Whole-house rewire
$22,000
Original wiring was a mix of knob-and-tube and early Romex. New subpanel, all new circuits, smoke/CO detector hardwiring. The attic framing was open enough to run most of the home cleanly.
East Bay Electrical
Residential Wiring
Expert wiring for modern homes
Whole-home rewires, knob-and-tube removal, new circuits, outlets — for East Bay homes built for a different era.
$22k Typical 1,500 sqft rewire
2 – 3 weeks Install
Plaster-safe Fishing method
NEC 2023 Code cycle
Why rewire
East Bay homes built for a different era.
Rockridge, Temescal, Elmwood, Gold Coast, Piedmont — these neighborhoods are full of character, and full of outdated wiring. Pre-1980 homes often have undersized circuits, ungrounded outlets, and wiring that was never designed for today's electrical loads. We see the same patterns: overloaded panels, knob-and-tube remnants, aluminum branch wiring quietly aging for decades.
Outdated wiring isn't just inconvenient — it's a safety risk. Flickering lights, warm outlets, and tripping breakers are early warnings. Modern appliances, home offices, and EV chargers demand circuits older homes were never built to handle.
Every job starts with a thorough assessment: existing wiring, panel capacity, grounding. We map exactly what needs to change, give you a written estimate, handle the permits, and schedule the inspections. You don't deal with the city.
What we see
Four things we check on every walkthrough.
East Bay housing stock runs a consistent pattern of four issues. These tell us whether you need a circuit-by-circuit fix or a full rewire.
- 01 Knob-and-tube wiring behind plaster Pre-1940 East Bay homes often still run K&T. Insurance flags it, permits require it gone.Pre-1940 common
- 02 Aluminum branch wiring 1960s–70s homes used aluminum in branch circuits. Expansion + contraction loosens connections over time.1965–75 common
- 03 Ungrounded 2-prong outlets Pre-1965 norm. Modern devices need grounding. We retrofit during rewire or run new circuits.Pre-1965 common
- 04 Overloaded undersized panel Flickering, tripping, warm outlets — all symptoms of circuits trying to carry modern loads on 1960s wire.Every older home
Real residential wiring pricing
Smaller jobs (outlets, circuits, dedicated runs) run on a visit-and-labor model. Full rewires are priced by home size — below is what we see on a typical East Bay bungalow.
Pricing we see
Whole-house rewire
1,500 sqft is the median East Bay bungalow — the number we see most often.
- 1,500 sqft, 3-bed / 2-bath Includes new subpanel. Main panel priced separately.$22,000
- Larger homesScale roughly linearly
- Knob-and-tube / lath-and-plaster Common in 1920s East Bay stockHigh end of range
Patching and painting after rewire are handled by a separate trade. Budget 1–2 weeks for that after we're done.
Pricing we see
Smaller residential jobs
Outlets, dedicated circuits, and service-call scope.
- Minimum service call (1 hr) Outlet swap, light swap, single 240V add$300
- Troubleshoot (first hour)$250
- Troubleshoot (after hour 1)$180/hr
- Outlet installation New location, including wire run$150–$250
- Dedicated circuit New 20A circuit from panel, 15-ft run typical$250–$450
We don't quote troubleshooting over the phone — dead circuits can be a $40 breaker or a $4,000 damaged conductor buried in a wall.
What's included in every residential job
- 01 Outlet + switch installation New locations, USB outlets, smart switches, 240V receptacles.
- 02 Dedicated 20A circuits For modern appliances — kitchen, home office, workshop, AV.
- 03 Whole-home rewiring Full scope — new subpanel, new circuits, smoke/CO hardwire, grounding.
- 04 Aluminum-to-copper upgrades Partial rewire of aluminum branch circuits or compliant pigtail solution.
- 05 Code compliance + inspection Permit pulled, inspector scheduled, permit closed — you don't deal with the city.
- 06 GFCI / AFCI protection Required at kitchens, bathrooms, garage, outdoor, bedroom circuits — to current code.
Standard hardware
Wire Romex 14/2 or 12/2 Copper NM-B cable, code-standard. 14/2 for 15A circuits, 12/2 for 20A.
Breakers AFCI + GFCI per code NEC 2023 requires AFCI on most residential, GFCI on wet + exterior circuits.
Devices Commercial-grade Leviton or Lutron outlets/switches. Tamper-resistant where code requires.
Subpanel Siemens or Square D Matched to main panel brand. New neutral + ground bus, every circuit labeled.
Whole-house rewire timeline
- 01 Walkthrough + load calc Same week
Circuit map, subpanel location, fixture count. Written estimate.
- 02 City permit 1 – 4 weeks
Oakland: 1 week. Berkeley: 2–3 weeks. We handle submission same-day.
- 03 Rewire 2 – 3 weeks
Faster if the family can leave. Furniture, kids, and daily routines stretch it.
- 04 Rough + final inspection Scheduled with city
Rough before drywall closes. Final after everything energizes.
- 05 Patch + paint 1 – 2 weeks
Separate trade after we're done. Budget upfront — not us.
Recent rewire job
Next step
Need residential wiring help?
Call or text us for a same-day quote. We'll inspect your home, flag anything we find, and give you a clear written estimate. Permit and inspection always included.
Why us for rewiring
Four specifics that actually matter.
- 01
Plaster-safe fishing without demo
Pre-war East Bay homes have lath-and-plaster + period trim we won't tear up. We fish through existing cavities and use low-impact access.
- 02
K&T removal handled end-to-end
We pull the knob-and-tube, rewire to current code, and leave a paper trail the insurance company + next electrician can both read.
- 03
Aluminum wiring remediation — two paths
Full copper replacement (best long-term) or code-approved pigtails at every device (faster, cheaper). We explain the tradeoffs during walkthrough.
- 04
Permit + inspection on our end
Rough inspection before drywall closes, final after energize. Permit closed on the city's record. You don't deal with the building department.
FAQ
Common questions
A/
Signs include flickering lights, warm outlets, frequently tripping breakers, burning smells, or a panel over 30 years old. We offer free inspections to assess your wiring.
A/
Aluminum wiring (common in 1960s–70s homes) is a known fire hazard at connection points. We replace it or install code-approved connectors to make it safe.
A/
A 1,500 sqft, 3-bed/2-bath home takes 2–3 weeks. Faster if the family can leave during the work. Knob-and-tube or lath-and-plaster walls push to the high end.
A/
Yes. All work requiring permits is filed and inspected through the City of Oakland or your local jurisdiction. Included in our quote.
A/
Absolutely. We add outlets, USB outlets, and dedicated circuits to older homes regularly. We route wiring through walls and attics to keep things clean.
Next step
Let's get your electrical switched on.
Panel, EV, rewire, or lights — send us a few sentences. Most calls returned the same business day.
CSLB #1062166 Licensed C-10
Oakland, CA Minutes from you
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