I am doing a remodel on a house with knob and tube wiring. Would you spend $5k-8k to replace it all or just leave it?

@Tj M. You are talking about wiring that is about 80+ years old. It is not grounded. Yes you should replace it.

@Mike M. Many inspectors don’t have a f’n clue, btw

@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

@Mike M. You really should be using a licensed electrician for a whole house rewire especially if permits will need to be pulled. Going to Home Depot for a 2 hr class on painting a bedroom is one thing, but electrical is a different beast that can have deadly consequences if not done by someone who knows what they are doing

We always replace it. Sometimes investors have a hard time getting insurance with knob and tube. Your estimate seems quite high (depending on the SQFT)

@Mike M. This advice is beyond terrible. Did you really just suggest that you have a college student just learning electrics do the wiring on a rental house? Not only unlicensed but really inexperienced? Someone will die, and if they do you might go to jail. At the very least in any kind of dire you won’t be covered by any insurance and you will be bankrupted by the civil suit that follows. Wow.

@Mike M. I don’t think it’s absurd at all, and it dangerous advice for people new to this, but I did think you meant having that random college guy do the whole thing...it read like that Yea, pulling wiring etc isn’t nearly that big a deal, but you are assuming a level of competence most people don’t posses. And you can get away with everything till the stuff hits the fan.

depends on the asset class and price point . In other words I wouldn’t dump 10 grand in a 40 grand house for just the wiring . You might go another 50 years on that knob and tube and never have a problem

Anything that benefits fire safety sounds like a good bet to me.

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.

Should I replace knob and tube wiring?Should I replace knob and tube wiring?

Back

Resources & Media

Resource Hub Bookstore Blog Guides Pro-Exclusives PRO Podcasts Pro Partnerships Property Management Toolkit

Events & Training

BPCON2025 Webinars Upcoming Events Free Courses

Strategies

How to Manage Your Rental Property How to Operate a Short-Term Rental How to Passively Invest in Real Estate How to House Hack How Does the BRRRR Method Work How to Flip a House How to Invest in Commercial Real Estate How to Invest in Real Estate How to Invest in Multifamily Real Estate How to Build Wealth

The BiggerPockets Conference

This is your chance to learn from the best, network with the best, and become one of the best in the game.

Discover BPCON2025

The Podcast Investors Trust

No fluff. Just deals, strategies, and lessons from the front lines of today's market.

Listen Now

Back

Pick Markets

Market Finder - NEW PRO Picking a Market Workshop PRO Picking a Market Worksheet Top 100 Cash Flow Markets Market Insights - Sunbelt Region

Market finder

Pinpoint the best real estate market for your specific goals with expert recommendations and real-time data on appreciation, affordability, rent-to-price ratio, and more.

Pick Markets

Pro membership

Get unlimited access to tools and resources that make it easier to find, analyze, and manage deals with confidence!

Upgrade to Pro

Back

Find Deals

BiggerDeals NEW Off-Market Deal finding PRO Real Estate Syndications Investor-Friendly Agents Find Foreclosures Community Listings (FSBO) Business Directory

NEW! Find Cash-Flowing Deals Fast

Search nationwide listings with built-in cash flow analysis.

Find Deals

Invelo - off market deals

Scale your portfolio with off-market deals.

Explore Now

Back

Calculators

Rental Property Calculator PRO Rehab Estimator PRO Rent Estimator PRO BRRRR PRO Fix & Flip PRO Short-Term Rental PRO Sell vs. Keep PRO Landlord Insurance Calculator by Steadily All Calculators

Rental property calculator

Is it a good deal? Run your numbers like a pro with this simple yet powerful calculator.

Run the Numbers

Rent estimator

Understand how much rental income you can expect based on recent reports and data for your specific property.

Run Report

Back

Manage Properties

Managing Properties 101 Find a Property Manager RentRedi Property Management Software PRO Baselane Automated Bookkeeping & Banking PRO Property Management Tools Ask a Management Question Finding Tenants Screening Tenants PRO Leases + Landlord Forms PRO Property Insurance Property Maintenance / Rehab PRO

Property management software

Manage tenants, tasks, and your entire portfolio with one simple tool.

Activate Now

Property manager finder

Find reliable property management partnerships that last.

Find a Property Manager

Back

Plans & Pricing

Pro Membership Business Membership

Try PRO for 7 days completly free

Avoid mistakes and make informed decisions with Pro.

Start Free Trial

Grow your business

Promote your business on BiggerPockets and make quality connections with the right investors.

Sign Up Now

Back

For You

Newest Unanswered My Discussions Followed Discussions Followed Categories Followed Locations Followed People

General Real Estate

General Real Estate Investing Starting Out Deal Analysis Buying & Selling Business & Marketing Landlording Property Management Reviews & Feedback

Real Estate Strategies

House Hacking BRRRR Short-Term Rentals Mid-Term Rentals Multi-Family Fix & Flip Other Strategies

Finance & Financing

Lending Creative Finance Personal Finance Taxes & Legal Issues

News & Announcements

Official Site Announcements Market Trends & Data Real Estate News & Current Events Pro Exclusive Area PRO

Events & Networking

Events & Meetups Classifieds

Back

All Books

Best Sellers Browse All New Books & Pre-Orders Bundle & Save Books for Beginners

Unlock hidden potential in every property and maximize returns

This is your creative breakthrough guide to escaping investment paralysis and unlocking hidden profit in any market.

Pre-order now

Build a Cash-Flowing Glamping Business with High Equity Upside

Whether you're starting from scratch or expanding existing hospitality operations, learn the practical frameworks needed to capitalize on the growing demand for upscale outdoor experiences.

Learn More

Should I replace knob and tube wiring?

Most Popular Reply