How Much Does It Cost To Install Electrical Wiring?

Average electrical installation cost

Technically, the average price range for wiring a new home is between $4,000 and $10,000, but the numbers will fluctuate based on the home's size and the project's exact nature. A person who owns a new 2,000-square-foot home can expect to pay an average of $8,000 for a complete electrical package, which includes the following:

• Wiring
• Outlets
• Switches
• Electrical panel

Installing wiring in a 500-square-foot addition can cost as low as $1,500. Rewiring an older home with hard-to-reach areas can cost as much as $30,000, with the owner receiving the following updates:

• Upgraded panel
• Fixtures
• Outlets
• Switches
• Heavy cabling
• Jacks

The electrical wiring price for rewiring an older home tends to be more expensive since the project requires opening the walls and removing existing wiring. In addition to the above prices, expect to pay a licensed electrician from $70 to $100 per hour.

Electrical wiring price by project type

If you’re wiring a house, costs can change because of the project type. For example, installing wiring in new construction usually costs less than rewiring an older home. Additionally, the costs associated with installing electrical wiring will change according to what part of the house the project is being done because of the difficulty in accessing or working with the wiring.

New house

Installing new construction wiring is less labor-intensive than rewiring an older home. Generally, installing new wiring includes roughing in the wires, setting up wiring for lights and other fixtures, and installing outlets, panels, and switches. A new house's typical electrical wiring price is between $3 and $5 per square foot.

Roughing in

Roughing in is the process of installing the basic wiring in a wall but not finishing it. Roughed-in wires are capped in areas where outlets and fixtures are to be installed. The drywalling is then completed, and the electrician returns to complete the wiring once the walls are completely built. If it’s not lumped in with the cost of completely wiring a new home, the electrical installation cost of roughing in is $3 to $5 per square foot.

Basement

The electrical wiring price for a basement depends on whether you plan to finish the basement or leave it unfinished. If you choose to leave the basement as-is, you can expect the wiring to cost between $2 and $5 per square foot. If you want to finish the basement, the cost will be the same as wiring a new home.

Rewiring an older home

Rewiring an older home requires opening the walls and removing existing wiring, outlets, switches, and so on. The work is more intensive, so the house wiring cost is more expensive. If any of the areas being rewired are hard to reach, the drywall there may need to be completely removed. If that’s the case, you can expect to redo the drywall and finishing, which will incur further costs. Generally, the cost of rewiring an older home is between $6 and $10 per square foot.

Electrical wiring price by system type

There are two types of electrical systems used in residential homes: lead sheathed and conduit. Most homes will need a combination of these two. Fortunately, electricians often bill for their services using one set of numbers: the typical cost for new home wiring. The cost of wiring using lead sheathed and conduit systems are the same at $3 to $5 per square foot.

Electrical wiring price by material

There are over 20 types of cable typically used in residential buildings, but some aren’t common. In most cases, the cost of material is included in the cost of the labor – the $3 to $5 or $6 to $10 ranges.

Here’s a quick look at the six most common cable types used in homes:

• Multi-conductor - This type of cable features more than one conductor, each of which is separately insulated. The average material price ranges from $0.20 to $0.35 per linear foot.
• Coaxial - Often called simply “coax cables,” these are used with TVs and gaming equipment and feature a double-insulated cable, an outer insulator, and an inner tube. This type of cable is fading out of use as smart home technology and internet-based TV technology evolves, so it’s typically found in older homes. The average material price ranges from $0.20 to $0.35 per linear foot.
• Direct buried - This type of coaxial cable is uninsulated since it’s meant to be buried. You won’t see the cables, but this type will be used if you have cable TV or internet. The average material price ranges from $0.40 to $0.50 per linear foot.
• Metallic sheathed - Metallic sheathed cables are sometimes referred to as “BX” or “AC” cables. This type of cable is used in high-stress areas and consists of three stranded copper wires, PVC bedding, and PVC sheathing. The average material price ranges from $0.50 to $0.70 per linear foot.
• Underground feeder - This type of cable is waterproof and consists of a group of wires embedded in plastic. They’re typically used for outdoor lighting and are designed to run directly from your circuit breaker to the exterior of your home. Since these cables run underground, you’ll never see them. The average material price ranges from $0.50 to $0.70 per linear foot.
• Non-metallic sheathed - This type of cable consists of flexible plastic-coated cables containing two to four wires, as well as a ground wire. These are multipurpose types of cable since they can be used anywhere in the home for almost any type of job. The average material price ranges from $0.60 to $0.80 per linear foot.

Factors influencing electrical installation cost

Aside from the cost of materials, several factors may alter your overall house wiring cost. These factors include:

• Space size - The size of the house being wired will affect the project's overall cost since the installation is calculated by the square footage.
• Older vs. newer home - Rewiring an older home involves opening the walls and removing the existing wiring. There may also be more wiring, fixtures, switches, and outlets to replace.
• Labor - This cost depends on who you hire since an electrician’s rates may vary from one to the next. Electricians may charge by the hour, but they may also charge a flat rate for an entire project.
• Location - The cost of labor and materials may be higher in more densely populated areas, such as large cities.
• Fittings and fixtures - In addition to the wiring, you may also need to include new outlets, switches, and circuits.

DIY or Pro?

Electrical work needed in wiring or rewiring a home should not be a DIY project unless you’re a licensed electrician. An electrician can properly install all the wiring, fixtures, outlets, switches, and so forth that are required to wire a home completely. Additionally, they’ll ensure the wiring is completely safe and up to the local municipal building codes.