Guide · Updated June 2026

House electrical plan:
6 steps to a clean electrician quote

From PDF import to pro export: the 6-step method to build a house electrical plan that gets you accurate quotes. 370+ IEC 60617 symbols, circuit grouping, auto-generated legend.

Reading time: 8 min·Updated: June 2026·By the Planelico team

What is a house electrical plan?

A house electrical plan (also called an electrical floor plan) is a technical document showing the position of all electrical equipment on your floor plan: outlets, switches, lighting fixtures, circuit breaker panel, RJ45 sockets, and specialized equipment.

The installation itself has to be designed and certified to the wiring regulations that apply where you are building — BS 7671 in the UK and Ireland, the NEC in North America. Those regulations govern circuits, protection and cable sizing; they do not prescribe a drawing format, which is why a clear layout is worth producing deliberately.

Note: Planelico's symbol library follows IEC 60617, the international reference adopted in the UK as BS EN 60617 and used across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Wiring rules differ by country; the graphical language largely does not. For the UK specifics, see the BS 7671 electrical plan guide.

Create your electrical plan in 5 steps with Planelico

1

Get your floor plan

Obtain a PDF of your house floor plan from your architect, builder, or create one from your property documents. Even a hand-drawn scan works.

2

Import into Planelico

Upload your PDF into Planelico in one click. The floor plan becomes a background layer you can annotate without modifying the original.

3

Place electrical symbols

Drag & drop from 370+ standardized IEC 60617 symbols: socket outlets, switches, lighting points, data outlets, smoke alarms and smart home devices.

4

Add zones & wiring connections

Draw colored zones for each room and connect switches to their light fixtures with wiring lines. Your electrician will immediately understand the intent.

5

Export the PDF

Generate a professional PDF with legend, room-by-room summary and title block. Ready to share with your electrician or include in your permit application.

Standard electrical symbols in Planelico

Planelico includes 370+ standardized electrical symbols. Here are the most commonly used:

Socket outlet
Fused connection unit
Ceiling lighting point
Recessed spotlight
One-way switch
Two-way switch
RJ45 data outlet
Smoke alarm
Consumer unit
Extract ventilation

See the complete guide to all 370+ symbols →

How much to provide, room by room

BS 7671 sets no minimum number of socket outlets — that is a design decision, not a regulation. The figures below are a comfortable provision for a modern home, where the cost of an extra socket at first fix is trivial next to the cost of adding one later.

RoomSuggested socketsLighting points
Living room6 – 8 doubles≥ 1
Kitchen (worktop)6+ doubles≥ 2
Main bedroom4 doubles≥ 1
Other bedrooms3 – 4 doubles≥ 1
Home office4+ doubles≥ 1
Hall & landing1 double≥ 1 each, two-way
BathroomNone (shaver unit only)≥ 1, IP rated
Garage / utility2 – 4 doubles≥ 1

Frequently asked questions

Do I need professional software to create a house electrical plan?
No. Planelico is a browser-based tool accessible to everyone — no download, no technical skills required. It includes 370+ standardized IEC 60617 symbols and exports a professional PDF in one click.
Is a house electrical plan legally required?
In the UK, no regulation obliges you to produce a layout drawing before work starts — but building control and your electrician both need to know what is being installed, and notifiable work under Part P has to be certified either way. In practice a clear plan is what makes quotes comparable and avoids variations later. Rules differ by country: in France, for instance, a plan feeds into the CONSUEL certification.
How many socket outlets should each room have?
BS 7671 sets no minimum count — it is a design decision, unlike France or Belgium where per-room minimums are prescribed. As a comfortable provision for a modern home: a living room with six to eight double sockets, bedrooms with four, a kitchen with six or more above the worktop plus dedicated appliance supplies. Approved Document M does govern mounting height in new dwellings, typically 450 mm to 1200 mm above finished floor level.
Can I create the electrical plan myself without being an electrician?
Yes. With Planelico you can create the floor plan layout (symbol placement) yourself. The actual wiring installation must be done by a certified electrician. Having a good plan helps you communicate requirements clearly and get accurate quotes.
How long does it take to create a house electrical plan?
For a typical 3-bedroom house, plan for 1-3 hours in Planelico, depending on your familiarity with the tool and the complexity of your project. The onboarding demo helps you get started in minutes.

Related guides

Electrical plan software in the UK

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

BS 7671 electrical plan

Final circuits, RCD protection, Part P notification.

Consumer unit diagram

Ways, RCBOs and the circuit schedule.

Create your electrical plan now

Planelico lets you create a professional electrical plan in minutes. Free, no installation.

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