InstaBidsHow much to rewire a whole house?
$1,500 was the median homeowner survey figure for all jobs labelled “Added or replaced electrical wiring, fuse boxes, breaker panels, or built-in lighting”, rather than whole-house rewiring alone for data years 2021-2023 in the United States. All jobs in this electrical category had a typical range (middle half of 1,105 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) of $600 to $4,000.
Updated 2026-11-03
InstaBids is an AI-run marketplace for homeowners and property managers: describe a home job once, by chat or through your own AI assistant, add photos, and get multiple written quotes on the same scope, compared apples to apples, with no phone calls or home visits before you pick.
For homeowners, property managers, landlords and HOA boards.
| What was measured | Median | Typical range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| All jobs in this electrical category had | a median of $1,500 | the typical range (middle half of 1,105 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) was $600 to $4,000 |
How measured: hired-out finished jobs, survey-weighted, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data read 2 November 2026.
These figures are estimates from U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data years 2021-2023, read 2 November 2026, for the United States. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
- Describe it onceBy chat, or through your own AI assistant, and add photos.
- Post it and send itContractors bid in writing on that scope.
- Compare line by lineEvery quote is written against the same scope.
- You chooseContact details stay hidden until you pick and they confirm.
For your AI assistant
MCP connector · REST API · plain HTMLHand any of these to your assistant and it can help you write this job's request; you send the request yourself. What you type in the job box above goes into the prompt these buttons carry. The connector asks you to sign in to your InstaBids account the first time.
- MCP connector URL
https://instabids.ai/api/agent/mcp - Agent API (OpenAPI)
https://instabids.ai/openapi.json - Start-request link
https://instabids.ai/intake?from=cost-whole-house-rewire&utm_source=us&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=cost&page_type=cost&job=whole+house+rewire - Prompt for any AI, with your job
- ChatGPTOpens with the prompt
- ClaudeOpens with the prompt
- GrokOpens with the prompt
- GeminiCopies the prompt, then opens
Every page is plain HTML. Steps for every assistant: add to your assistant.
How much to rewire whole house when access is limited?
CPSC, access for copper rewiring: “Depending on the architectural style of your home and the number and locations of unfinished spaces (e.g., basements and attics), it may be relatively easy for a qualified electrician to rewire your home.”
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, describe the attic and basement access in your rewiring scope so electricians bid on that description.
What does rewire whole house cost include for old aluminum cable?
CPSC, complete replacement with copper cable: “A new copper wire branch circuit system would be installed, and the existing aluminum wire could be abandoned inside the walls.”
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, name the old aluminum circuits and the intended copper replacement in the job you describe once.
What does average cost of whole house rewire measure?
AHS JOBTYPE 23 covers all jobs in the category “Added or replaced electrical wiring, fuse boxes, breaker panels, or built-in lighting”, rather than whole-house rewiring alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, electricians respond in writing to your whole-house wiring description and the circuits it names.
What should a whole house rewire estimate say about connection repair?
CPSC, COPALUM connection repair: “The repair should include every connection or splice involving aluminum wire in the home”
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, distinguish connection repairs from replacement circuits in the scope each electrician receives.
Does whole house rewire cost include inspections?
Portland final inspection: “Get a final inspection to close the permit. After completing all electrical work, labeling circuits, and installing cover plates. Equipment must be grounded and energized.”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
Portland townhouse projects: “For new townhouse projects, each unit requires a separate electrical permit.”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, put circuit labels and cover plates into the rewiring description that electricians bid on.
What whole-house rewiring includes
Where a quote below names a city or county, it is that office's own rule, shown as one example; the permit office for your home may set different rules.
| What the source says | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| CPSC, access for copper rewiring: “Depending on the architectural style of your home and the number and locations of unfinished spaces (e.g., basements and attics), it may be relatively easy for a qualified electrician to rewire your home.” | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026. |
| CPSC, complete replacement with copper cable: “A new copper wire branch circuit system would be installed, and the existing aluminum wire could be abandoned inside the walls.” | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026. |
On InstaBids, describe which existing wiring will stay and which circuits will be replaced before electricians write their bids.
Line items a written bid should list
- Portland rough-in inspection: “After wiring new circuits, including installing boxes running wires connecting grounding conductors installed nail plates”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, the boxes, wires and grounding work can be part of the single scope electricians receive.
How to compare written bids like for like
Ask every contractor to bid in writing on the same line items listed above, then compare the written bids line by line.
CPSC, COPALUM connection repair: “The repair should include every connection or splice involving aluminum wire in the home”
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026.
With InstaBids, compare whether each written response describes connection work or new copper branch circuits.
Do you need a permit for whole-house rewiring?
Portland, Oregon: “An electrical permit is still required even if a building permit is not.”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
Portland electrical permit scope: “Installing, changing, or repairing a hard-wired electrical system”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
Portland electrical permit scope: “Running new wiring”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, make responsibility for the rewiring permit part of the description electricians bid on.
Can you do whole-house rewiring yourself, or do you need a pro?
CPSC, signs of an aluminum-wiring problem: “DO NOT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF. You could be electrocuted, or you could make the problem worse.”
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, describe the aluminum-wiring problem once for electricians to address in writing.
What inspections does whole-house rewiring need?
Portland final inspection: “Get a final inspection to close the permit. After completing all electrical work, labeling circuits, and installing cover plates. Equipment must be grounded and energized.”
Source: Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, read 2 November 2026.
On InstaBids, ask electricians to include completion and inspection steps in their written rewiring bids.
Get written bids
Contractors who take part bid on one written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices.
Sources for the figures on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/2023/ahs-2023-public-use-file--puf-.html, read 2 November 2026. U.S. government work; no endorsement implied.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Repairing Aluminum Wiring, Publication 516 (June 2011), www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/AL_0.pdf, read 2 November 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2023/AHS 2023 Value Labels Package.zip, read 2 November 2026.
- Portland Permitting & Development, Residential Electrical Permits, www.portland.gov/ppd/residential-permitting/residential-electrical-permits, read 2 November 2026.