Rewire Cost Calculator

Rewiring a house is one of the most expensive safety projects a homeowner can face, and also one of the hardest to price before an electrician walks through the door. This Rewire Cost Calculator estimates your total from the three numbers every quote is built on: the square footage being rewired, the local cost per square foot, and the extras that push most projects up, such as a panel upgrade, permits, wall repairs, and labor.

Use it to sanity-check quotes before you hire, to budget a renovation, or to decide whether a partial rewire is enough. The calculator also compares your result against national pricing data so you can see whether your estimate sits below, inside, or above the typical range.

How the calculator works

The core math is the same formula electricians use when they quote by square footage:

Total rewire cost = (Area in sq ft x Cost per sq ft) + Additional costs

Enter the area being rewired, the local per-square-foot rate (your quotes will usually land between $3 and $5), and any extra charges. If your quote or estimate breaks the extras down, open the optional itemizer and enter the panel upgrade, permits and inspections, wall and ceiling repair, and labor hours with the hourly rate. Pressing the button totals them and carries the sum into Additional costs automatically.

The results show a full breakdown: the wiring cost, the additional costs, the total, and the effective cost per square foot. That last number feeds the price check underneath, which compares your estimate with HomeAdvisor's reported national band of $3 to $5 per square foot and flags results that sit below or above it.

What drives the cost of rewiring a house

Two projects with the same square footage can differ by thousands. These are the factors that move the number:

• Home size. More square footage means more cable, more outlets and switches, and more labor. HomeAdvisor's 2026 data puts typical whole-house costs at $3 to $5 per square foot, so a 2,000 sq ft home usually lands between $6,000 and $10,000.
• Age and wiring type. Pre-1950 homes often have knob-and-tube wiring, which no longer meets modern safety standards and usually has to come out entirely. HomeGuide reports knob-and-tube replacement alone at $12,000 to $35,000, before the rewire itself.
• How the electrician reaches the wires. Fishing wires through an attic, basement, or crawl space keeps walls intact and costs far less. When walls must be opened, cut, and rebuilt, HomeGuide puts the total at $20,000 to $30,000 or more versus $10,000 to $20,000 with good access. Homes with concrete walls, no attic, or no crawl space are the hardest cases.
• Panel upgrade. Most full rewires include replacing the service panel, since older homes often run on 60 or 100-amp service that cannot handle modern loads. HomeAdvisor reports panel replacement at $500 to $4,000, with a 200-amp panel around $1,500 including installation.
• Permits and inspections. Budget $250 to $900 for the electrical permit and $100 to $250 for inspections. Skipping permits can cause fines and resale problems, so treat them as part of the project, not an optional extra.
• Wall and ceiling repairs. Electricians cut access holes to fish wire; they generally do not finish the patching and repainting. HomeGuide reports drywall repair at $300 to $1,500 or more per patch. If you plan to repaint afterward, a paint calculator helps you budget that separate step.
• Rooms, outbuildings, and extras. Kitchens and bathrooms need dedicated GFCI-protected circuits, which cost more. Detached garages, sheds, and additions add cable runs that are priced by the foot. Outlets, switches, and smart-home devices each add material and labor.

Typical rewire costs by home size

HomeAdvisor's 2026 pricing data (based on surveys of real completed projects) gives these bands at $3 to $5 per square foot:

Home size	Typical rewire cost
500 sq ft	$1,500 to $2,500
1,000 sq ft	$3,000 to $5,000
1,500 sq ft	$4,500 to $7,500
2,000 sq ft	$6,000 to $10,000
3,000 sq ft	$9,000 to $15,000

For single rooms, the same $3 to $5 per square foot rule applies: a 200 sq ft bedroom runs about $600 to $1,000, a 150 sq ft kitchen about $450 to $750, and a 1,000 sq ft basement about $3,000 to $5,000. Partial rewires usually cost more per square foot than whole-house jobs because the fixed costs (permits, panel, minimum labor days) are spread over a smaller area.

Verified worked example

Take a 2,000 sq ft house with a quote of $4.50 per square foot. The extras: a panel upgrade at $1,500, permits and inspection at $600, wall and ceiling repair at $400, and 40 hours of labor at $75 per hour ($3,000).

Itemized extras total: $1,500 + $600 + $400 + $3,000 = $5,500

Wiring cost: 2,000 x $4.50 = $9,000

Total estimate: $9,000 + $5,500 = $14,500

Effective cost per square foot: $14,500 / 2,000 = $7.25

The price check flags this as above the typical range. That is plausible here: a full panel upgrade plus extensive wall repair on top of the wiring explains the premium. Running these exact numbers through the calculator above produces the same $14,500 total and the same "above the typical range" verdict.

Ways to keep the cost down

• Rewire while the walls are already open. If you are remodeling anyway, the drywall work is happening regardless, and the electrician gets clean access. This is the single biggest saving available.
• Ask about fishing wires instead of opening walls. Where attic or crawl space access exists, fishing cable through small holes avoids most drywall repair. HomeAdvisor notes that avoiding wall demolition is one of the most effective budget levers.
• Consider a partial rewire first. If the panel is modern but a few circuits are unsafe, replacing only what is needed can be enough. A new circuit breaker alone costs $250 to $400 installed, versus a full rewire.
• Combine electrical work into one visit. Adding outlets, switches, and smart devices during the rewire costs far less than calling the electrician back later.
• Get 3 to 5 in-person quotes. HomeGuide's hiring checklist recommends licensed, bonded, and insured contractors with at least 5 years in business, a detailed written contract, a warranty, and a payment plan rather than full payment upfront. Be wary of the lowest bid: it often leaves out permits or finishing work.
• Look into financing if needed. Many homeowners fund a rewire with a home equity loan or a personal loan. If you are weighing the equity route, a home equity calculator shows how much you can realistically borrow against.

Rewiring when buying an older home

An inspection that finds outdated wiring does not have to kill a purchase: it is often a negotiating point. Get the electrical inspection before closing, collect rewire quotes, and ask for a price reduction or a seller credit that covers the work. Just remember the rewire cost stacks on top of the mortgage, so run a mortgage payment calculator with the purchase price first, then confirm the renovation budget still fits.

What competitors miss

Most rewire calculators ask for square footage and a rate, then show one number with no explanation. This page adds three things the top-ranking alternatives do not:

1. An itemized extras builder. Panel upgrades, permits, wall repairs, and labor hours x hourly rate are where estimates usually go wrong. Entering them separately, with a one-click roll-up into the total, keeps the math transparent instead of hiding it in a single mystery input.
2. A price check against national data. The tool divides your total by the square footage and compares it with HomeAdvisor's reported $3 to $5 per square foot band, flagging results that are suspiciously low or premium. No other calculator in the top results tells you whether your number is sane.
3. A verified worked example with real arithmetic. The $14,500 example above runs through the actual calculator and produces the same result and the same band verdict, so you can trust the tool before entering your own numbers.

Limitations and disclaimer

This calculator gives a planning estimate, not a quote. Actual costs vary with your local labor market, material prices, the age and construction of your home, and what the electrician finds once the walls are opened. Estimates in the UK, EU, or other regions follow different standards (for example, BS 7671 in the UK) and different pricing, so treat US dollar figures as US-specific.

Electrical rewiring is not a DIY project. Most states require a licensed electrician for this work, and improper wiring can cause fires, electrocution, and voided insurance. Always pull the required permits, use a licensed and insured contractor, and have the work inspected. Calculator Zilo provides this tool for education only and is not a substitute for a professional electrical assessment.

FAQs

How much does it cost to rewire a 2,000 sq ft house?

HomeAdvisor's 2026 data puts a 2,000 sq ft rewire at $6,000 to $10,000, based on $3 to $5 per square foot. A two-story home costs more than a ranch of the same size because running wire between floors adds labor. Panel upgrades, permits, and wall repairs sit on top of that band.

Can I rewire a house in stages instead of all at once?

Yes, and it is a common way to spread the cost, but electricians generally recommend doing the whole house at once when possible. Staged work takes longer overall, costs more per square foot, and material prices can rise between phases. A partial rewire makes the most sense when only a few circuits are unsafe and the panel is modern.

How long does a full house rewire take?

Typically 3 to 10 days, depending on home size, crew size, and whether walls are opened. HomeAdvisor reports most projects at 3 to 7 days. Jobs that require opening, patching, and repainting walls run longer because of the repair and cleanup work after the electrical is done.

Do I need a new electrical panel when rewiring?

Often, yes. If your home has a fuse box or a 60-amp panel, it cannot safely handle modern appliance loads, and most electricians will insist on an upgrade as part of the rewire. A 200-amp panel runs about $1,500 installed according to HomeAdvisor, and panel replacement alone ranges from $500 to $4,000.

Is rewiring covered by homeowner's insurance?

Usually not, unless the damage was caused by a covered event such as a fire. Preventive rewiring is considered maintenance. That said, insurers may raise premiums or decline coverage on homes with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, while a completed rewire with permits can improve your insurability. Check your policy's fine print, and confirm whether DIY electrical work would void your coverage.

Can I rewire my own house to save money?

Most states require a licensed and insured electrician for a full rewire, and many cities will not issue an electrical permit to an unlicensed homeowner. Beyond the legal risk, improper wiring can cause electrical fires, injury, or electrocution. The safe saving move is to get multiple competing quotes, not to do the work yourself.

How often should a house be rewired?

Experts recommend a full or partial rewire every 25 to 30 years, even though properly installed copper wiring can last 50 to 100 years. The schedule is driven less by wire decay and more by rising power demands, tougher safety codes, and obsolete components like fuse boxes, aluminum wiring, and ungrounded circuits. Homes older than 30 years with frequent breaker trips, flickering lights, or burning smells should be inspected first.