Electrical Rewiring Cost Calculator 2026 — Whole House & K&T
Estimate a house rewire by size, scope and wall access. Rewiring through finished walls runs $6–$10 per sq ft (This Old House, 2026); add panel and permit.
Electrical Rewiring Cost Calculator
Finished floor area, 500–5,000 sq ft.
Open framing is priced like new wiring, about half the cost per square foot.
Adjusts the labor share by local construction wages (BLS, May 2025).
homeprojectestimator.com · · https://homeprojectestimator.com/calculators/electrical-rewiring-cost/
Estimated rewiring cost
$16,500
Typical range $12,100 – $20,900
Cost per sq ft rewired
$8.25
Where the money goes
- Full rewire, through finished walls $6–$10 per sq ft × 2,000 sq ft$12,000 – $20,000
- Electrical permit and inspections This Old House$100 – $900
National average. Pick your state and metro area to adjust the labor share (about 50% of this job) to local wages. Get three written quotes before you commit to a budget.
Per-square-foot rates and permit range from This Old House (2026); panel upgrade and labor share from Fixr; patching share from Bob Vila.
Rewiring an existing house costs $6 to $10 per square foot through finished walls, according to This Old House (June 2026) — $12,000 to $20,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home. With the walls open to the studs, new wiring costs half that, $3 to $5 per square foot. A 100-amp to 200-amp panel upgrade adds $1,800 to $4,500 on Fixr's figures, and This Old House puts the permit at $75 to $900. The calculator combines these lines for your home size, scope, wall access and state.
How to use this calculator
Rewiring prices follow two things above all: how much floor area the new wiring has to serve, and whether the electrician can reach the framing. The inputs map to those two questions.
- Home size. Enter the finished floor area in square feet — the figure on your listing or tax record is close enough. Garages and unfinished basements with surface-mounted wiring cost less to wire than finished rooms, so leave them out if they are not part of the job.
- Scope. Full rewire replaces every branch circuit. Partial rewire replaces some rooms; enter the share of the home they represent (add up the room areas and divide by the home size, so 600 sq ft of a 2,000 sq ft house is 30%). Knob-and-tube replacement is a full rewire of an older house whose original cloth-insulated wiring is still live.
- Walls. Closed means finished drywall or plaster: the electrician fishes cable through small openings. Open means the studs are exposed, as in a gut renovation, and the job is priced like new construction.
- Wall patching. Tick it if the electrician's quote does not include closing the access holes. Most do not.
- Panel upgrade. Tick it if your house has 100-amp service and you are moving to 200 amps. A rewire is the natural moment to do it, because the new circuits all land in the new panel.
- Permit. Leave it on; a rewire needs rough-in and final inspections almost everywhere.
- State. Adjusts the labor part of the price to local construction wages.
Electrical rewiring cost in 2026
By home size
| Home size | New wiring (walls open) | Rewiring (walls closed) |
|---|---|---|
| 800 sq ft | $2,400 – $4,000 | $4,800 – $8,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,000 | $6,000 – $10,000 |
| 1,200 sq ft | $3,600 – $6,000 | $7,000 – $12,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $4,500 – $7,500 | $9,000 – $15,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $6,000 – $10,000 | $12,000 – $20,000 |
| 2,200 sq ft | $6,600 – $11,000 | $13,200 – $22,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $7,500 – $12,500 | $15,000 – $25,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $9,000 – $15,000 | $18,000 – $30,000 |
Source: This Old House, How Much Does an Electrician Cost?, updated June 5, 2026.
These figures cover the wiring itself; the panel, permit and wall patching are separate lines below. Other publishers come in lower. Today's Homeowner puts a 2,000 sq ft rewire at $5,000–$10,000 (April 2025), and Fixr's whole-house wiring table — which describes wiring a house rather than replacing old wiring — gives $7,286–$13,257 for 2,200 sq ft (January 2025), against This Old House's $13,200–$22,000 for the same size. The calculator follows This Old House because it is the most recent and the only one that separates rewiring from new work.
Rewiring one room
Single rooms follow the same per-square-foot logic. At This Old House's $6 to $10, a 150 sq ft room works out to about $900 to $1,500 of wiring through finished walls, before patching and the permit. In the calculator, choose Partial rewire and enter the room's share of the house: 10% of a 2,000 sq ft house (200 sq ft) comes to $1,300 to $2,900 with the permit, of which the wiring is $1,200 to $2,000. On a job this small the permit is a large share of the bill, which is one reason to rewire room by room only when each room is opened up for another project.
Panel upgrades
| Panel | Install new | Replace existing |
|---|---|---|
| 100 amp | $770 – $1,402 | $950 – $1,728 |
| 150 amp | $1,051 – $1,913 | $1,231 – $2,239 |
| 200 amp | $1,580 – $2,876 | $1,760 – $3,202 |
| 100 A → 200 A service upgrade | — | $1,800 – $4,500 (most pay about $3,000) |
| New meter box, if the utility requires one | — | $200 – $800 |
Sources: Fixr, Average Costs to Wire a House, January 31, 2025 (panel rows); Fixr, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost, January 31, 2025 (service upgrade, meter box).
The upgrade costs more than a like-for-like panel swap because the service entrance, meter base and grounding usually change with it, and the utility has to disconnect and reconnect the service. This Old House's average for upgrading a panel is $1,300–$3,000.
Other electrical jobs
| Job | Cost |
|---|---|
| Grounding an outlet | $50 – $100 |
| Installing a light switch | $85 – $200 |
| Installing a ceiling fan | $100 – $650 |
| Installing a GFCI outlet | $120 – $200 |
| Wiring a 220/240-volt outlet (dryer, range, some EV chargers) | $200 – $400 |
Source: This Old House, How Much Does an Electrician Cost?, updated June 5, 2026.
This Old House says electricians typically price outlet installation per outlet unless conditions point to unusual difficulty, so ask for a per-outlet price in writing. A dedicated EV charger circuit can cost more than a basic 240-volt outlet if the run is long or the panel needs an upgrade.
What drives the price
- Wall access. The single biggest factor. This Old House's rate doubles from $3–$5 per square foot with open framing to $6–$10 through finished walls.
- Wall material. Plaster and lath are slower to open and harder to patch than drywall, and they crack beyond the cut. Houses with plaster tend to land at the top of the range.
- Age and grounding. This Old House notes that houses from the 1920s and 1930s often have no grounding, which makes rewiring more complex. Bob Vila places knob-and-tube houses at the high end of its rewiring range.
- Circuit count. An old house usually comes out of a rewire with more circuits than it went in with, and every added circuit is another cable run, another breaker and more time at the panel.
- Panel capacity. If the existing service cannot carry the new circuits, the panel upgrade ($1,800–$4,500 on Fixr's figures) becomes part of the job.
- Labor rates. This Old House lists electricians at $40–$120 an hour: apprentices $40–$60, journeymen $60–$90 and master electricians $90–$120. Fixr says labor is commonly 40–60% of an electrical job.
Cost breakdown
- Wiring line — removing or abandoning old circuits, running new cable, boxes, receptacles, switches and connections at the panel, priced per square foot of the area being rewired. Knob-and-tube with closed walls uses $8–$10 per square foot, the upper half of This Old House's range; with open walls every scope uses the $3–$5 new-wiring rate.
- Wall and ceiling patching — 25–30% of the wiring line, following Bob Vila's note that repairs can add up to that share. Treat it as a ceiling: a careful electrician working from the attic and basement leaves fewer holes.
- Panel upgrade — Fixr's $1,800–$4,500 for 100 A to 200 A.
- Permit and inspections — This Old House's $75–$900.
Not included: light fixtures beyond basic replacements, new circuits for an EV charger or heat pump, utility fees for a new service drop, a new meter box, painting after patching, and abatement if asbestos or lead paint is disturbed.
Prices by state and metro area
Electrical work is labor-heavy, so the state setting moves this estimate more than it moves an HVAC or window estimate. The calculator treats 50% of the cost as labor (the midpoint of Fixr's 40–60%) and scales that half by the state's construction wage index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
For the default job — a full rewire of a 2,000 sq ft house through closed walls, with a permit — the national estimate is about $16,500:
| State | Wage index | Adjustment | Typical estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 1.25 | +12.5% | about $18,550 |
| California | 1.20 | +10% | about $18,150 |
| Texas | 0.84 | −8% | about $15,200 |
| Mississippi | 0.78 | −11% | about $14,700 |
The calculator also prices 387 metro areas from the same BLS survey. The default job comes to $16,500 nationally; in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (wage index 1.30) it is $19,000, and in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (0.90) $15,700. Choose the metro area below your state for the closest figure.
Signs the house needs rewiring
- Knob-and-tube or cloth-insulated wiring still in use.
- Two-prong, ungrounded receptacles throughout the house.
- Breakers that trip or fuses that blow under ordinary loads.
- Warm or discolored outlets and switch plates, buzzing, a burning smell, or charred or melted wiring found in a wall.
- Too few circuits — extension cords and power strips as a permanent fixture.
- No GFCI outlets in bathrooms, the kitchen, the garage or outdoors.
- A Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panel, or older aluminum branch-circuit wiring. Have an electrician evaluate it; remedies range from approved connectors to replacement.
- An insurer or home inspector flagging the wiring.
Not every item means a full rewire. This Old House prices grounding an outlet at $50–$100 and a GFCI outlet at $120–$200, so a few problem circuits can be fixed one at a time. The wiring type throughout the house — knob-and-tube, ungrounded cable — is what points to a full rewire.
Full or partial rewire?
A partial rewire makes sense when the problem is confined: one addition wired by a previous owner, a kitchen being remodeled, or a single failed circuit run. It also lets you spread the cost over several projects, rewiring each room as it is renovated and the walls are open anyway — the cheapest way to do it, at the $3–$5 new-wiring rate.
A full rewire is the better call when the problem is the wiring type itself (knob-and-tube, ungrounded cable throughout) or when the panel is being replaced. Doing the whole house at once means one permit, one set of inspections and one round of patching.
Permits, inspections and timing
Electrical work beyond minor repairs needs a permit in most jurisdictions, and This Old House puts electrical permits at $75 for simple work up to $900 for major rewiring on older homes. A rewire is normally inspected twice: at rough-in, before the walls are closed, and at final. Skipping the permit is a false saving. Unpermitted electrical work can complicate insurance claims for electrical problems, creates disclosure and liability issues when you sell, and may have to be opened up and redone if a buyer's inspection finds it. More in what renovation permits cost.
How long a rewire takes depends on the size of the house, the wall material (plaster is slower than drywall), access from the attic and basement, and how quickly the inspector can come. Ask each electrician for a schedule that includes both inspections and the patching that follows them.
Can you rewire a house yourself?
Some jurisdictions let homeowners pull an electrical permit for their own home; the inspections still apply. But a whole-house rewire involves load calculations, panel work and dozens of terminations hidden in walls, and errors may not show for years. The service connection also involves the utility, which has to disconnect and reconnect power. A realistic division of labor is to hire the electrician and handle demolition, patching and painting yourself — that is where Bob Vila's 25–30% sits.
How to compare rewiring quotes
- Ask whether the price includes patching, and to what finish (rough patch or paint-ready).
- Confirm who pulls the permit and that both inspections are included.
- Get the circuit count and the panel size in writing.
- Ask how they will handle plaster walls and whether they work from the attic and basement.
- For outlets and small jobs, get a per-outlet price, which This Old House says is how electricians usually price them.
- Compare like with like: one quote may include the panel and another may not.
See how to hire a renovation contractor for a general checklist.
Sources
- This Old House, How Much Does an Electrician Cost? — rewiring $6–$10 and new wiring $3–$5 per sq ft, totals by home size, panel upgrade $1,300–$3,000, electrician rates $40–$120 per hour and by license level, permits $75–$900, prices for outlets, switches, fans and 240-volt outlets, per-outlet pricing, grounding in 1920s–30s houses (updated June 5, 2026). link
- Fixr, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost — 200-amp upgrade $1,800–$4,500, most pay about $3,000, meter box $200–$800, labor 40–60% (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Fixr, Average Costs to Wire a House — whole-house wiring by home size, panel prices by amperage (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Today's Homeowner, How Much Does an Electrician Cost? — 2,000 sq ft rewire $5,000–$10,000, 200-amp service $2,000–$3,000 (updated April 4, 2025). link
- Bob Vila, How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House? — wall repairs up to 25–30% of project cost; knob-and-tube homes at the high end (updated January 5, 2023). link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — state construction wage index. link
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
This Old House puts rewiring an existing house at $6–$10 per square foot through finished walls (June 2026): $9,000–$15,000 for 1,500 sq ft, $12,000–$20,000 for 2,000 sq ft and $15,000–$25,000 for 2,500 sq ft. With a permit, this calculator's default estimate for a 2,000 sq ft house is about $16,500. Today's Homeowner quotes a lower $5,000–$10,000 for 2,000 sq ft, so expect wide spreads between bids.
How much does it cost to rewire one room?
Rooms are priced at the same per-square-foot rates. At This Old House's $6–$10 per square foot through finished walls, a 150 sq ft room is about $900–$1,500 of wiring; with the walls open, the $3–$5 new-wiring rate halves that. Patching and the permit ($75–$900, This Old House) come on top, and on a single room the permit can be a large share of the bill.
Is rewiring cheaper if the walls are open?
Yes, roughly by half. This Old House prices new wiring, where the framing is exposed, at $3–$5 per square foot against $6–$10 for rewiring an existing house. If you are gutting rooms anyway, schedule the rewire while the studs are open: it removes the fishing work and most of the patching that follows it.
How much does a 100 to 200 amp panel upgrade cost?
Fixr's table puts a 200-amp upgrade at $1,800–$4,500 and says most homeowners pay around $3,000 to move from a 100-amp panel to 200-amp service (January 2025). This Old House gives $1,300–$3,000 for upgrading a panel, and Today's Homeowner $2,000–$3,000 for 200-amp service. A new meter box, when the utility requires one, adds $200–$800 installed according to Fixr.
How much does knob-and-tube replacement cost?
Knob-and-tube is replaced with a full rewire, so it starts from the $6–$10 per square foot This Old House gives for rewiring. Older houses without grounding sit at the costly end, so the calculator uses $8–$10 per square foot through closed walls — $16,000–$20,000 of wiring for a 2,000 sq ft house before permit, patching and panel.
When does a house need rewiring?
Common signs are knob-and-tube or cloth-insulated wiring still in use, two-prong ungrounded outlets throughout, breakers that trip under ordinary loads, warm or discolored outlets, a burning smell, and too few circuits. This Old House notes that houses built in the 1920s and 1930s often lack grounding, which makes rewiring more complex and costly. Have an electrician evaluate Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels and older aluminum wiring.
Do I need a permit to rewire a house?
Almost always. Rewiring creates new circuits, and inspectors check the work twice: at rough-in, before walls are closed, and at final. This Old House puts electrical permits at $75 for simple work up to $900 for major rewiring on older homes. Unpermitted wiring can surface during a sale inspection and may have to be opened up again.
Who pays for patching the walls after rewiring?
Usually you, and often through a separate contractor. Electricians cut access holes to fish cable and generally leave the repair to a drywall or plaster crew. Bob Vila notes that wall repairs can add up to 25–30% of the project cost, which is what the calculator's patching option adds to the wiring line.