How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?
By the HomeLintel Editorial Team · Reviewed 2026-08-24
Rewiring an entire house typically costs $6,000–$22,000 — around $12,000 for a typical single-family home — at roughly $4–$10 per square foot. The spread is access: open basements and attics make wire-fishing efficient; finished plaster walls on three floors do not.
Rewiring gets bought for three reasons: knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring that insurers won't cover, recurring electrical symptoms (warm outlets, flickering, breaker trips), or a renovation that opens walls anyway — the cheapest moment this work will ever have.
Cost breakdown
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rewiring per sq ft | $4 – $10 | Access is everything; multi-story plaster sits at the top. |
| Panel replacement (usually bundled) | $1,800 – $4,000 | Old wiring almost always pairs with an old panel. |
| Devices & fixtures | $800 – $2,500 | Outlets, switches, AFCI/GFCI protection throughout. |
| Drywall/plaster patching | $500 – $3,000 | Fishing leaves surgical holes; refinishing is on you. |
| Permit + inspections | $200 – $900 | Rough-in and final inspections; required everywhere. |
| Aluminum remediation alternative | $1,500 – $4,000 | COPALUM/AlumiConn connector retrofit vs full rewire — see below. |
Knob-and-tube and aluminum: the forced moves
Knob-and-tube (pre-1950): ungrounded, insulation-degraded, and dangerous under modern loads — and buried in insulation it's a code violation outright. Most insurers surcharge or decline it; full replacement is the answer, prioritized by circuit. Aluminum branch wiring (1965–1973): the fire risk lives at connections, not the wire itself, which opens a legitimate middle path — CPSC-recognized connector remediation (COPALUM crimps or AlumiConn connectors at every device, $1,500–$4,000) instead of full rewiring. Get quotes for both; remediation done right satisfies most insurers.
How rewiring actually happens
Good crews fish new cable through existing walls from attics and basements, cutting access holes only where geometry forces them — a typical whole-house job runs 3–10 days, and you live around it (power stays on by zones). The renovation synergy is real: rewiring during a kitchen or bath remodel, or while residing/insulating, cuts effective cost dramatically because the walls are already open. If a major renovation is within a few years, sequence the rewire into it.
Partial rewiring is legitimate
Whole-house isn't the only product. Prioritized partial scopes — kitchen and bath circuits, everything on knob-and-tube, or the panel plus the worst circuits — spread cost across years while retiring the highest risks first. What partial work must not skimp: proper junction accessibility (no buried splices), and honest labeling of what remains old, so the next electrician isn't archaeologizing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rewire a 1,500 sq ft house?
Typically $6,000–$13,000 including devices and patching, assuming reasonable attic/basement access. Add a panel replacement and it commonly lands $9,000–$16,000.
Can you rewire a house without removing drywall?
Mostly yes — experienced electricians fish cable through closed walls using attics, basements, and strategic access holes. Expect patch-sized holes, not demolition; plaster homes need more of them.
Does homeowners insurance cover rewiring?
No — it's an upgrade, not a covered loss. The insurance angle runs the other way: carriers increasingly require remediation of knob-and-tube, aluminum, and FPE/Zinsco panels as a condition of coverage, especially at purchase.
How do I know if my house needs rewiring?
Age-based flags: pre-1950 (knob-and-tube), 1965–73 (aluminum). Symptom flags: warm outlets or switch plates, flickering under load, breakers tripping routinely, two-prong outlets everywhere, buzzing, or scorch marks. Any symptom flag deserves an electrician's inspection ($150–$400) now, not eventually.
Related resources
Sources & methodology
- US CPSC — Aluminum Wiring Repair — recognized remediation methods
- ESFI — Home Electrical Safety — aging wiring risk data
Cost ranges are HomeLintel editorial estimates built from the listed sources and our published assumptions — they are not quotes. Last reviewed 2026-08-24. See how we estimate costs.