Installation

In some cases, you may be wondering how much it costs to hire an electrician to complete the outdoor socket installation for you.

This may be the case if you’ve already purchased an outdoor socket and you’re simply looking for a qualified electrician to come and fit it for you.

The average cost to hire an electrician for this type of work is around £75-£150 per hour.

However, in areas in and around London, the outdoor socket prices may be considerably higher as the labour costs in this area tend to be much higher in general.

An outdoor socket installation is quite a simple job and shouldn’t take the electrician too long to complete. With this in mind, the total cost for labour usually falls between £75-£300 for the entire job.

How Long Does It Take to Fit an Outdoor Socket?

If you’re planning on getting an outdoor socket installed, you may be curious about the length of time that this type of work usually takes.

Installing an outdoor socket is a very simple and easy job for an electrician to complete. The majority of outdoor socket installations can be completed within 1-2 hours.

If you're having multiple sockets installed or the installation area is difficult to access, this may add some additional time to the total length of the job.

Types of Outdoor Sockets

There are several different types of outdoor sockets to choose from. Each outdoor socket comes in an enclosure to ensure they are weatherproof.

In this section, we will take a look at the different types of outdoor sockets that you can choose from, with some information and the pros and cons of each type.

Single Outdoor Socket

A single outdoor socket is the most basic option that you can choose from. This is the best option if you are on a tight budget. A single socket allows you to make use of one plugged-in item at a time. The average cost for this type of socket is around £10-£35.

PROS

• Compact design
• Cheap option

CONS

• It only contains one socket

Double Outdoors Socket

A double socket is an outdoor enclosed socket with space for two plugs. This is a great option if you plan on plugging multiple items into your socket at once. The average cost for this type of outdoor socket is around £10-£50.

PROS

• Allows you to plug in multiple items
• Cheap option

CONS

• It takes up more space than a single socket

Outdoor Socket With Timer

If you are planning on using your outdoor socket for something like outdoor lighting, which you may only use at certain times, then you may be interested in this type of socket.

A timer socket comes with a built-in timer that you can set for whatever times you choose. The average cost for this type of outdoor socket is around £50-£60.

PROS

• It comes with a built-in timer

CONS

• More expensive than other sockets

Outdoor Socket With RCD

This type of outdoor socket comes with a built-in RCD. This makes them much safer than those that come without. You can get RCD sockets in both a single or double size. The average cost for this type of socket is around £20-£60.

PROS

• Very safe option

CONS

• More expensive than other sockets

How Much Does It Cost to Remove an Outdoor Socket?

It's not very often that you'll need to remove an outdoor socket. Even if you don't use the socket, it won't affect anything else in your home, and they're usually placed out of the way, so they shouldn't be a nuisance.

However, if you want to move the socket to a new location or if you need to fix a damaged socket, then it may be necessary to get it removed.

Removing an outdoor socket is a job that needs to be completed by a qualified electrician.

It is quite a quick job and will usually take less than an hour to complete. The only thing you will need to pay for with this type of job is the electrician's time.

Most electricians will charge a minimum fee to cover their travel costs and expenses. With this in mind, you can expect to pay around £80-£150 for this type of work.

It is often more cost-effective if you choose to get this work completed at a time when you’re already getting other electrical work done, as this would be the most cost-effective option for you.

Your electrician will usually take care of the waste removal and dispose of the old socket for you.

If not, you can simply dispose of this yourself by taking it to the tip. In most cases, you will be able to dispose of this free of charge.

FAQs

Q: What cable can you use for an outdoor socket?

A: The choice of cable that runs to the exterior socket should be, at a minimum, 2.5mm2 twin and earth (TWE) housed within a conduit. This could be a mini trunking type, or it may be around design.

Q: How do I find the IP rating of an outdoor socket?

A: The IP rating of any outdoor socket should be prominently displayed on the package. You may also be able to find it if you look up the specifications of your specific product online.

Q: What does an RCD do?

A: RCD stands for Residual Charge Device. This type of device detects if there is a fault in the item that is using the socket.

The RCD can then shut off the power before any potential accidents or injuries occur. These devices are very simple to reset and won't need to be replaced like a fuse would.

These can either be within the socket itself or your consumer unit. All modern consumer units need to have an RCD.

Q: Is there anything that I should avoid plugging into my outdoor socket?

A: An outdoor socket works in exactly the same way as an indoor socket. However, these sockets are more protected from the weather.

This means that you can use your outdoor plug socket for any device that you can plug in indoors.

Some good examples of things that you can plug into your outdoor socket include the following:

• Car vacuums
• Outdoor lighting
• Lawnmowers
• Hot tubs
• Pond pumps
• Pool pumps
• Outdoor heating
• Electric sprinklers

Q: How long does an outdoor socket last?

A: On average, an outdoor socket will usually last for around 15 to 25 years in total.

Q: What is a twin and earth cable?

A twin and earth cable is one that consists of two conductors that each carries the current and insulate, as well as a non-insulated circuit protective conductor.

Q: Can I install an outdoor socket myself?

A: As with all electrical work, there is a significant risk of injury or damage to your home if you complete the installation yourself and it's not done correctly.

A professional electrician will have the skills and knowledge needed to help you choose the best socket and amperage levels for your home and your needs.

This will help ensure that the socket complies with the relevant regulations, and you can then have peace of mind that you can use your outdoor socket.

Q: What does an IP66 rating mean when it comes to outdoor sockets?

A: An IP66 rating means that the socket is considered to be dust-tight and can protect against water. Outdoor sockets should have this type of rating in order to make them weatherproof.

Q: How do you open an outdoor socket?

A: You can usually open an outdoor socket by removing the screws from the outdoor socket box and then removing the socket lid.

However, you should ensure that the power is turned off before you attempt to open the socket.

If you need to do anything more complicated than this, it is always recommended that you hire a professional electrician to help you with this.

Sources

Author: Kim J

I have a bachelor's degree in Journalism, which I studied in both the UK and USA. I've been a freelance writer for over eight years and have experience working with many large brands. My experience in writing is over a wide range of different niches, and I've specifically worked in the DIY and trades section for nearly two years. My favourite thing about freelance writing is working wherever I want as I love travelling and discovering new places and cultures.