Complete guide · 2026

Apartment electrical plan:
7 steps to a clean electrician quote

Everything you need to draw a flat or apartment electrical plan your electrician can price — whether for a renovation, compliance upgrade, or to document your installation.

Reading time: 8 min·Updated: May 2026

Why create an electrical plan for your apartment?

Whether you're renovating an old apartment or planning a complete rewiring, an apartment electrical plan is essential. It helps you visualize outlet placement, lighting, and circuit routing before any work begins — saving time and money on-site.

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Accurate quotes

Get comparable estimates from multiple electricians

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Circuit check

Verify every circuit and socket outlet you need is planned

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Full documentation

Build the file for your managing agent, freeholder or insurer

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Job tracking

Monitor progress and changes during renovation

Apartment vs. house: key electrical differences

Meter in common areas

In a block of flats, the electricity meter is often in a shared meter cupboard or riser rather than inside the flat. The supply reaches each flat through rising mains or a lateral cable owned by the building or the network operator.

Consumer unit inside the flat

The flat has its own consumer unit with the main switch, 30 mA RCD protection (two RCDs or RCBOs) and an MCB per circuit. BS 7671 requires 30 mA RCD protection for socket-outlets and for cables buried in walls.

No external circuits

Unlike a house, an apartment typically has no external circuits (garden, detached garage). Circuits are limited to interior rooms, which simplifies the plan but leaves less room to compensate for an under-provisioned space later.

Leasehold and freeholder consent

Work inside your flat is usually allowed, but most leases require the freeholder’s or managing agent’s consent for alterations. Shared infrastructure (rising mains, landlord’s supply, structure) is outside your control.

How much to provide, room by room

BS 7671 sets no minimum number of socket outlets — the figures below are a comfortable provision for a modern flat, not a rule to satisfy.

RoomSuggested socketsLighting points
Living space6 – 8 doubles≥ 1
Open-plan kitchen/living8+ doubles≥ 2
Kitchen (worktop)6+ doubles≥ 2
Main bedroom4 doubles≥ 1
Second bedroom3 doubles≥ 1
BathroomNone (shaver unit only)≥ 1, IP rated
Hall / entrance1 double≥ 1
Utility cupboard1 – 2 doubles≥ 1

Design guidance, not a regulatory minimum. Adjust to how each room will actually be used.

Create your apartment plan with Planelico

1

Get your flat floor plan PDF

Use the plan from your lease, the estate agent’s floor plan or your building’s managing agent. A scan or a hand-drawn sketch works too.

2

Import into Planelico

Drop your PDF into the editor. Planelico keeps it as a background layer while you work on electrical symbols on top.

3

Place symbols room by room

Drag & drop outlets, switches, light fixtures, and specialized equipment. The live summary keeps a running count per room so nothing is forgotten.

4

Add zones & wiring connections

Draw colored zones for each room and connect switches to lights. Your electrician will immediately understand the wiring intent.

5

Export & share

Generate a professional PDF with legend and summary. Share it via link with your electrician or download it for quotes and your project file.

FAQ — Apartment electrical plan

How many socket outlets should a flat have?
BS 7671 sets no minimum count — it is a design decision. A workable provision: six to eight double sockets in the living space, four in the main bedroom, six or more above the kitchen worktop, plus dedicated supplies for the cooker and any appliances. A two-bedroom flat typically lands around eighteen to twenty-four double sockets in total.
Do I need the freeholder’s permission to rewire my flat?
Work inside your own flat is usually allowed, but most leases require the freeholder’s or managing agent’s consent for alterations — check yours before starting. Anything touching the building’s shared supply (rising mains, the landlord’s supply, structural walls or floors) needs their agreement. A full rewire is notifiable building work: use a registered electrician (Part P in England and Wales).
Is an electrical plan required for an apartment renovation?
Not legally required for minor work, but strongly recommended. For a complete rewiring, your electrician will need it to quote and complete the job. Insurance may also request it after a claim to verify installation compliance.
How do I create an electrical plan for my flat?
With Planelico: import your PDF plan, place standard symbols, then draw room zones and wiring connections. Free includes 1 project with up to 2 floors, 2 layers per floor and a watermarked PDF export. Premium unlocks the full generated panel and watermark-free export.
How much does it cost to rewire a flat?
It depends heavily on the size of the flat, access to the ceilings and floors, the finishes to make good and your region. The best way to keep quotes under control is to give several registered electricians the same detailed plan: with every socket, light and dedicated circuit marked, their quotes become directly comparable.
What about bathroom zones in a small flat?
BS 7671 section 701 defines zones around the bath or shower whatever the size of the flat: zone 0 inside the bath or shower tray (SELV 12 V only), zone 1 above it up to 2.25 m (IPX4 equipment at least), and zone 2 extending 0.6 m beyond. All circuits in the bathroom need 30 mA RCD protection. 230 V socket-outlets must be at least 3 m from the boundary of zone 1, so in a small bathroom the only socket is usually a shaver supply unit.
Studio flat: anything specific to plan for?
BS 7671 sets no minimum number of circuits or sockets, but a studio still needs sensible separation: a ring or radial for the sockets, a separate lighting circuit, and dedicated circuits for the cooker and for an electric shower if there is one. Put the washing machine on the ring through a socket or a fused spur. In Planelico, enter the floor area of each room so each ring stays within the area it can serve.
Can I run cables in the floor of my apartment?
Concrete floors typically don't allow routing — cables go in the ceiling or walls. In floating wood floors or screeded floors, routing is possible but requires expansion joints and accessible junction boxes. For ceiling routing in apartments with downstairs neighbors, check the terms of your lease — drilling through structural slabs usually needs the freeholder’s approval.
What symbols are used on flat and apartment electrical plans?
The same IEC 60617 symbols as for houses: socket-outlets, a cooker outlet, light points, recessed spots, one-way and two-way switches, RJ45 data outlets, smoke alarms, extract fans and door entry. In a UK project, Planelico also offers a shaver socket, a fused spur, a 45A cooker control unit, an electric shower and an immersion heater. See the full electrical symbols library.

Related guides

Electrical plan software in the UK

Design packages versus layout tools, and which fits a domestic job.

How to create a house electrical plan

Step-by-step guide from PDF import to export.

BS 7671 electrical plan

Final circuits, RCD protection, Part P notification.

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