Should I replace knob and tube wiring?

Parker Eberhard
Contractor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2019 · 339 posts · 325 votes
6y
@Mike M. Many inspectors don’t have a f’n clue, btw
3 Reply
Account Closed
Specialist · Paradise Valley, AZ · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Parker Eberhard:
@Mike M. If it were easy you wouldn’t have the years of apprenticeship required to become a licensed electrician. Trying to make a few bucks at the expense of doing something the right way, especially when it involves life safety, is what gives real estate investors a bad name
I take note that you are a contractor. Perhaps you have $omething to gain from your point of view, like oh, Gue$$ $ome Ca$h? ;-)
Are you serious, do you really think pulling wires takes an apprenticeship and years of training? I sure wouldn't have you pull wires at my place if you are that slow of a learner. (Just teasing)
0 Reply
Ellie Adams
Real Estate Broker · Seattle, WA · Member since 2018 · 27 posts · 16 votes
6y
Go ahead replace it!
0 Reply
Lynnette E.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Joseph H.:
One idea you may be able to do depending what you were doing and how you wanted to approach it. You could possibly encase the old style KnT in plexiglass once the wiring was replaced and show the historical aspect of the house as a show piece? It would be disconnected and safe but it may be a conversation starter, or could be a neat historical feature. Some outside the box thinking. I am not familiar with KnT or how it is setup. It should be replaced for sure.

It is most often located inside the walls under either plaster and lathe or drywall. Occasionally in attics or crawl spaces it will just be strung through the rafters or flooring, but generally it is inside the walls. I mostly find it, or parts of it, hidden inside walls when doing plumbing repairs.

1 Reply
Angelo Mart
Professional · Parsippany, NJ · Member since 2013 · 384 posts · 262 votes
6y
I always rip it out on my buy and hold properties. However, i had no other option as all the electric sustained water damage either way
0 Reply
Robert McAleer
Contractor · Burien, WA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 5 votes
6y
@Mike M.
I hired a contractor to do my house. He just started and then disappeared to build grow houses in Cali. Did the house myself with having a to busy commercial guy giving me some direction and Q/C checks.
Said I had a better job than pro work and got everything the way I wanted it with new additional runs and everything to new code. Did not destroy the walls but was creative. 4 story house had $15k estimates leaving me to fix the sheet rock walls. I got 100% new mast, box, meter box, all wiring for $3k again everything electrical 100% new.
That was a great deal.had I done this house again... Well I'd have ripped the walls out done insulation, hvac upgrades, wiring, windows in one shot and saved the time because that's time is money in opportunities waiting.
1 Reply
Michael Hajduk
Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2016 · 51 posts · 32 votes
6y
@Jason Bott
USAA will.
1 Reply
Account Closed
Specialist · Paradise Valley, AZ · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Robert McAleer:
@Mike M.
I hired a contractor to do my house. He just started and then disappeared to build grow houses in Cali. Did the house myself with having a to busy commercial guy giving me some direction and Q/C checks.
Said I had a better job than pro work and got everything the way I wanted it with new additional runs and everything to new code. Did not destroy the walls but was creative. 4 story house had $15k estimates leaving me to fix the sheet rock walls. I got 100% new mast, box, meter box, all wiring for $3k again everything electrical 100% new.
That was a great deal.had I done this house again... Well I'd have ripped the walls out done insulation, hvac upgrades, wiring, windows in one shot and saved the time because that's time is money in opportunities waiting.
Smart move. The more you know about the inner workings of a property the better investor you are. You can pick up those "marginal" properties others are priced out of and still make a ton of money.
1 Reply
Bhanu Virmani
Flipper/Rehabber · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2018 · 8 posts · 6 votes
6y
@Tj M.
Sleep peacefully at night. Don't have the worry that your investment will burn down. With either you and your family in it, or another human being and his family in it. Sleep peacefully at night.
There is a reason why the code changed. Wire and tube is unsafe. the loads are too high for our modern appliances. Although modern appliances etc are more energy efficient, they are more sensitive. And more plugins than earlier.
Better to change now.
0 Reply
Erik B.
Rental Property Investor · Amityville, NY · Member since 2018 · 351 posts · 441 votes
6y
@Mike M.
No it's not.
They did not invent inspections so you can have college kids or other people without a electrical license do electrical work.
And pulling wire to save money? Any competent professional is going to laugh in your face (or charge you more) to have to have to figure that all out.
1 Reply
Erik B.
Rental Property Investor · Amityville, NY · Member since 2018 · 351 posts · 441 votes
6y
@Mike M.
This has to be the worst advice I have ever seen on BP.
I'm a contractor also, please explain to me how I'm going to gain financially from helping a fellow member with CORRECT advice that will benefit him in the future and keep him from potentially burning down a property, injuring someone or getting sued??
1 Reply
Account Closed
Specialist · Paradise Valley, AZ · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Erik B.:
@Mike M.
No it's not.
They did not invent inspections so you can have college kids or other people without a electrical license do electrical work.
And pulling wire to save money? Any competent professional is going to laugh in your face (or charge you more) to have to have to figure that all out.

Your Comment: "And pulling wire to save money? Any competent professional is going to laugh in your face (or charge you more) to have to have to figure that all out."

Wha' ya mean, like this?

0 Reply
Crystal C.Pro Member
Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 3 votes
6y
Have an electrician replace it. It's a fire hazard. Most hazard insurances will not cover a house with knob and tube, which means most buyers using a mortgage loan to purchase will shy away from it, since you can't get the mortgage without the insurance. I had to have the seller of my house remove it as a condition of purchase, and it was just in the attic.
0 Reply
Joshua Tessier
Rental Property Investor · Manchester, NH · Member since 2019 · 186 posts · 156 votes
6y
As everyone has said replace it. Contact an electrician and see if they will work with you. Ask them about pulling wires hanging boxes and opening walls. See what work they will allow you or an unlicensed hired hand to do. The guys that I have hired will not work on anyone else's stuff. Meaning if they didn't pull it hang it or rough it they ain't touching it! The reason for this is insurance. If they touch the building they are liable for it. If I pull a wire through a closed wall and rip the insulation on the wire and they energize it and burn the building down the electrician is liable. These are things no one could see as it's behind a wall and everyone is blind to it but the electrician is liable as it's his license and insurance since he's pulling the permit. Also If I'm paying licensed rates your pulling permits and having it inspected. This ensure's no one's half assing things and were all operating on the up and up.
1 Reply

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