House Rewiring Cost Calculator2026
Estimate whole-house or partial rewiring costs by square footage, scope (partial, full, or smart pre-wire), stories, wall access difficulty, optional 200A panel inclusion, permits, and labor scaled to home size.
Project Details
Total estimated cost
$16,377
Cost Breakdown
Cost Distribution
Data sources: Base costs derived from national industry cost surveys and contractor pricing data, adjusted with BLS inflation indices, Census housing/income signals, and FRED CSV fallback when BLS data is temporarily unavailable. Latest index refresh: May 2026.
Disclaimer: Estimates are approximate and for informational purposes only. Actual costs vary based on project complexity, contractor rates, material availability, and local market conditions. Always obtain multiple quotes from licensed contractors before starting a project.
Typical Project Cost by Rewire Scope
National average pricingSame default project size (default scope), priced across each material tier.
| Tier | Material rate | Total project | Installed per sqft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial rewire — key circuits | $3.49 | $11,013 | $6 |
| Full rewire | $6.47 | $16,377 | $9 |
| Full rewire + smart / low-voltage pre-wire | $8.96 | $20,859 | $12 |
Material rates reflect the latest BLS construction PPI adjustment. Installed totals include labor and supplies but exclude permits and any tear-out beyond the calculator's default scope.
Recent Cost Trends
Wholesale construction prices typically lead homeowner-facing quotes by 2–4 months. Use the trend below to decide whether to pull a project forward or wait for the next reading.
Residential Construction PPI — Trailing 12 Months
BLS series PCU236211236211, single-family construction producer prices.
200.4
+4.2% vs Apr 25
The PPI is the wholesale price of materials and labor that contractors pay, before margin. A rising index usually flows into homeowner quotes within 2–4 months. Use this trend to decide whether to pull a project forward or wait.
House Rewiring Cost by City
Browse all 202 cities by state
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming
Typical Cost Snapshot
For a typical house rewiring scenario in the national baseline, this calculator currently models a total around $16,377, or about $9 per square foot.
This market is currently modeled close to the national baseline, so project swings are more likely to come from scope and finish choices than from regional pricing alone.
Local labor conditions, permit timing, and finish selection all influence how this project prices in your market.
Low / Mid / High Project Scenarios
Low Scenario
$5,342$5 per square foot
Partial rewire of a small single-story home with open walls, no panel.
Mid Scenario
$22,168$12 per square foot
Full rewire of a standard two-story home through finished walls with panel.
High Scenario
$73,376$21 per square foot
Full rewire with smart pre-wire in a large plaster home, panel included, higher-fee permits.
What Changes the Estimate Most?
- Home size and the number of circuits drive the material and labor cost more than any other factor in a rewiring project.
- Wall-access method, attic-versus-crawl routing, and panel relocation are the main reasons rewiring labor varies widely between homes.
- Smart-home pre-wire, dedicated appliance circuits, and aluminum-to-copper transitions are the extras that most often push a rewiring bid higher.
When This Calculator Is Less Accurate
This calculator is less accurate when the project includes plaster-wall fishing, knob-and-tube abatement, major panel relocation, or smart-home pre-wiring beyond a standard whole-house rewiring scope.
Use the result as a budgeting starting point, then validate with local contractor quotes if the scope includes specialty materials, hidden damage, or permit-driven design changes.
How Much Does House Rewiring Cost?
Rewiring an older home often runs about $5,000–25,000 depending on finished square footage, whether walls are open, how many stories must be fished, and whether you include a new panel and smart pre-wiring. This model treats material bundles as a per-square-foot rate scaled by access and adds labor per square foot with story and regional multipliers.
Cost Factors:
- Scope — replacing only overloaded or unsafe circuits costs far less than a full home run of new Romex and devices
- Wall finish — open studs during a remodel cut labor; fishing through insulated closed walls or plaster multiplies time on site
- Service equipment — a new 200A panel is often bundled with major rewires but can be quoted separately
- Code compliance — AFCI/GFCI requirements, smoke/CO interconnection, and grounding upgrades add devices and wire
- Home layout — multi-story homes need more vertical pulls, attic/crawl routing, and sometimes junction strategies
Frequently Asked Questions (3)
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
Many projects fall between $5,000 and $25,000. Smaller homes with open walls and partial scopes stay lower; large two-story homes with plaster walls, full rewires, and a new panel approach the top of the range.
Is a full rewire always necessary?
Not always. If the service is adequate and only certain branches are unsafe (knob-and-tube, damaged insulation), electricians may target those circuits. Full rewires are common when buying an ungrounded mid-century home or planning a major remodel.
Does drywall repair add to rewiring cost?
Yes. Fishing wires minimizes cuts, but some access holes or strip-outs are inevitable. Drywall and paint are usually a separate line item from the electrical bid—pair this estimate with a drywall repair allowance if walls are staying closed.
Data sources & methodology
Estimates blend national base costs, the BLS residential construction PPI, regional and direct metro CPI series, BLS OEWS state labor wages, and U.S. Census ACS housing signals. Market data refreshed May 2026. Expect ±15–30% spread vs an actual contractor quote.
Explore Related Project Costs
These are common next-step comparisons for people researching house rewiring.
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A full rewire almost always requires a panel upgrade to support new circuit loads.
Add recessed lights during rewire
Recessed Lighting Cost Calculator
Useful when open walls during a rewire make it cost-effective to add recessed lighting.
Fan wiring during a rewire
Ceiling Fan Installation Cost Calculator
Helpful when ceiling-fan circuits can be added efficiently while the walls are already open.
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