Weekly Series 6: Electrical Rewiring

Homelight | Jan 28, 2021

We’re continuing in our Weekly Series of “The 7 Most Painfully Expensive Home Repairs to Avoid.”

Today, we’re covering “Electrical Rewiring.”

The average homeowner spent a total of $4,832 on routine and emergency home repairs in 2019. However, some of the most expensive home repairs have the ability to wipe out your entire yearly maintenance savings and then some.

On top of being pricey, major problems like pest infections and structural instability can make your home difficult to market and sell, not to mention tank your property value. With this guide, real estate experts identify the worst home repairs for your wallet and offer expert insights into preventive maintenance and early detection.

 

Electrical rewiring ($4,000-$12,000)

An older home’s electrical system easily can become overtaxed, causing fires and injury. In some cases a partial retrofit will suffice to make a house safe to live in. However, a number of old homes still have knob and tube wiring or aluminum wiring, both of which are fire hazards. If your house needs a full rewiring, the cost will be substantially higher.

Estimated cost to repair:

  • 1,000-1,500 square foot home: $1,000-$6,000
  • 2,000-2,500 square foot home: $4,000-$10,000
  • 3,000 square foot home: $6,000-$12,000

(Source: Thumbtack, which tracks estimates from the millions of homeowners who use the site)

Warning signs:
If your breakers blow frequently, you see any visible damage to your wires, or notice a burning scent in the home, call an electrician to investigate the problem. An electrical inspection can determine whether old, outdated modes of wiring the house have put you in danger.

Key prevention tactics:
“In older homes, we’re finding that we need to have an electrician come out to cover lines to the water heater, so it isn’t a bare wire going from the water heater to the wall,” Harrison shares. While this won’t solve all the issues with old wiring, covering bare wires is key to reducing your fire risk, and a more thorough electrical inspection can help you find other concerning areas.

You should also install GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets in the bathroom, kitchen, and anywhere outlets may come in contact with liquid. GFCI outlets interrupt an abnormal current flow to reduce the chance of electric shock.

Who to call for help:  Call CA Real Estate Group at (714) 476-4637 for our preferred electricians to evaluate the situation, or check out Better Business Bureau’s Electricians Near Me portal helps you identify local electricians with proper credentials and positive ratings from past clients.

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