How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?

Average Cost to Rewire a House

Factors That Influence the Cost to Rewire a House

Several factors impact the total cost to rewire a house. The most significant ones are the size of your house, the age of your house, permits and inspection, the type of rooms that need remodeling, the type of wiring, and whether you need to open up and repair walls. Other notable considerations include upgrading the electrical panel, cleanup costs, and extra remedial work.

House Size

Renewing a big house is more expensive than a smaller one because the former requires more time and materials. How much is it to rewire a house? Expect to pay between $6 and $10 per square foot for rewiring, including materials and labor. 

Here are some typical house sizes and the average cost range to rewire them.

House Age

Restrictive architectural designs and construction materials in older homes can make electrical wiring harder to get to, raising labor costs. For example, while most modern household walls are drywall, some older homes may have plaster walls. When rewiring an older home with plaster walls, you may need to open up some wall sections to access difficult-to-reach spots and close or repair them afterward. This will raise the overall project costs.

With older homes, you’re also likely to incur thecost of installing new electrical outlets in the walls, which can further increase the total cost to rewire. 

Permits

You'll need to obtain a permit to perform electrical rewiring in your home. Permits range in price from $10 to $500, depending on the complexity of your electrical system and local building codes. 

You'll also typically need an electrical inspection when rewiring your home. Pre-rewiring electrical inspection costs between $130 and $200. The purpose of a pre-inspection is to uncover the type of work required. Another inspection for code compliance is necessary after the completion of the job. Inspections for code compliance are typically included as a complimentary add-on to rewiring and are thus usually free.

Rooms Being Remodeled

Some rooms are more expensive to rewire than others due to differences in code requirements. For example, rooms where a water source is present, such as kitchens and bathrooms, require installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to protect home residents from potential shocks. A kitchen will also likely require more powerful wiring and outlets that handle large appliances like refrigerators and ovens.

If your budget doesn't stretch to rewiring the whole house at once, you can choose to do the most essential rooms one at a time, as your budget allows. Here are the average rewiring costs for different types of rooms in your home. 

• Kitchen: $1,900–$3,300

• Garage: $1,150–$2,360

• Bathroom: $1,000–$2,000

• Basement: $800–$1,500

• Bedroom: $200–$800

Contact a local electrician for a more accurate quote. If you want to rewire but don't need to right away, you can wait until you’re remodeling your house or specific rooms. This will be more cost-efficient, especially if your old wiring is hard to get to and you need to open up the walls.

Type of Wiring

The type of wire and cable you use can impact your electrical rewiring cost. There are more than 20 varieties of electrical cable, but the nine in the table below are the most common in many homes. Their prices vary from $0.20 to $2 per linear foot. Note that this is the cost of the cable only and doesn’t include labor, additional supplies, and components.

Opening Walls

Some rewiring projects might require you to open up walls to reach and remove old wires and install new ones. This can increase the total project costs. Budget for the higher cost estimate of at least $10 per square foot for an electric rewiring job that requires you to break down walls first.

Bundling Additional Work

If you have other electrical work that needs completing—such as adding new outlets, running electricity to a shed or exterior workshop, setting up an alarm system, or wiring up appliances—it's worth asking the electrician to add those to the quote, too. Because most electricians have a minimum callout charge, you can often save money by bundling work.

Upgrading the Electrical Panel

If the electrician finds that the existing electrical panel doesn't have a high enough amperage to meet your current demands for electricity, you'll need to upgrade it. Thecost to upgrade an electrical panel to a higher amperage ranges between $530 and $2,000.

Additional Cleanup

While many electrical contractors clean up after they've finished the job, some don't, particularly if they've made a lot of mess because of removing drywall. In such a case, you’ll need to hire alocal house cleaning crew. House cleaning costs for a one-time job range from $100 to $400, depending on the extent of the work they need to complete.

Extra Remedial Work

If the pro finds safety hazards or other issues that fall outside the scope of their current contract during the course of their work, you'll need to revise the existing contract or sign a new one and pay for the extra remedial work.

Labor Cost to Rewire a House

You’ll need to hire a licensed electrician to rewire your home. The national averagecost to hire an electrician runs between $50 and $100 per hour. For rewiring jobs, the estimate is usually one hour of work per 100 square feet of wiring. Rewiring a whole house can take up to a week. On the other hand, a single room can take as little as two days, depending on the size.

"Rewiring a house can be expensive, but the cost is well worth the benefit, safety, and peace of mind of such an upgrade," says Salvatore Cutrona, Angi Expert Review Board member and founder of Cutrona Electric, LLC, in Sherman, CT.

Signs That Your House Needs to Be Rewired

Electrical wiring can degrade due to aging and normal wear and tear. There are several signs, some more subtle than others, that indicate you may need to rewire your home. These signs include:

• Lots of blown fuses and tripped circuit flickering and dimming lights

• Lights that flicker and dim

• Hot or discolored outlet plates, switches, plugs, or cords

• Having to change light bulbs frequently

• Buzzing or sizzling sounds from outlets and light fixtures

• An inexplicable burning smell

• Arcs or sparks from an outlet when you plug something in

• Loose outlets

• Getting an electric shock when you plug something into an outlet or touch a cord that's plugged in

DIY vs. Hiring an Electrician

Rewiring a house isn't a DIY job. It's a big task that requires specific skills, tools, and experience. If you get it wrong, it can be deadly. Aside from the safety and difficulty aspects, you'll also need to apply for permits, submit detailed electrical diagrams, and pass an electrical inspection once the work is completed. For all these reasons, the best option is to hire a local licensed electrician to do the work for you.