Wiring and rewiring
Whole-home rewires, individual circuit rewires, and new wiring installation. We scope room-by-room and document the access plan before any wall is opened.
Wiring work at Keil Electric ranges from individual circuit repair and new wiring runs to whole-home rewires (replacing knob-and-tube, aluminum, or aged Romex). The team starts by reviewing what the wiring needs to support, the access path, and the panel before quoting. Rewires are scoped room-by-room with a clear before/after plan.
Same scope on either side. Pick the shop that covers your area and we will route you to the right crew.
Electrical Wiring and Rewiring covers a few different jobs that look similar from the outside but are quite different in scope, cost, and timeline. Here is the version that helps you walk into the call already pointed at the right one. We will confirm or correct on the phone.
If you are planning the kind of work this covers, Keil Electric installs new electrical wiring for additions, remodels, finished basements, garage workshops, ADUs, and dedicated equipment circuits across San Diego County and the Austin metro. We size the conductor, route the run, install boxes and devices, and pull the permit where required. Read the full electrical wiring installation page.
If you are seeing or dealing with the kind of work this covers, Keil Electric repairs damaged electrical wiring across San Diego County and the Austin metro. We diagnose the fault location (intermittent power, tripped breaker, tingle, or hot wall), open the affected box or run, and repair with code-compliant splices and devices. Licensed work, written warranty. Read the full electrical wiring repair page.
If you are planning the kind of work this covers, Keil Electric performs partial and whole-home rewiring across San Diego County and the Austin metro. We document existing conditions during rough-in, replace knob-and-tube, aluminum branch wiring, or aged Romex with current code-compliant cable, and pull permits where required. Rewires are quoted room-by-room with a clear before/after plan. Read the full home electrical rewiring page.
It is common to need more than one of these at once, especially on older homes or commercial buildings where one underlying issue surfaces in several places. We bundle the work under a single scope and a single permit when the project lines up that way, which usually saves time and money versus running each as a separate visit. If you are not sure which page fits, pick the closest one or call. We will sort it out.
Pick the job that matches what you need. Each one is a licensed install with the same written warranty as the rest of our work.
We start by identifying the wiring system in use. Knob-and-tube (1880s-1940s), aluminum branch (1965-1973), cloth-jacketed Romex (1950s-1970s), modern Romex (1980s+). Each era has specific failure modes we look for. The assessment determines whether targeted repair, partial rewire, or whole-home rewire is the right scope.
The access plan determines patch work and timeline. We document each circuit's path from panel to devices, identify strategic drywall cuts, and confirm crawl space or attic routing where possible. The written scope shows the trade-off between cost, time, and patch labor before any wall is opened.
Rewires are scoped to current NEC requirements: branch circuit ratings (NEC 210), grounding electrode system (NEC 250), conductor sizing (NEC 310), junction box accessibility (NEC 314.29), and AFCI/GFCI protection (NEC 210.8, 210.12). We document where the existing system is non-compliant and where new wiring brings it up to current code.
We sequence circuits so the home stays usable during the project. Refrigeration, HVAC, work-from-home circuits, and any medical equipment get explicit plans. Sections come offline one at a time and the new wiring goes hot before the next section comes down.
Rewires require permits and two inspections. Rough happens after wiring is run, before walls close. Final happens after devices and energization. We pull the permit, schedule both inspections, and meet any inspector for sign-off at each phase.
We inspect the existing wiring, identify the era, document failure modes, and verify whether the issue is systemic (rewire scope) or localized (targeted repair).
Room-by-room access plan with patch work documented up front. Written scope shows cost, time, and patching trade-offs before the homeowner commits.
When the local AHJ requires a permit, we pull the electrical permit and pre-schedule the rough and final inspections so the project does not stall waiting for the inspector. Permit requirements vary by district.
Strategic drywall cuts, attic and crawl space routing, new circuits run from the panel to the device locations. Sequenced so the home stays livable during the work.
Inspector verifies conductor sizing, junction box accessibility, grounding, and circuit layout before any wall closes. We meet any inspector and resolve anything flagged before continuing.
Outlets, switches, and fixtures installed. Circuits energized one section at a time. Final inspection covers GFCI/AFCI, device installation, and panel work.
Drywall patches, paint touch-ups, and trim work are coordinated (us or third-party). Final walkthrough with the homeowner confirms every circuit, every device, and every breaker.
Not every job requires a permit. When the local AHJ requires one, we pull it, schedule the inspection, and stay with the job until it passes. No paperwork on you.
10-year written warranty on circuit runs and wire. Parts and labor. Stays with the home and transfers to the next owner.
Older wiring systems have specific failure modes we treat as non-negotiable. Knob-and-tube buried in modern insulation creates heat with no path to dissipate it. Aluminum branch wiring without proper anti-oxidant treatment or AL/CU-rated devices loosens at terminations and arcs. Cloth-jacketed Romex without an equipment grounding conductor cannot safely accept three-prong loads without GFCI protection per NEC 406.4(D). Splices inside walls without junction boxes violate NEC 314.29 and create hidden failure points. Don't install three-prong outlets on ungrounded circuits without GFCI protection. Don't add modern insulation around active knob-and-tube. Don't back-stab aluminum into push-in terminals. We document every existing condition before recommending any specific repair path, and we tell the homeowner what we found before we touch the wiring.
Real work from our San Diego and Austin shops. Same standards, same warranty, every job.
For electrical wiring and rewiring, here's the honest comparison. We'd tell you the same thing if we weren't trying to win the job.
Whole-home rewiring is the work nobody wants to do until they have to. The trigger is usually one of three things. An older home with knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring fails an insurance inspection. A renovation opens walls and reveals scorched terminations or undersized conductors. Or a homeowner adds enough modern load (HVAC, EV, kitchen reno) that the existing wiring stops keeping up.
The three big wiring eras matter. Knob-and-tube ran from roughly 1880 to 1940 and used separate hot and neutral conductors with ceramic insulators. It can be safe when undisturbed but fails when buried in modern insulation, modified by a non-electrician, or asked to carry modern grounded loads. Aluminum branch wiring ran from 1965 to 1973 in residential 15A and 20A circuits and has well-documented failure modes around terminations, called out in CPSC alerts. Cloth-jacketed Romex from the 1950s-1970s often lacks an equipment grounding conductor.
None of those eras are inherently “unsafe.” All of them have known failure modes that need verification before we sign off on a home for sale, an addition, or any major load addition. The homeowner’s question becomes: what’s the access path, what’s the sequencing, and what’s the realistic timeline.
Rewiring is the right scope when the existing wiring system has multiple, systemic issues that can’t be addressed circuit-by-circuit. Common signs are knob-and-tube still in active use, aluminum branch wiring in living-area circuits without proper aluminum-rated devices or anti-oxidant treatment, two-prong outlets on most circuits indicating no equipment ground, breakers that trip at random under modern loads, or a panel that has been pushed past its original capacity by a series of additions.
Targeted repair is appropriate when the issues are localized. a single damaged circuit, a specific kitchen branch that needs upgrading, or a service mast repair after storm damage. We diagnose first, then quote rewire vs targeted scope, then work with the homeowner on the trade-offs.
Each of these wiring types has a specific failure pattern we look for during inspection. Knob-and-tube fails at splices made in the wrong locations (inside walls without junction boxes), at points where modern insulation contacts the conductors, and at any modification where someone added a ground wire or a modern outlet without addressing the system’s design. We document the routing and identify whether targeted replacement (de-energize the K&T circuit, run new) or full rewire makes sense.
Aluminum branch wiring fails at terminations. The metal expands and contracts more than copper under load, which loosens screw terminations over time. The fix is either replacement with copper (the gold standard), retrofit with COPALUM crimps (an approved CPSC remediation), or AlumiConn connectors. We assess and recommend the right path per circuit.
Cloth-jacketed Romex from the 50s-70s often lacks an equipment grounding conductor. Three-prong outlets installed on these circuits without rewiring (or without GFCI protection per NEC 406.4(D)) violate code. We trace each circuit and identify which outlets can be brought into compliance with GFCI protection vs which need new wiring.
Skilled rewires use existing wall cavities, attic and crawl space access, and small fish-tape paths to minimize wall damage. The trade-off is time. A “minimal disruption” rewire on a finished home runs longer than a rewire on a home where walls are already open for renovation.
We document the access plan room by room. Each circuit has a path from the panel to the devices, and that path either uses existing routes (often the case for circuits running through the basement or attic), small drywall cuts at strategic points, or surface-mounted conduit in unfinished spaces. The plan goes in the written scope so the homeowner sees the trade-off between cost, time, and patch work.
For homes scheduled for renovation, the clean answer is “rewire during the open-wall phase.” We coordinate with the GC on rough-in timing and run new circuits while the walls are stripped to studs.
Most rewires are sequenced so the home stays usable during the project. We take circuits offline one section at a time, reroute the affected loads (extension cords for refrigerators, temporary lighting), and bring the new circuits online before disabling the next section.
Refrigeration is the constraint that drives most sequencing decisions. We plan around when the kitchen circuits go down. Same with HVAC and the home office circuits if anyone works from home. Health and medical equipment plans get documented in writing before we start.
Rewires require permits in nearly every jurisdiction. The permit covers the new branch circuits, any panel work, and the grounding system. Inspections typically happen in two phases. The rough inspection happens after wiring is run but before walls are closed up. The final inspection happens after devices are installed and the system is energized.
Inspectors check conductor sizing per NEC 310, junction box accessibility per NEC 314.29, GFCI and AFCI protection per NEC 210.8 and 210.12, and the grounding electrode system per NEC 250. We pull the permit, schedule any inspections, and meet any inspector for both rough and final.
A typical single-family rewire runs 1-2 weeks of on-site work depending on home size, finish complexity, and how many circuits need to be added. Open-wall rewires during renovation are faster (no patching). Minimal-disruption rewires on finished homes are slower (more careful access). We confirm the timeline in the written scope and update the homeowner if anything in the field changes the plan.
Older homes often surface secondary issues during a rewire. The grounding electrode might be a single rod from the 1950s where current code requires two rods (NEC 250.53). The service mast might be undersized for the planned panel upgrade. The neutral might be undersized in the service entrance conductors. We document everything we find during the rewire and quote any additional scope before the work continues.
We also document undersize neutrals on shared-neutral circuits, which can overheat under modern loads even when the breaker doesn’t trip. This is a real failure mode in 1960s-1970s homes that we look for specifically.
Pack like it’s a partial move. Cover furniture, remove anything fragile from walls, and clear the rooms where we’ll be working. Rewires are dusty.
Plan for refrigerator and food storage. We minimize downtime on the kitchen circuit but it does go offline for sections of the project.
Decide on switch and outlet finishes before we start. We can install whatever the homeowner picks, but trying to swap finishes mid-project adds friction.
Expect surprises. Older homes always reveal something during a rewire. We document and quote, the homeowner approves, and we continue. The clean projects are the ones where this conversation happens before we open the wall, not after.
Modern residential wiring uses three primary methods, each with its own use cases and code requirements:
Non-metallic sheathed cable, the most common residential wiring method. Two or three insulated conductors plus a bare ground, all in a flexible plastic jacket. NM-B runs through framed walls, attics, and basements where it is protected from physical damage. NEC 334 governs NM-B installation: stapled to framing within 12 inches of boxes, supported every 4.5 feet, protected at openings, and not exposed where physical damage is a concern.
Common sizes: 14 AWG for 15-amp circuits (lighting, general outlets), 12 AWG for 20-amp circuits (kitchen small-appliance, bathroom, laundry, dedicated outlets), 10 AWG for 30-amp dedicated circuits (water heater, dryer, smaller appliances).
Conductors inside a flexible metal armor. Used in commercial, in some residential applications where physical protection matters, and where the AHJ requires metal raceway. MC has its own installation rules per NEC 330. More expensive than NM-B but more durable.
Individual insulated conductors pulled through a metal or plastic conduit. Required for service entrance work, exterior runs, runs in concrete or masonry, and locations where physical damage is likely. NEC 358 (EMT), NEC 352 (PVC), and NEC 348 (FMC) govern conduit installation. Conduit lets the same physical run carry different combinations of conductors over time, useful for future-proofing.
Rewiring jobs fall into a handful of categories. Knowing which category fits before the quote keeps the scope honest:
One specific circuit is failing or unsafe, a kitchen counter circuit, a bathroom circuit, an exterior outlet, or a circuit that has been modified by previous owners and needs to be returned to code. The work is targeted: open the path of the existing circuit, pull new cable, terminate at the panel and at the device locations, document and inspect. Often completes in a single day for a typical-length run.
An entire room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or office, is being rewired during a remodel. Scope includes all the room’s circuits: lighting, outlets, dedicated circuits for appliances. Done while walls are open during the remodel, the work is significantly cheaper than the same scope after walls close.
The attic and ceiling cavities (where insulation has been packed around old knob-and-tube), or the entire upstairs (where a renovation is opening floors), or all kitchen/bath/laundry circuits (the highest-load areas). Targeted to the highest-risk or highest-load areas without rewiring every circuit in the home.
The worst-case scope. Every branch circuit in the home is replaced. Reserved for homes where wiring throughout has documented issues, knob-and-tube with insulation packed everywhere, aluminum branch wiring throughout, fabric-jacket wiring that is widely deteriorated, or amateur modifications that compromise multiple circuits. Multi-day project, requires careful staging, sometimes allows the homeowner to live in the home during work and sometimes not.
One of the most common amateur-installation issues we find during rewiring scopes is hidden splices, wire nuts in walls or attics without a junction box. NEC 314 requires every splice to be in a junction box, with the box accessible (or specifically allowed by the AHJ in some assemblies). The reason is mechanical: a splice in an unsupported wire nut, in a wall cavity with no box, can pull apart over time, can heat from compromised contact, and is unreachable for inspection or repair.
NEC 314.16 specifies box-fill calculations, how many conductors a given box size can hold, accounting for the volume taken by each conductor, each device, and each ground. Box-fill violations are a common finding during inspection of older work. The fix is either a larger box or fewer conductors at that location.
Every Keil Electric rewiring scope includes accessible junction boxes at every splice, box-fill calculations per NEC 314.16, and labeled circuits at the panel per NEC 408. Hidden splices are not part of any quote we sign.
The wiring you find depends heavily on when the home was built:
Permitted rewiring scopes have two inspections: rough-in and final.
Rough-in is when the wiring is installed but the walls are not yet closed. When an inspection is required, the inspector verifies that boxes are correctly sized and supported per NEC 314, that conductors are properly secured per NEC 334.30 (for NM-B) or the relevant code section, that splices are in boxes, that the cable is protected at openings, and that grounding is continuous. Rough-in must pass before drywall closes.
Final is after devices are installed, the panel is energized, and the home is ready for occupancy. When an inspection is required, the inspector verifies that GFCI per NEC 210.8 and AFCI per NEC 210.12 are installed and functional, that breakers are correctly sized and labeled per NEC 408, that the grounding electrode system is intact, and that the install matches the plans submitted with the permit.
Final inspection is the last gate before the work is officially complete. We pull the permit, schedule both inspections, and the install is backed by our written warranty.
A house rewire (also called whole home rewire) replaces the branch wiring throughout the home, typically because the original wire is at end of life, has documented failure modes (knob and tube, aluminum branch wiring from the 1965-1973 era), or is undersized for current load. We do whole home rewire jobs as a planned multi-day to multi-week project, usually staged room by room so part of the home stays powered each day.
Wiring upgrade scope ranges from a single circuit (replacing a damaged or undersized run) to the full house rewire on older homes. For aluminum branch wiring specifically, we either replace runs end-to-end or pigtail with copper using approved CO/ALR connectors, depending on the actual condition of the aluminum and the insurance or sale requirements driving the job. Knob and tube replacement is similar: targeted vs full depending on what is actually live and what is abandoned in the wall.
Common signs: knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, frequent breaker trips, two-prong outlets in main living areas, scorched outlet faces, warm switches, or a panel that has been pushed past its original capacity. An inspection visit confirms whether the work is repair-scope or rewire-scope.
Not always. Skilled rewires use existing wall cavities, attic and crawl space access, and small fish-tape paths to minimize wall damage. We document the access plan room-by-room before quoting so you see the trade-off between cost, time, and patch work.
Typical single-family rewires run 1-2 weeks of on-site work depending on home size, finish complexity, and how many circuits need to be added. We confirm the timeline in the written scope.
Most rewires are sequenced so the home stays usable during the project - circuits go offline one section at a time. We coordinate closely if there are health, work-from-home, or temperature constraints.
Yes for any rewire scope that touches the panel or new circuits. The exact permit path varies by city; we handle the permit application and inspection scheduling as part of the project.
A house rewire is bid by home size, wall access (open walls during a remodel cut labor significantly versus fishing through finished walls), and any code-correction items found during the walk. The price is in writing before any work starts.
Yes. Whole home rewire is one of our largest scopes. We stage room by room so part of the home stays powered each day. Multi-day to multi-week timeline depending on size.
Not always. We can stage the work room by room and keep at least part of the home powered each day. For full rewires on smaller homes or when the panel is also being replaced, a few-day relocation is sometimes simpler. We tell you which path matches your home before quoting.
Aluminum branch wiring (typically 1965-1973 era) has documented failure modes at connection points. We either replace the runs end-to-end or pigtail with copper using approved CO/ALR connectors, depending on the actual condition of the aluminum and the driver of the job (insurance, sale, code).
Pick the location closest to your property to reach the local team and request a real plan.
