House rewiring: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What house rewiring is

House rewiring replaces old or unsafe wiring throughout a home. The electrician pulls new cable, updates the panel and outlets, patches the walls, and gets the work inspected. People call for it when a house has ungrounded outlets, brittle or cloth-covered wire, aluminum branch wiring, or a panel that can no longer serve the home safely.

Signs you need it

  • Outlets with only two slots and no ground wire in the box
  • Cloth-covered or brittle insulation visible at a fixture, switch or junction box
  • Fuses blow often, or breakers trip when more than one room is in use
  • Lights dim or flicker when an appliance starts, or switch plates feel warm
  • An inspection or insurance review has flagged the wiring for replacement
  • A renovation is opening the walls and the old wire can come out while they are open

What the pro does

  • Survey the house and map every circuit, device and the panel's condition before any wire is pulled
  • Plan the new circuit layout, including grounding and the number of circuits each room needs
  • Pull new cable through existing framing, using drilled holes and protective plates, and secure it at each box
  • Replace the panel or add a new one where the existing panel cannot serve the new circuits
  • Install new outlets, switches and fixtures, and ground every box and the panel
  • Test every circuit, schedule the inspections, and patch the walls and ceilings where the work was done

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Size of the home and the number of circuits to replace
  • Whether the panel is replaced, upgraded or kept, and what service size the home needs
  • How many walls and ceilings must be opened, and how much finished surface needs repair
  • Type of existing wire, such as knob-and-tube or aluminum, which changes how the old system comes out
  • Access through attics, crawlspaces and finished floors
  • Whether the work is phased to keep part of the home in use, which adds scheduling and cutover steps

What a written quote should spell out

  • The panel plan, including whether the panel is replaced and the service size chosen
  • Circuit count and how grounding is handled in each area of the house
  • Which walls, ceilings and floors are opened, and who repairs and paints them
  • Permit responsibility and who schedules each inspection
  • How the old wiring is removed or abandoned, and how live circuits are handled during cutover

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you replace the panel, and how did you decide on the service size?
  • How will you handle existing knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring?
  • Which rooms will be opened, and does the patch and paint scope appear in the quote?
  • Will the home have power during the work, and how do you plan the cutovers?
  • What happens if the inspector flags a defect after the walls are closed?
  • How do you bond and ground the bathroom, kitchen and exterior circuits?

Red flags

  • Proposes to leave old wiring in place and add new circuits beside it, without a clear reason
  • Does not plan a panel evaluation before starting
  • Says the house can be rewired with no wall openings and no plan for pulling the cable
  • Will not provide a written plan for power shutoffs and cutovers
  • Says no inspection is needed for a whole-house rewire

What you can do yourself

Clearing rooms, moving furniture, and photographing the existing wiring and panel to help the electrician plan are all reasonable. Pulling cable, cutting into walls, touching the panel, or disconnecting old circuits can kill. A whole-house rewire is a licensed-electrician job from start to finish, with power shut off at the panel during the rough-in and tie-in work.

Licenses and permits

House rewiring is commonly done by licensed electrical contractors, and a permit with inspections is often required. Check with your state or local licensing agency or building department to confirm what your home needs.

House rewiring questions

Do I have to move out during a rewire?

Not always. Many rewires are done room by room while the home stays partly occupied. Ask the electrician how the cutovers are planned and when power will be off in each area.

Is knob-and-tube wiring always unsafe?

Not always. It can be safe when it is intact, not overloaded and not covered by insulation. But it has no ground wire, the insulation turns brittle with age, and it is often modified or buried in insulation, which traps heat. An electrician can tell you its condition and whether it should come out.

Will the walls be damaged?

Some access holes and patches are part of the job. Ask for the patch and paint scope in writing, and ask how the electrician keeps holes in finished walls to a minimum.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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