How much does a whole-home rewire cost?
Prices vary with home size, age, access, and scope. Some sources note pricing per square foot and wide total ranges. Ask for a written scope and itemized estimate.
Service Guide
Whole Home Rewiring
Whole home rewiring replaces outdated or unsafe wiring and related devices throughout a house so the electrical system is safer, more reliable, and ready for today's loads. It can be a full upgrade or targeted to specific circuits or rooms depending on findings and goals.
Typical rangeUS: $4,000 - $30,000
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What homeowners should know
A rewire typically includes new branch-circuit wiring, updated outlets and switches, tamper-resistant and properly grounded receptacles, and often a service panel upgrade if capacity or safety is a concern. Some projects also add GFCI/AFCI protection and dedicated circuits for large appliances or future electrification needs.
Scope, access, and house age drive cost and timeline. Larger or older homes, plaster walls, and limited attic or crawlspace access can add labor. Many projects are priced per square foot or as a full-project estimate, and partial rewires can be an option for targeted safety risks.
Before booking, ask whether permits and inspections will be handled, what parts of the system are included (panel, grounding/bonding, smoke/CO upgrades, GFCI/AFCI), how load calculations are performed, how walls will be protected and patched, daily cleanup plans, timeline and power interruptions, and warranty details.
When this service is needed
Frequent breaker trips, flickering or dimming lights, buzzing at switches or outlets, or warm/scorched receptacles.
Known outdated systems such as knob-and-tube or certain aluminum branch-circuit wiring.
Evidence of aging or unsafe components and an old or inadequate electrical panel.
Planned electrification or added loads (heat pump, EV charging, induction, workshop) that require new circuits or more panel capacity.
Repair vs replacement
Electricians may recommend targeted repairs or partial rewiring when issues are limited to certain circuits, rooms, or known hazards. Examples include replacing a few deteriorated runs, adding GFCI/AFCI protection, pigtailing compatible aluminum wiring, or installing dedicated circuits for specific appliances.
A full rewire is usually considered when wiring is widely outdated or unsafe, there are frequent system symptoms across the home, capacity is inadequate, or you want to modernize outlets and protection throughout. Panel upgrades are often evaluated at the same time to ensure adequate capacity for present and future loads.
Common problems to compare
Frequent breaker trips or fuses blowing under normal use.
Flickering or dimming lights unrelated to a utility outage.
Warm, discolored, or sparking outlets and a burning odor.
Buzzing or humming from switches, outlets, or the panel.
Outdated or inadequate electrical panel, or presence of old wiring types.
Questions homeowners often ask
Will I need to upgrade my electrical panel during a rewire?
Not always. If the panel is outdated or capacity is limited, an upgrade may be recommended, especially if you plan to add high-demand circuits or electrify appliances.