Cost of rewiring 950 sf home

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Cost of rewiring 950 sf home

Alejandro Patino
New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes

Hello, I am currently in the prices of closing on a fixer upper in the St.Louis,MO area.The home is approximately 2 story 950 sf and currently has knob and tube wiring  throughout.I spoke to a electrician who said he would charge me 11k for replacing all the electrical.I’ve never dealt with something like this before, is this a normal cost?.I plan on getting other bids from some more electricians.I’m simple trying to get an idea of what the cost should be.Thanks.

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Andy SabischPro Member
Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 660 posts · 561 votes
5y

Your quote is EXTREMELY high regardless of where in the country you are doing a rewire.  The one question I had that does impact the price is what is the condition of the interior and is there access to the attic area on the second floor.  Obviously f you are opening walls the cost should be minimal as it would be just supplies (which have gone up of late) and the time to run the wires / connect the outlets, lights and switches.  If you are not redoing walls, someone that has done this before can work around it.  We did a number of 1800 homes in the Detroit area with knob-and-tube wiring and we were able to find electricians that were able to do it without tearing holes in the walls (except one which is a whole different story and lesson learned).  All of the homes we did were in the 1800 ft2+ range and none (even a 2900 ft2 two story Victorian) cost more than 6K.  Often when you get a high quote like that I reflect back to an old friend of mine who was a contractor in the Atlanta area who told me if he did not want the job he would throw out a high bid hoping they would find someone else but if not, he simply made twice what he usually woudl and took the job.  Until you are comfortable with what area prices are for services such as a rewire, repipe (another thing you may need to look at if there are galvanized pipes, re-reoof, etc., always get at least two estimates and you will quickly see who wants to work with you and who does not.

But as far as your quote goes and the size of the house, I'd come to you and do it for that price and be done in a few days at most.  Shop around, you are being quoted way more than you should be paying.

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  • Dustin P.
    Realtor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2017 · 541 posts · 442 votes
    5y

    For that size of house that's easily double what we'd pay in Phoenix

    0Reply
  • Jacob I Strauss
    Flipper/Rehabber · San diego, CA · Member since 2021 · 27 posts · 16 votes
    5y

    I think thats too high lol I love in California and that would only run 6,000 for that size of house. IDK if you have special circumstances though like a heated pool, or outdoor lighting etc etc... if its just the home I think that quote is high. Are You having to upgrade the box as well? If not then you could if you watch enough YouTube DIY it though I personally wouldn't touch electrical and plumbing. 

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Dustin P.Thanks! That’s what I’ve been hearing idk why he quoted me so high.

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Jacob I Strauss thanks for the response! The box will be upgraded as the house has a 60amp system and code calls for at least 100amp.I have someone that can do it for cheap it’s just the wiring that I’m having concern about bc it seems tooooo high!

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  • Andy SabischPro Member
    Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 660 posts · 561 votes
    5y

    Your quote is EXTREMELY high regardless of where in the country you are doing a rewire.  The one question I had that does impact the price is what is the condition of the interior and is there access to the attic area on the second floor.  Obviously f you are opening walls the cost should be minimal as it would be just supplies (which have gone up of late) and the time to run the wires / connect the outlets, lights and switches.  If you are not redoing walls, someone that has done this before can work around it.  We did a number of 1800 homes in the Detroit area with knob-and-tube wiring and we were able to find electricians that were able to do it without tearing holes in the walls (except one which is a whole different story and lesson learned).  All of the homes we did were in the 1800 ft2+ range and none (even a 2900 ft2 two story Victorian) cost more than 6K.  Often when you get a high quote like that I reflect back to an old friend of mine who was a contractor in the Atlanta area who told me if he did not want the job he would throw out a high bid hoping they would find someone else but if not, he simply made twice what he usually woudl and took the job.  Until you are comfortable with what area prices are for services such as a rewire, repipe (another thing you may need to look at if there are galvanized pipes, re-reoof, etc., always get at least two estimates and you will quickly see who wants to work with you and who does not.

    But as far as your quote goes and the size of the house, I'd come to you and do it for that price and be done in a few days at most.  Shop around, you are being quoted way more than you should be paying.

    3Reply
  • Mark Eaves
    Member since 2020 · 32 posts · 20 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino

    Get more prices as they will vary.

    2Reply
  • Mark Eaves
    Member since 2020 · 32 posts · 20 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patin He discerned your naïveté of recent prices. Be sure to ask specific questions about load and service size.

    0Reply
  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Alejandro Patino:

    @Jacob I Strauss thanks for the response! The box will be upgraded as the house has a 60amp system and code calls for at least 100amp.I have someone that can do it for cheap it’s just the wiring that I’m having concern about bc it seems tooooo high!

     Where I am that job would be about $5k including a new 200 amp service. It's gone up about a grand in the last year+ with the skyrocketing costs of wire. It sounds like the guy doesn't want the job, which is why you'll get quotes like that. Pretty simple to shop that job to several electrical contractors. 

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Andy Sabisch thank you! The inside of the house is finished and from what he told me the wall would be opened.There is no access to the attic so I guess that should increase pricing some .Sounds like this electrician is really trying to stick it to me.Even my realtor thought he was quoting me way to high.
    Since you brought up repiping, what’s you expierence with the cost on that? 

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Mark Eaves Thank you! I’ll be sure to ask more questions

    0Reply
  • Caleb Brown
    Real Estate Agent · Kansas City · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    Does he have to gut or tear into drywall? I see wiring run 6-10k depending on if they have to cut drywall and replace

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @JD Martin thanks you! At least now I know one electrician I won’t be calling ever again!

    1Reply
  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Alejandro Patino:

    @Andy Sabisch thank you! The inside of the house is finished and from what he told me the wall would be opened.There is no access to the attic so I guess that should increase pricing some .Sounds like this electrician is really trying to stick it to me.Even my realtor thought he was quoting me way to high.
    Since you brought up repiping, what’s you expierence with the cost on that? 

     They open pockets in the drywall, not tear out the entire walls. On a 2 story if the electricity comes up from the basement, you'll have a pocket at floor level and one at ceiling level on the first floor, and if there's no attic access you'll have one on the floor and at ceiling level, and the ceiling depends on which way the trusses or rafters run. You'll have a pretty good number of patches to do when they're done. If it's lathe and plaster you'll get a surcharge for having to cut through it for sure. 

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Caleb Brown they would tear into the drywall

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  • Kyle Benham
    Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2019 · 34 posts · 19 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino

    I’m no expert, but I do have a current project going on with something similar. It’s a 1925 2 bedroom 1 bath home in Phoenix with a casita in back. My contractor I’ve worked with for a couple years now is charging me $2500 for the new 200amp electrical panel and $6500 for all the new wiring in the main house (not the casita we are turning into a duplex, that is separate). It’s probably a little high looking at some of the other quotes, but I have a history with my contractor and am happy to pay slightly more for the relationship so that he’s there when I need him. I did not ask for any other quotes.

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  • Jeremy Komer
    Rental Property Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 84 posts · 81 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino

    You need to find an electrician who doesn't advertise and has lower overhead.

    Go on Facebook/Next Door/ ask the local REIA for recommendations you should get at least one good one that way.

    But electricians are the most expensive of the trades in my experience, sometimes over $300 an hour for one with a good reputation and allot of overhead.

    It's hard to tell if that's a fair price because I don't know the scope.

    New panel? Are the walls torn out? Do you want the old wire removed or left in the wall dead?

    How tight and unpleasant are some of the spaces the electrician needs to work in? How many outlets? Is there a 240V line for a dryer?

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  • David A.
    Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles · Member since 2019 · 157 posts · 175 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Alejandro Patino:

    @Jacob I Strauss thanks for the response! The box will be upgraded as the house has a 60amp system and code calls for at least 100amp.I have someone that can do it for cheap it’s just the wiring that I’m having concern about bc it seems tooooo high!

     Get another bid and you will know if it’s high for the circumstances.  FYI what you are referring is the panel, boxes are where the connections are made to the different circuits or lights / switches / outlets. He probably heard “I’ve got someone who can do some part of the job cheap” and gave you the “I won’t touch it with a 10ft pole” pricing. 

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  • John Clark
    Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    Might be high, but what are the conditions the guy's working with? For example, I have a brick building that has 1/2 inch furring strips screwed into the brick, thick wire mesh attached to the furring strips, and at least half an inch of plaster (not drywall) sprayed onto the wire mesh.

    So you can't use the walls for running anything, and my electrical conduit actually runs on the floor joists, with the subfloor fitted around the conduit. The conduit runs at angles, so there's never a stick of hardwood,  or carpet, or tile, where the conduit runs directly underneath it for any appreciable length. It does mean, however, that adding circuits is a nightmare.

    There's also the fact that replacing the breaker box and the meter are specialized tasks. I know experienced electricians who can do everything electric, but they won't touch changing boxes or meters on general principals -- too much can go too wrong too fast.

    Get some more bids -- as others have said, this guy may not want your work -- but factor in what construction conditions the guy is going to contend with.

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  • Alejandro Patino
    OP
    New to Real Estate · Houston, St.Louis · Member since 2021 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    @Jeremy Komer Thanks for the feed back.I’ve already begun reaching out to other electricians for bids hopefully I can find someone lower on price 

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  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino I must disagree with the others. I don't think that $11k is high for a complete rewire, new mast, new panel, new everything. My first thought was that it was low to be honest....and if it's that old, it most likely has lath and plaster so that's a big upcharge for a seasoned electrician.

    When I was working, it was usually in the $20- 30k range for a complete rewire (much larger houses of course). Definitely get a couple more bids and compare them, and remember - the cheapest bid is the one you want to throw away!

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  • Justin Sullivan
    Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2019 · 158 posts · 140 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino

    While yes this is definitely high you have to take many factors into account for this job. The entire house is knob and tube are these electricians having open walls or will they have to cut through plaster? Are they retiring a new

    Panel? What amp is that? (200 amp panel re-wire $2-2,500) Is fixture included? All these factors come into play when factoring pricing. With the addition of wire pricing being through the roof and blue boxes being impossible to find (leaving only the newer expensive boxes) this price might be normal in your area.

    Good rule of thumb for electrical RE-wire is $2-9/sq ft. Then you add in panel and any other fixtures or upgraded outlets you want (you can get $0.70 switched and outlets or $5 switches and outlets) keep in mind $2/foot is mainly for volume and newer projects. With them busting out plaster and removing old wire all this stuff adds extra labor time. This contractor may also be busy and is able to charge a premium now because he doesn’t need the work. I would look for other quotes but don’t be shocked if you can’t get is done for less than $8,000. Once you have a good reputation with a few good crews your pricing will naturally go down. Good luck!!!

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  • Michael Plante
    Deland, FL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    Need a lot more info to say if that is high or not

    The way things are now and if they have to cut into lath and plaster, repair it and paint it 
    12k is not insanely expensive 

    On the other hand the guy is busy. He threw out a number if you say yes all good.  If you say no oh well he’s busy already 

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  • Ryan Chatman
    Investor · Lehigh Valley, PA · Member since 2019 · 129 posts · 127 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino just rewired a 120 yr old 2 story 1100sq ft, also with exterior lines for hvac. 4K all in here in PA. Get more quotes like others said!

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  • Gaurav Mehta
    Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    5y

    @Alejandro Patino

    I just bought a property a few months ago that had knob and tube wiring. It is a 150 yr old 2 story home about 980 sqft, very similar to yours in New Jersey.

    The seller didn’t know the knob and tube wiring existed. I discovered it when I did my inspection and brought that in for negotiation. It must be replaced to the new romex wiring as no insurance company will insure knob and tube.

    From one electrical company I received a quote for $20K to just rewire the entire house. However I was fortunate to come across another reputable licensed electrician that was recommended and they charged me about $10k to rewire the entire house, make repairs after the work, get permits and city inspection. I also had them install A new 100 amp. Service panel, breakers . Grounding new meter, all outside wiring in PVC conduit (it was exposed wiring and water was coming from the box the to the panel) for $2000 more.

    The $20k company was very quick to say all this wiring is messed up, and they will be Breaking down walls and there will be a lot of repairs that I would have to do afterwards. The guy I ended up working with was great. They tried to make a very small holes a lot of times on the corner of the wall so it will be easy to repair and wouldn’t look odd after they would paint it up.

    I’d say call different electricians, it’s worth spending that $150 for them to come out and give a quote. Around 10k to rewire that size house is normal in NJ.

    PS, I was fortunate I had the inspection done on the house and it was discovered before I bought the property. I had the Seller pay 6K out of the 10k for the wiring.

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  • Andy SabischPro Member
    Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 660 posts · 561 votes
    5y

    It has been interesting to read the follow-up posts to this thread since we had focused on 1900 and earlier homes in Michigan before we relocated last year.  They all had knob-and-tube wiring which as others have said is not insurable for the most part and is a fire hazard when people splice into it or overload the circuits.  They were designed for a light bulb and an outlet period.

    The first thing we would  do when we closed is kill the power and disconnect all of the knob and tube circuits.  Be aware that if you have a pre-20's house, you may very well have knob-and-tube that has been connected to Romex where the new wire is seen - had that several times.  Pull a fixture or an outlet or two and see what is connected.  What we found over time is that there are some electricians that follow a model where they need open walls and run wiring a certain way.  They are not the ones that you want for an old house.  We have rewired homes up to 3,000 ft2 and never had to cut into a lathe and plaster wall except if we were adding an outlet or switch.  Electricians that understand how to run wiring on the old houses are who you want.  It takes some finesse but if you are starting from the box and running new lines, once they lay t out, it is pretty simple.  Baseboards come off and holes cut to pull wires to outlets or switches.  Wires can be run in a groove cut at floor level in the wall and then the baseboard reinstalled - no damage to the wall.On a two story house you pull some flooring up above first floor lights and make the connections.  On a two story house you should have a chase that goes from the basement or first floor into the attic which make pulling wires up a snap . . . of find an interior wall and pull it that way with a snake or a string / weight.  Exterior walls will have fire breaks which makes pulling wires a real chore.  The key is to sketch out all the outlets, lights, switches, etc. BEFORE the first wire is pulled so loads cam be balanced and pathways identified. 

    If your electrician is saying walls need to be opened and existing wires are an issue, keep looking as you have the wrong one.  Kill the existing wiring and start from the box . . . the one electrician we used used to call the main lines a home run and then the branches base hits but once he had the roadmap done, it was just a matter of a few days to run the lines and connect the lights / switches / outlets.

    It should be simply a matter of making a few phone calls to see what the cost is to replace a service panel / weatherhead and then ask if they rewire older homes without tearing into walls to see who might be the one to do the work.  Remember, any contractor will take a job of the price is right and if they do not want to do it, they will quote you a high price that works if you are willing to take it.

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