Schematic Star

How to Rewire Your Entire Office Building in a Weekend

Introduction

Rewiring an entire office building in a single weekend is a daunting task, but with proper planning and preparation, it can be done efficiently and effectively. As the building owner, I have tackled entire office rewires before and learned a great deal about optimizing the process. In this comprehensive guide, I will walk through all the key steps I take to successfully rewire an office building in two days.

Develop a Detailed Rewiring Plan

The key to rapidly rewiring an office building is having a rock-solid plan in place beforehand. Here are the key elements I include in my rewiring plan:

Having this full rewiring plan completed ahead of time is crucial to executing rapidly on the actual rewiring weekend. It minimizes delays and confusion during the intense 2-day rewiring blitz.

Order All Necessary Materials

With the circuit mapping and materials list in hand from the rewiring plan, I compile a complete order of all required electrical supplies. This includes:

I order all materials 2-3 weeks in advance from electrical supply houses to allow time for delivery. Staging materials onsite ahead of time is critical.

Shut Down Power and Remove Existing Wiring

The intense rewiring process begins by shutting off power to the entire building at the main panel. We flip the main disconnect breaker on Friday evening when the building is unoccupied.

With the power off, I start stripping out all existing wiring from the breaker panels, receptacles, switches, and junction boxes according to the circuit mapping blueprint. We remove old wiring efficiently by using linesman pliers, wire cutters, and cordless drills with wire wheel attachments.

All copper wiring gets recycled, while the rest of the old wiring gets discarded. We work methodically by area while removing old wires which helps stage each zone for new wiring installation.

Install New Wiring and Breakers

With old wires removed, the new wiring phase begins floor by floor. Per the rewiring plan, I methodically install the new THHN wiring circuits from the panelboards to each outlet and switch box location.

We use color-coded wiring and label everything clearly for easy troubleshooting. I staple cables neatly and firmly along ceiling joist and wall stud runs to provide support.

At the panelboards, I install new breakers clearly labeled for each new circuit. The breakers provide circuit protection and electrical shutoff switches for safe isolated work on each circuit later on if needed.

Connect Receptacles, Switches, and Fixtures

With the main wiring backbone installed from the panels, I shift focus to terminating everything at the outlets, switches, and permanent fixtures.

I use pliers and strippers to segment and connect the THHN wires to receptacles, switches, and fixtures. Polarity is critical for safety. I firmly screw terminals down and fold wires neatly into boxes.

For GFCI and AFCI protected circuits, I use pigtails to connect the breaker and outlets properly. The neutral and ground remain separated throughout per code.

Each run gets tested multiple times using a non-contact voltage tester before moving to the next branch. Verifying live power prevents surprises once main power gets restored.

Label All Circuits

As each new circuit installation is completed, I use a detailed labeling system to indicate what each cable and breaker connects to. The labels help ensure accuracy on the wiring and provide easy reference points for future electricians.

I use a handheld label maker with pre-formatted label blanks to efficiently label every receptacle, switchbox, junction box, breaker, and wire run with its coordinating circuit ID.

These comprehensive labels make the finished product easy to understand at a glance. It avoids confusion down the road when alterations or troubleshooting are needed on specific circuits.

Inspections and Power Restore

With the intensive two-day rewire complete, I schedule the necessary inspections by the local building department to verify proper electrical code compliance on everything.

Assuming all inspections pass, I get the green light to re-energize the building by flipping the main breaker back on. I walk through testing outlets to ensure all circuits are live and operating normally post-rewiring.

The building owner is thrilled to have a completely refreshed electrical system installed over a single weekend minimizing downtime. I wrap up by providing them a detailed wiring schematic showing the new circuit layouts and outlet/breaker labels for their records.

Summary

Rewiring an entire office building in two days is an ambitious feat but absolutely achievable with proper planning and an efficient execution process. The keys I have found include:

By following this comprehensive battle plan, I have been able to successfully tackle even large-scale office rewiring projects over a single weekend. Proper preparation and diligent focus allow rapid high-quality results. The building occupants return Monday morning to a freshly rewired and safe electrical system.