How much does a whole-house rewire cost in SoCal?

Plan on $8,000 to $20,000 for a whole-house rewire of a 1,500 to 2,500 square foot home, per the typical SoCal range as of October 2026. The sources are Fixr’s national guide and two Bob Vila guides, so the numbers describe published national ranges, not a SoCal survey. The low end sits at Fixr’s $7,191 and the high end at Bob Vila’s $20,000. The range includes new wire and the permit. It does not include wall patching.

Price by house size

Source	Published range
Bob Vila, 1,000 sq ft home	$3,000 to $5,000
Bob Vila, 1,250 sq ft home	$7,500 to $15,000
Bob Vila, 3,000 sq ft home	$9,000 to $15,000
Bob Vila, panel guide, whole house	$12,000 to $20,000
Fixr, whole home	$7,191 to $13,384

The guides disagree with each other, which is why this site shows a wide planning range. Quotes are better than rules of thumb, because wall access moves the price more than size does.

Why wall access decides the job

A rewire is mostly about getting wire from the panel to every box. If the attic is open and the crawl space is reachable, the electrician pulls wire through and opens few walls. If walls are plaster and lath, a flat roof blocks attic access, or the house sits on a slab, the labor goes up. Plaster, flat roofs and spray foam are the usual cost raisers. See the whole-house rewire service page for what the job involves, or partial rewires if only part of the house needs it.

Reasons people rewire

• Knob-and-tube or cloth-covered wire. See that cost page.
• Aluminum branch wiring. A circuit-level repair can beat a full rewire when only some connections are the problem. See aluminum wiring.
• A major remodel that opens most walls anyway.
• An insurer or buyer’s inspection that flags the wiring.

National data says whole-home rewiring is not typical unless the house is over 75 years old or under a full remodel.

How a rewire gets staged

A rewire follows a rough order. The electrician maps the circuits, runs new cable through attics, crawl spaces and walls, sets new boxes, and connects everything to the panel. The old wiring is disconnected last, so the house keeps power in sections. Bob Vila’s rewiring guide says it usually takes 3 to 10 days. Ask whether the days run back to back, and whether the bid covers return visits for the inspection and for finish work.

Permit and inspection fees

California requires a permit for rewiring. Permit fees are set by each city, so there is no honest range here. For your fee, see the permit fees page and use your city page, for example Temecula, Riverside or Pomona, or the Riverside County hub.

How to compare quotes

1. Ask each bidder for the circuit count and what is new: wire, boxes, devices, breakers.
2. Ask whether the price includes a new panel.
3. Ask who patches and paints, and to what level.
4. Ask how many days and how the house will be powered each night.
5. Check the contractor license with the license guide.

What is not included

Drywall patching, texture and paint (25 to 30 percent of the project cost in Bob Vila’s guide), plaster repair, new light fixtures, and any panel upgrade not listed in the bid.