Hiding TV Cables in the Wall and What the Electrical Rules Allow

Mounting a flat screen television on the wall frees up floor space, but it often leaves a messy trail of trailing wires. The tidiest result usually means moving or adding a power socket behind the TV, and the mains power side of that is electrical work for a registered electrician, while aerial, HDMI and similar signal cables are a different matter. You have to balance the neatness you want against the disruption and cost of altering your home wiring.

This guide explains the safe ways to deal with television wiring and what to expect if you hire a professional. It covers the difference between signal cables and mains power, the building rules you need to follow, and the typical costs involved.

Why hiding TV cables is not just a tidy up

When you look at the back of a modern television, you will see a mix of different connections. Some carry data and pictures, while others carry the mains electricity needed to power the screen. Hiding these wires is not a single task, because power and data are treated entirely differently by safety standards and building rules.

You generally have three ways to approach the problem. The right choice depends on your budget, what type of walls you have, and how much disruption you are willing to accept in your living room.

This table compares the three main ways to deal with trailing television wires.

These are the typical choices you face when deciding how far to go with your living room setup. Getting a completely invisible finish requires professional work and careful planning.

Low voltage cables and mains cables

The wires connecting to your television fall into two distinct groups. Signal cables include your HDMI leads, aerial wires, satellite dish connections, Ethernet network cables and optical audio links. These are different from the mains cable that powers the screen.

Mains cables carry electricity from your consumer unit, which is also known as a fuse box or fuse board. This is enough power to cause a fatal shock or start a house fire if the wiring is damaged or installed poorly. Because electricity is dangerous, any work on the mains wiring must follow BS 7671, the national safety standard often called the Wiring Regulations.

Any work on the mains side, such as a new or moved socket, should be left to a registered electrician.

Because hidden mains cables are a risk when putting up shelves or brackets, any electrical work should be left to competent professionals. A quality cable detector can help locate buried cables, but drilling near them is always dangerous. If you are not entirely sure what is behind the plaster, you should not drill into the wall.

Cable covers and trunking as a simpler option

The most straightforward way to tidy up a wall-mounted television is to use surface mounted trunking. This is a length of plastic channelling that sticks or screws to the surface of your wall. You run the power and signal cables inside it, and a cover snaps over the top to keep them out of sight.

Cable covers are an easier and safer alternative to running wires inside the wall, keeping wires tidy and visible only where necessary. While trunking is not completely invisible, it is a neat compromise.

Using trunking avoids the mess and expense of cutting into your plaster. It also means you can easily swap out an HDMI lead or add a new games console later without having to pull cables through a narrow gap inside the wall. For many people, a neat strip of painted trunking is the most sensible choice.

Moving or adding a socket behind the TV

If you want the television to sit perfectly flat against the wall with no visible wires at all, you need a power source directly behind the screen. This means hiring an electrician to install a new plug socket in a fresh location behind the screen.

Adding a socket is usually an alteration to an existing circuit, and the electrician decides how it is supplied. The cost rises the further the new socket is from existing wiring.

Solid walls take longer to chase than stud walls, which raises the labour time. Chasing is work for the electrician, not the homeowner.

Once the new socket is in place, the television simply plugs into the wall behind the screen. You still need to manage the signal cables. If you want any cables run inside the wall, ask a professional, because the work must be safe and compliant with building regulations.

What the electrical rules say

Rules on electrical work in homes differ across the UK. Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical work in homes in England and Wales. Scotland has its own building standards system and Northern Ireland differs, so the rules depend on where you live.

In England and Wales, certain major electrical jobs are classed as notifiable work. This means local authority building control must be told about the work. Electricians who are registered with a government-authorised competent person scheme, such as NICEIC or NAPIT, can self-certify their own work and notify building control for you.

According to the official Building Regulations general information, notifiable jobs include a new consumer unit, a complete new circuit, and alterations to existing circuits only in special locations. In England, special locations are the spaces around baths and showers. In Wales, special locations include kitchens and outdoors.

Adding a single socket in a living room or bedroom is an alteration to an existing circuit. Outside special locations, adding a socket to an existing circuit is not notifiable, but the work must still meet BS 7671 and should be done by a registered electrician. If the electrician has to install a complete new circuit back to the fuse box, that is notifiable work.

Even when a job is not notifiable, the work must be safe and compliant with building regulations. All electrical work, however small, must follow the BS 7671 safety standard.

Why extension leads are not the answer

Trailing extension leads are not a neat or lasting fix for a wall-mounted television. Electrical Safety First says that if you regularly rely on extension leads, cable reels, and adaptors, consider having additional wall sockets installed by a registered electrician.

You should also pay attention to the equipment itself. If you notice any wires getting hot, fraying, or melting, you should stop using immediately. Regularly check the plugs and socket outlets for burn marks, as burn marks are a warning sign.

Typical 2026 costs

The price of hiding your television cables depends on the size of the screen, the type of wall, and whether you want cables buried or covered. Electricians and installers usually charge by the hour for small tasks, often with a call-out fee or minimum charge that covers the first hour. A quote is a fixed price for the job, whereas an estimate is not a fixed price.

This table shows typical prices for television mounting, cable management and socket installation work.

These figures are typical 2026 prices, and your local quotes will differ depending on your property.

What pushes the price up

The overall average labour cost for simply mounting a television is about £100, but larger screens take more effort. For screens between 32 and 41 inches, labour is typically £60 to £120. For 42 to 49 inches it is £80 to £150, and for 50 to 64 inches you can expect to pay £100 to £200.

If you just want surface trunking, cable management as an add-on task is typically £20 to £80, though it costs more if wires need re-routing. If you hire someone specifically for cable tidying in trunking, the labour is typically £120 to £200.

Adding a new socket involves different pricing. For straightforward jobs, labour is about £40 per socket, while more complex work is charged at £40 to £60 per hour. The cost rises the further the socket is from the existing wiring. Solid walls take longer to chase than stud walls, pushing the labour time up. Many electricians also charge a minimum call-out fee of £50 to £80.

Prices vary across the country, and London and the South East cost noticeably more than other regions. Out-of-hours emergency work carries a premium, though adding a TV socket is rarely an emergency.

What to ask an electrician

Before you agree to any electrical work, you need to know exactly what is included in the price. A vague quote can lead to unexpected bills or a messy living room at the end of the day. Ask these questions before you book:

• Are you registered with a competent person scheme like NICEIC or NAPIT?
• Is the quote a fixed price or just an estimate?
• Does the price include VAT and all the materials?
• Will the new socket be an addition to an existing circuit or a complete new circuit?
• What electrical certificate will I receive when the job is finished?
• Who is responsible for making good the plaster and decoration afterwards?

Paperwork and making good

When an electrician finishes adding a socket to an existing circuit, they must test the work to ensure it is safe. For a small job like this, new work is certified with a Minor Works Certificate. If they had to install a whole new circuit, they would issue an Electrical Installation Certificate instead. If the work was notifiable, you should also receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate. You should keep these documents safe for when the property is sold.

Landlords have legal duties to have installations inspected at least every five years, which results in an Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR. For owner-occupiers, this periodic inspection is a recommendation, not a legal duty. However, any new work added to the system must still be certified.

You also need to agree on what happens to the wall once the cables are in place. The process of repairing the wall is called making good. A quote should say whether making good plaster and decoration is included.

If your wall needs professional finishing, typical 2026 prices are £125 to £5,500 for plastering and £80 to £200 for painting. You need to know in advance if you will have to hire a plasterer to finish the job.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If the electrical work is poor or unsafe, the customer can ask for it to be put right at no extra cost. Services arranged at home, by phone or online usually carry a 14-day cooling-off period. If you have a dispute, you can contact Citizens Advice for guidance on your specific situation.

Common questions

Who should fit a power socket behind the TV?

A registered electrician should. Electrical Safety First says any electrical work should be left to competent professionals, and the work must follow BS 7671.

Do electricians fit TV brackets?

Some electricians will happily mount a television bracket while they are installing the new socket, but mounting is not electrical work, so ask whether it is included. If you want one person to do everything, check what the electrician offers.

How do you hide cables on a solid brick wall?

Hiding cables completely in a solid wall means chasing, which is work for a professional. Solid walls take longer to chase than stud walls, and the wall then needs making good. Surface mounted cable covers are an easier and safer alternative.

Will an electrician supply the HDMI cables?

Ask whether the quote covers signal cables such as HDMI leads and aerial cables, or whether you need to buy them yourself.

Next steps

If you are tired of looking at messy cables and want a permanent, safe solution, taking the right steps will protect your home and your equipment.

• Decide whether you want the simple option of surface trunking or the completely hidden look of a new socket.
• If you choose a new socket, check that the electrician is registered with a scheme like NICEIC or NAPIT.
• Ask for a fixed price quote and check if it includes VAT, materials and certification.
• Confirm in writing who is responsible for repairing the plaster and painting the wall once the wires are hidden.
• Buy your HDMI and signal cables in advance so they can be routed at the same time.

TopRatedElectricians.co.uk lists local electricians and ranks them using customer reviews to help you compare your options. The site does not employ, vet, certify or guarantee anyone. When you are ready to get quotes for moving your sockets and hiding your wiring safely, you can find an electrician near you.