How to Rewire Your Entire Home Without an Electrician

Rewiring an entire home is a major project that requires knowledge, skill, and extreme care. While it's possible for a dedicated DIYer to rewire their home without hiring an electrician, I don't recommend attempting this unless you have prior electrical experience. However, if you're determined to tackle this solo, here's what you need to know.

Assessing Your Electrical System

Before beginning any rewiring project, you need to thoroughly assess the current state of your home's electrical system. Here's how:

Research the Age of Your Home's Wiring

• Older homes generally have outdated wiring that needs replacing. Homes built before 1960 likely have ungrounded, cloth-wrapped wiring and 60-amp service. Anything after 1960 may have marginally better wiring, but still likely needs an upgrade.

• Check your main electrical panel to determine the age of your home's wiring. 100-amp or 60-amp service definitely needs rewiring.

Inspect Your Electrical Panel

• Open your main electrical panel and inspect for signs of rust, corrosion, discoloration, or cracks in the insulation. This can indicate damaged, hazardous wiring.

• Note if you have fuses or circuit breakers. Fuses are obsolete and need upgrading.

• Count your circuit breakers. Most homes today require 150-200 amp service with 20+ dedicated circuits. Anything less needs rewiring.

Check for Faulty Wiring

• Listen for crackling noises behind walls, which can indicate damaged wiring.

• Test outlets and switches - any that sparks or frequently trip your circuit breakers likely have faulty wiring.

• Check for outlets or switches that are warm to the touch, as this also indicates issues.

Planning Your Rewiring Project

Once you've thoroughly inspected your electrical system, it's time to plan your rewiring project if issues were discovered:

Calculate Required Amp Service

• Take inventory of all electrical devices/appliances in your home and their wattage.

• Add up the total wattage and divide by 120 volts. This determines the amps you need. Allow for expansion.

• Most homes today require 200 amp service. Rewiring for 150 amps might save money but won't allow for future needs.

Determine Scope of Work

• Given the age and condition of your wiring, decide if you only need to rewire problem areas or do a whole-home rewire.

• A full rewire is costlier but avoids potential issues down the road.

Create a Budget

• Factor in costs for materials like wiring, conduits, circuit breakers, and electrical panels. Prices vary based on home size.

• Don't forget the cost of drywall repair, paint, permits, and inspections.

• Expect to spend $8000-$15,000 or more for a full rewire of an average-sized home.

Preparing for a Full Rewire

If a full rewire is needed, here are key steps to take before starting:

Obtain Permits

• Contact your local building department to get all required permits before rewiring.

• If you do unpermitted work and issues arise, your home insurance may not cover damages.

Create a Detailed Plan

• Map out your new circuit layout - where lights, outlets, and appliances will be wired.

• Indicate all wire and conduit routing. Mark where you will cut into walls and ceilings.

Rent a Drywall Lift

• You will need to cut large holes in walls and ceilings to access wiring.

• Renting a drywall lift makes replacing heavy sheets easier.

Purchase All Necessary Equipment and Materials

• Buy all wiring, conduits, junction boxes, circuit breakers, and electrical panels well in advance.

• Avoid delays by having everything you need on hand before starting.

Safely Running New Wiring

When ready to start your rewire, focus first on safely pulling out old wiring and running new wires through your home:

Turn Off Power at the Main Breaker

• Shut off power to avoid getting shocked before removing any old wiring.

Remove Old Wiring

• Carefully pull out outdated, damaged wiring from walls, attics, and basements.

Run Conduits

• Secure electrical conduits through studs to protect wiring. Keep conduits as straight as possible.

Pull New Wires

• Carefully pull new, copper wiring through conduits room by room. Keep wire runs neat and secure.

Insert Junction Boxes

• Add plastic junction boxes wherever wires branch off to connect fixtures and outlets.

Label All New Wires

• Properly labeling wires avoids confusion when reconnecting circuits later.

Securely Anchor Wires

• Use insulated staples to securely anchor wiring within 12 inches of junction boxes.

Installing Your New Electrical Panel

Once the new wiring is in place, you can install your updated main electrical panel:

Mount New Panel according to Code

• Refer to your local building codes for proper mounting height and location relative to other utilities.

Remove Old Breakers/Fuses

• Disconnect and remove all old circuit breakers or fuses from the outdated panel.

Install New Breakers

• Place new circuit breakers in the new panel, matching the labeled wires. Ensure they are the correct amperage for each circuit.

Connect Neutral and Grounding Wires

• Inside the panel, connect neutral wires to the neutral bus bar and grounding wires to the ground bus bar.

Double-check Connections

• Verify you have tight, secure connections for all new circuit breakers and wires before re-energizing the panel.

Have an Electrician Inspect (Optional)

• For added safety, have a licensed electrician inspect your work prior to turning power back on.

Reconnecting Lights and Outlets

With the new panel installed, you can start reconnecting all electrical fixtures and devices in the home:

Confirm Circuits are Off

• Check that the new circuit breakers are off before wiring outlets and lights.

Connect Switches and Outlets

• Following your wire labels, connect new outlets, switches, and light fixtures to the correct new circuit wires.

Link Lights to Switches

• Connect switch loops with hot and neutral wires so lights can be controlled properly from each switch.

Connect Fixtures to Junction Boxes

• Anchor light fixtures andceiling fans securely to junction boxes prior toreconnecting wires.

Label New Circuits

• Using a permanent marker, label each new circuit at outlets to avoid confusion going forward.

Test Each Connection

• Turn circuits on individually to verify proper function of each light, outlet, and switch before moving on.

Wrapping Up and Inspecting Your Work

You're almost done! Follow these final steps to finish your DIY home rewiring project:

Repair Walls, Ceilings, and Floors

• Once wiring is complete, close up all holes and trenches with cement, drywall, wood, etc.

Paint and Finish Repairs

• Properly finish any repaired walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. Match existing paint colors.

Remove Debris and Tools

• Vacuum up wiring scraps, dust, and other debris. Remove all tools once everything is repaired.

Schedule Inspections

• Contact the local building department to set up required inspections of your completed rewiring work.

Hire an Electrician to Double-check

• For maximum safety, have a licensed electrician validate your DIY rewiring prior to re-energizing everything.

Turn Power Back On

• If all checks out, turn your main breaker back on. Plug in appliances and test outlets to verify proper function.

While a major undertaking, with proper planning, care, and attention to safety, determined DIYers can rewire their entire home without an electrician. However, this is an advanced project with inherent hazards. Always exercise caution, follow codes, and consider consulting professionals if at all unsure.