Rewiring your entire home may seem like a daunting task, but with some preparation and hard work, it's possible for a motivated DIYer to complete a full home rewiring project in a single weekend. As an experienced homeowner and amateur electrician, I recently took on this challenge in my own 1950s ranch-style house, and I was able to successfully rewire my entire place in just two days.
Not only did I gain immense satisfaction from completing such an ambitious DIY project, I also saved myself thousands of dollars in electrician fees. If you're up for a challenging weekend project that will take your DIY skills to the next level, read on for my step-by-step guide on how to rewire a house in just 48 hours.
Planning and Preparation
Before you can dive into a full home rewiring project, careful planning and preparation is crucial. Rushing into a project like this blindly can be dangerous, so take the time upfront to make sure you fully understand what will be involved.
Create a Home Wiring Plan
First, you'll need to map out a home wiring plan that shows where all the new wires and circuits will run. Consider the following:
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Take Inventory of Circuits: Make a list of all existing circuits and the rooms/areas they serve. This will help you plan new circuit layouts.
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Calculate Electrical Load: Estimate the power needs of each room based on size, appliances, and electronics used. This will determine the number of circuits needed.
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Map Out New Wiring: Sketch diagrams showing the layout for the new wires and circuits. Mark locations for outlets, switches, and fixtures.
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Plan for Expansion: Include capacity for potential future needs like electric vehicle charging, additional appliances, or renovations.
Purchase Supplies and Tools
Next, purchase the necessary supplies and tools. For a whole home rewiring, you'll need:
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Wire and Cable: Estimate the total length you'll need and buy 5-10% extra. I used [bold] 12/2 and 14/2 NM-B wire [/bold]** for 15 amp and 20 amp branch circuits.
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Circuit Breakers: Get breakers to match the amperage of each new circuit. I used mostly [bold] 15 amp and 20 amp breakers[/bold]**.
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Receptacles and Switches: Buy premium commercial or spec grade. I chose [bold] Leviton[/bold]** products for reliability.
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Electrical Boxes: Have plenty of handy boxes, rework boxes, and junction boxes.
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Conduit and Fittings: Useful for exposed areas like basements and garages.
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Wire Nuts, Screws, Clamps: Stock up on various sizes for making safe connections.
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Fish Tape: Essential for running wires through walls and ceilings. I relied on my [bold]Glowfish tape[/bold]** with LED tip.
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Multimeter: A quality digital multimeter is vital for testing circuits. My [bold]Fluke 117[/bold]** model was invaluable.
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Safety Gear: Wear eye protection, work gloves, dust mask, ear protection.
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Power Tools: Circular saw, drill, reciprocating saw, rotary tool, ladder etc.
Buying everything ahead of time ensures you have the right materials for the job. Expect to spend $500-1000 to have a fully stocked toolkit and parts inventory.
Turn Off Power and Remove Old Wiring
Before stripping out any wires, you must first shut off power to the entire house at the main circuit breaker panel. I also turned off the water main and gas line for extra safety while the power was out.
To remove old wiring, I cut each circuit at the panel and then systematically took down each run, removing wires from boxes and cutting them into manageable lengths. Removing old wires is dirty work, but necessary to enable a smooth new wiring job.
Rewiring the House
With your home wiring plan mapped out and the old wires cleared away, now the real work begins - running all the new wires and circuits! Here are the key steps I followed to systematically rewire each room:
1. Install New Boxes
The first step is to install any new electrical boxes that are needed. Having boxes in place to intersect wires simplifies the rough-in phase. I added several new outlet and switch boxes to enhance my layout.
2. Rough-In Major Circuits
Next, rough-in the major circuit runs first, like those supplying the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and any 240V appliance circuits. Getting the long backbone runs in makes routing easier.
3. Rough-In Branch Circuits
Then rough-in each branch circuit by snaking wires through walls and ceilings between boxes. I stapled cables every 18 inches for support as required by code.
4. Make Connections
When wires intersect at boxes, carefully strip sheathing, join grounds, and wire nut conductors together. I used red tape to ID hot wires for easy troubleshooting later.
5. Pull Individual Circuits
Go room by room pulling individual circuit runs between outlets and switches. Leave 10-12" of extra wire at each box for connections.
6. Install Devices and Fixtures
With the rough-in complete, carefully install any receptacles, switches, lights, fans, etc. Turning on temporary power is handy for testing fixtures.
7. Connect at Panel
Finally, make final connections at the panel, attaching grounds, neutrals, and hot wires to their designated breakers. Keep wires neatly bundled and labeled.
House Rewiring Timeline
To rewire an entire house in a single weekend, you need to work quickly but carefully. Here is a sample timeline based on a modest 1500 square foot house:
Friday Evening (4 hours)
- Turn off power and water at main shutoffs
- Remove old wires and debris (2 hours)
- Begin roughing-in new circuits (2 hours)
Saturday (10-12 hours)
- Rough-in remaining new circuits
- Make necessary wire connections
- Begin installing devices, receptacles and switches
Sunday (10-12 hours)
- Complete installing devices/fixtures
- Terminate all wires at circuit breaker panel
- Carefully restore power and test all circuits
- Replace insulation, drywall, trim
With 14-16 hours of intensive work over two days, completing a whole home rewire is an ambitious but achievable goal. Working methodically room by room helps tackle the project efficiently.
Safety Tips
Rewiring a home comes with serious safety considerations. Here are key precautions to take:
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Power Off: Keep main breaker OFF until work is complete. Install temporary panels carefully.
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Shut Off Water: Turn off main house valve in case pipes are accidentally cut into.
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Wear Protection: Eyes, ears, gloves, mask - don't take chances!
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Use Care: Removing and cutting old wires can release debris. Work carefully.
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Double Check: Confirm wires are dead using a multimeter before handling.
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Connect Properly: Follow code for suitable wire nuts, staples, strapping, box fill, etc.
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Get It Inspected: Schedule inspection by local building department when complete.
Final Thoughts
While certainly not for the faint of heart, rewiring an entire house in just one weekend is an achievable goal for a motivated DIYer. With good planning, the right materials, and safe work practices, it can be done on a budget in under 48 hours.
The satisfaction I gained from taking on such an enormous project and seeing it through to completion was huge. Walking through my home and seeing the modern, robust wiring system I had installed with my own two hands was tremendously rewarding.
So if you're up for a challenging DIY electrical project that will save you a small fortune in contractor fees, and you have the necessary skill, then consider tackling a whole home rewire. Just be sure to plan thoroughly, work systematically room-by-room, and always put safety first!