How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House in 2026?

Rewiring a whole house in 2026 runs $8,000 to $30,000, with most homeowners landing between $12,000 and $20,000. On a per-square-foot basis, that's roughly $2 to $4 per square foot of living space, wiring included.

Three things move that number more than anything else: the size of your home (more square footage means more wire, more circuits, and more labor hours), how accessible your walls are (an open-stud remodel is far cheaper than fishing wire behind finished plaster), and whether the job includes a panel upgrade to 200 amps. Old knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring almost always pushes you toward the high end.

What a house rewire costs in 2026

A full rewire replaces the wiring running through your walls, ceilings, and floors — often along with outlets, switches, and the electrical panel. Here's the national picture:

| Tier | Cost (typical home) | What it looks like | |---|---|---| | Low | $8,000 | Small home (~1,000 sq ft), open walls, no panel upgrade | | National average | $12,000–$20,000 | 1,500–2,500 sq ft, some finished walls, panel included | | High | $30,000+ | Large or multi-story home, plaster walls, full code upgrade |

These are national averages. Your local price depends on labor rates in your area, your home's age, and how much finish work the electrician has to cut into and patch afterward.

Cost by home size

Wiring scales almost directly with square footage, because every added room means more runs, more devices, and more labor. Here's a rough breakdown at the typical $2–$4 per square foot installed:

| Home size | Typical rewire cost | |---|---| | 1,000 sq ft | $2,000–$8,000 | | 1,500 sq ft | $4,500–$12,000 | | 2,000 sq ft | $6,000–$16,000 | | 2,500 sq ft | $8,000–$20,000 | | 3,000+ sq ft | $12,000–$30,000+ |

The wide spread inside each row is the accessibility factor. A gutted 2,000-square-foot house mid-remodel might rewire for $6,000. That same house, fully finished with lath-and-plaster walls, can hit $16,000 because the crew has to open and repair dozens of spots.

Cost by wiring type and scope

What you're replacing matters as much as how much of it there is. Old systems cost more because they're often paired with undersized panels and outdated grounding.

| Job | Typical cost | Notes | |---|---|---| | Partial rewire (a few circuits) | $2,000–$6,000 | Kitchen, addition, or problem area only | | Knob-and-tube replacement | $8,000–$30,000 | Common in pre-1950 homes; insurers often require it | | Aluminum wiring remediation | $6,000–$20,000 | 1960s–70s homes; fire-risk connections | | Full rewire + 200-amp panel | $12,000–$30,000 | The most common "do it all" scope | | Panel upgrade alone (100→200A) | $850–$4,000 | Sometimes all you need — see below |

If your only real problem is a maxed-out panel, you may not need a full rewire at all. Read our electrical panel replacement cost guide before you commit to the bigger job.

What drives the price

Beyond size and wiring type, these factors swing the bill:

• Wall accessibility. Open studs are cheapest. Finished drywall means cutting and patching; plaster and lath is the most expensive to work around.
• Number of stories. Fishing wire between floors and up to a second story adds labor hours.
• Panel and service upgrade. Moving from 100 to 200 amps adds $850–$4,000, sometimes with a utility coordination fee.
• Code upgrades. A rewire triggers current code — GFCI and AFCI protection, tamper-resistant outlets, dedicated appliance circuits, smoke/CO detectors.
• Permits and inspection. Electrical permits run $50–$500 depending on your municipality, and inspection is mandatory (and a good thing).
• Drywall repair and paint. Often billed separately. Budget several hundred to a few thousand dollars to make walls whole again.
• Region. Labor in high-cost metros can run double what it does in rural areas.

Signs you need a rewire

Rewiring isn't cosmetic — for old systems it's a fire-safety issue. Get an electrician out if you see:

• Frequent tripped breakers or blown fuses
• Two-prong (ungrounded) outlets throughout the house
• A fuse box instead of a breaker panel, or a panel from a recalled brand
• Knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring (common in homes built before 1975)
• Flickering lights, warm outlets or switch plates, or a burning smell
• Buzzing from outlets or the panel
• Discolored or scorched outlets

Electrical wiring is not a DIY project, and in most jurisdictions permitted electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician. Faulty work can start a fire or void your homeowner's insurance. If you ever smell burning or see sparks, cut power at the panel and call an electrician — or 911 if there's active smoke or fire. See our guide on electrical jobs you should never DIY.

Repair vs. rewire

Not every wiring problem means tearing open every wall. Use this logic:

• One dead circuit or a few bad outlets? That's a repair — usually $150–$800, not a rewire.
• An overloaded panel but sound wiring? A panel upgrade may be enough.
• Old knob-and-tube, aluminum, or repeated failures across the house? That's a full rewire. Patching a failing system piecemeal costs more over time and leaves the fire risk in place.

The break-even tips toward a full rewire when you're already opening walls for a remodel, when an insurer requires it, or when a repair is your third or fourth in two years.

How to save money

• Get at least three written, itemized quotes. Prices for the same rewire routinely vary 20–40% between licensed electricians.
• Rewire during a remodel. If walls are already open, you avoid the biggest cost — cut-and-patch labor. Time it with a kitchen or whole-home renovation.
• Bundle the panel upgrade. Doing the panel and rewire together is cheaper than two separate mobilizations.
• Do your own patch-and-paint. Let the electrician cut access holes; you handle the drywall finishing if you're handy.
• Ask about phasing. For a tight budget, prioritize the highest-risk circuits (kitchen, bath, bedrooms) first.
• Confirm what's included — outlets, switches, fixtures, permit, inspection, and wall repair should all be spelled out in writing.

For choosing the pro who does the work, our guide on how to hire a contractor walks through licensing and vetting.

Worked example: A 2,000-square-foot, two-story home built in 1948 with knob-and-tube wiring needs a full rewire plus a 200-amp panel. Wiring at the mid-range runs about $3/sq ft = $6,000, but the finished plaster walls and second story push labor up. Add the $2,500 panel upgrade, $300 permit, and $1,500 for drywall patch and paint. The realistic total lands around $15,000–$18,000 — squarely in the typical band.

FAQ

How long does it take to rewire a house? Most whole-house rewires take 3 to 10 days, depending on size and access. You can usually stay in the home, though power gets shut off in sections.

Is rewiring covered by homeowner's insurance? Rewiring for age or wear generally isn't covered — it's considered maintenance. But some insurers require you to replace knob-and-tube or certain aluminum wiring to keep your policy, so check before you're forced.

Do I have to rewire the whole house at once? No. A partial rewire ($2,000–$6,000) handles a single problem area. But if the whole system is failing, phasing costs more in total mobilizations than doing it once.

Does rewiring add home value? Yes — modern wiring and a 200-amp panel are selling points, and they remove a common inspection red flag. You won't recoup 100%, but you gain safety and buyer confidence.

Can I just upgrade the panel instead? If your wiring is sound and only the panel is undersized, yes — that's an $850–$4,000 panel replacement, not a full rewire. An electrician can tell you which you actually need.

Rewiring is one of the least glamorous but most important investments in an older home. Price it with three itemized bids, insist on permits and inspection, and never let unlicensed work touch your electrical system.

Cost figures are 2026 national averages for general information only, not quotes. Your price depends on your specific job, home, and location. Always get a written estimate before authorizing work.