How Much Does Whole-House Electrical Rewiring Cost in 2026?

A whole-house electrical rewire is one of those projects most homeowners never plan for — it surfaces during a home inspection, an insurance renewal review, or when the panel starts tripping regularly. The cost is significant, but it’s also non-negotiable when the existing wiring is genuinely unsafe.

This is one of the few home projects where cheap labor genuinely puts your home at fire risk. Verify license + insurance + permit-pull on any quote.

What’s included in whole-house electrical rewiring cost

A complete rewire covers removal of all existing branch circuit wiring, installation of new copper wiring throughout, new junction and outlet boxes, all outlets, switches, and fixture connections, panel replacement or upgrade, and coordination with the local utility for service entrance work if needed. Permits and inspections are included in any legitimate quote. Drywall patching after wire fishing is often quoted separately — clarify before signing.

The inspection process for a rewire typically involves two separate visits: a rough-in inspection after the wire is run but before walls are closed, and a final inspection after devices and fixtures are installed. Your contractor should schedule both. A failed rough-in inspection means the walls can’t close until the issue is corrected — this can add days to the timeline and cost the homeowner hotel stays if they’ve vacated the home. Make sure the contractor has a strong local inspection pass record before signing.

Most electricians wire circuits in a hub-and-spoke pattern from the panel, with dedicated circuits for high-draw appliances (range, dryer, dishwasher, HVAC, refrigerator) and shared circuits for general outlets and lighting. The number of circuits is determined by the square footage and the load requirements. A modern 2,000 sq ft home typically needs 30-50 circuits depending on kitchen and shop scope. Under-circuiting to save money results in tripped breakers — a known long-term frustration.

When you’ll pay more than average

The $11,500 average assumes a 1,500-2,000 sq ft home with drywall walls, standard panel upgrade to 200 amps, and copper wiring throughout. Lath-and-plaster walls add $2,000-$5,000 to labor. Knob-and-tube removal adds 20-30% to the wire-removal phase. Adding a panel upgrade to 400-amp service (for EV charging, large workshop) costs $2,500-$4,500 more than a standard 200-amp upgrade. Homes that also need attic or crawlspace smoke/CO detectors, a generator interlock, or an EV circuit add $500-$2,000 in additional devices.

Multi-story homes with finished basements take longer to rewire because wire runs must pass between floor assemblies, often requiring core drilling through fire-blocking and plates. Expect a premium of 15-25% over a single-story home of the same square footage. Homes with finished basements already in place add scope if the basement wiring must also be replaced.

When you’ll pay less

Partial rewires — targeting only the knob-and-tube circuits, or only the ungrounded portions — cost $3,000-$7,000 and satisfy some insurance requirements without a full home rewire. New construction-style access (home undergoing a major renovation with walls open anyway) eliminates the wall-fishing labor premium, reducing rewire costs by 20-30%. Getting three quotes from licensed electricians is worthwhile — labor rates for the same scope can vary $2,000-$4,000 between shops in the same market.

If your primary goal is resolving an insurance non-renewal for knob-and-tube wiring, confirm with your insurance carrier exactly what they require before contracting. Some carriers accept a knob-and-tube-specific removal with new circuits in the affected areas; others require a full rewire. Getting that specification in writing from the carrier before soliciting quotes prevents paying for a full rewire when a partial would have satisfied the requirement.