The Short Answer
On our estimates, a weatherproof outdoor socket on the house wall costs about £100 to £250 fitted, depending on the cable run from inside. Most take one to two hours. A longer or more exposed run, such as a socket out in the garden, may need armoured cable and costs more.
For charging an electric car every day, a proper EV charger (£850 to £1,300 on our estimates) is the better buy: the RAC says a household socket is for occasional use only.
Outdoor socket prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Outdoor socket on the house wall | £100 to £250 |
| EV charger instead (standard install) | £850 to £1,300 |
What you should get
- A weatherproof socket with RCD protection. Electrical Safety First says to use an RCD with all outdoor electrical equipment, and if there isn't one in your fusebox, to use a plug-in RCD. I'd have the electrician confirm in the quote that the new socket is RCD protected.
- The cable fed through and sealed where it passes through the outside wall, and armoured cable where the run is long or exposed.
- Testing and a certificate at the end.
Which outdoor socket?
- Single or double: a double costs little more to fit and saves an extension lead later.
- With a timer: programme garden lights, a pond pump or anything else to switch on and off by itself.
- With built-in RCD protection: worth it if the circuit the socket comes off isn't already RCD protected at the fuse box.
Why it's worth having
The case for an outdoor socket: no extension leads trailed through doors and windows (a trip hazard that also lets in pests and pollen), gardening jobs that are quicker to start and tidy away, and a weatherproof point for things that live outside. For a hot tub or anything that needs its own supply, though, the answer is a dedicated circuit, which is notifiable.
Certificates
Electrical Safety First says electrical work in a garden or outbuilding has to meet the Building Regulations just like work indoors. In England, a socket taken off an existing circuit isn't notifiable, but a new circuit to the garden, a shed or a hot tub is. A new circuit, a new consumer unit, or work in a bathroom's special location is notifiable: use an electrician registered with Blue Flame, Certsure (NICEIC and ELECSA), NAPIT or OFTEC, who certifies it, or tell building control. See what you should get at the end.
Related
Lights as well? See garden lighting. Charging a car: EV chargers. Sockets indoors: adding a socket.
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Outdoor sockets are priced by the cable run from the house.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does an outdoor socket cost?
On our estimates, about £100 to £250 fitted on the house wall.
Do I need an electrician to fit an outside socket?
It's work that has to meet the Building Regulations, and if it needs a new circuit it's notifiable. I'd use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who can certify it.
Can I charge an electric car from an outdoor socket?
Occasionally, with the car's own cable. The RAC says a household socket should be kept for emergency or occasional use, and a dedicated charge point is the safest way to charge at home.
Does an outdoor socket need a certificate?
If it's on a new circuit, yes: it's notifiable. Off an existing circuit it isn't, but it should still be tested and certified.
Can an outdoor socket be on a timer?
Yes. Sockets with a built-in timer cost a little more and let you programme lights or a pond pump to switch on and off.
Does an outdoor socket need an RCD?
Electrical Safety First says to use an RCD with all outdoor electrical equipment. Your electrician should make sure the socket is RCD protected, at the fuse box or in the socket itself.
How long does it take to fit an outdoor socket?
Usually one to two hours on the house wall.
How we priced thisView sources (6, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialThe Building Regulations 2010, regulation 12(6A) and (9): notifiable electrical work and 'special location' (England), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 14 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 3: self-certification schemes (para 16, roof coverings), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryBuilding Regulations for electrical installations, Electrical Safety First. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryElectrical safety advice for the garden, Electrical Safety First. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryElectric car charging at home, RAC. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryEV charging, British Gas. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
