How do I know if my Dubai villa needs rewiring and what does it cost?

In a villa built in the 1990s, flickering lights and tripping breakers are serious warning signs that should not be ignored. Electrical faults are a leading cause of house fires in the UAE.

The key signs that rewiring may be needed include: circuit breakers tripping repeatedly with no obvious cause, lights flickering or dimming when appliances switch on, burning smell near sockets or switches, discolouration around plug sockets, sockets that feel warm to the touch, and an older fuse box without RCD (residual current device) protection.

If you have any of these, have a licensed electrician carry out a full condition report first. This is a written assessment of the electrical installation and will confirm whether partial repairs or a full rewire is required. Never commission rewiring without this report first.

For a full rewire of a 4-5 bedroom Dubai villa (new cabling throughout, new consumer unit, sockets and switches), expect to pay AED 15,000-40,000 depending on the size and complexity of the property. A partial rewire of a specific problem area is significantly less.

All electrical work in Dubai must be carried out by a DEWA-approved contractor. This is not optional. Always ask for their DEWA approval number before signing any agreement.

Flickering lights alone can sometimes be caused by a faulty fitting or loose connection rather than a full wiring problem, so get the condition report before assuming the worst.

BidMyJob.ae connects you with DEWA-approved electricians in Dubai.