Whole-house rewiring replaces branch wiring throughout the house with new grounded circuits and the protection required for the project. The estimate should identify which boxes and devices will be replaced and whether any suitable existing components will be retained. It can be appropriate when evaluation finds widespread deficiencies or a project requires replacement of all branch wiring. Age alone does not establish that every circuit needs replacement; the condition and extent of each wiring type matter. A panel replacement or a 200-amp service upgrade is a separate decision, priced as a separate line.
KC Home Rewiring coordinates requests with an electrical installation partner. Confirm the proposed scope, credentials applicable to the address and written contract before authorizing work.
When whole-house is the right scope — and when it isn’t
The decision starts with circuit condition and coverage. Widespread original wiring warrants evaluation; it does not by itself make a complete replacement the only acceptable scope. Compare what a partial replacement would leave energized and why.
Reasons to evaluate a whole-house scope include:
- Circuit tracing shows the majority of circuits are knob-and-tube or ungrounded cloth-covered cable, with only a kitchen or bath redone since.
- There are splices and extensions throughout — modern cable taped to old in several rooms, circuits feeding far more than they were fused for.
- Aluminum branch wiring (mid-1960s to mid-1970s) is present and you want copper rather than a connector repair. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes full copper replacement and two specific connector methods (COPALUM, AlumiConn) as permanent repairs; twist-on pigtailing is not one of them. (CPSC Publication 516)
- An insurer’s binder, a lender’s condition or a sale contract says “no knob-and-tube remaining,” with a date.
- You’re opening the walls for a remodel anyway.
Partial replacement fits better when old wiring is confined to identifiable circuits and the rest is sound. That work is described on the knob-and-tube replacement page, and the partial vs. whole-house guide gives the five-question test.
What a whole-house estimate should include
Ask the bidder to confirm each item; this table is a scope checklist, and the signed estimate determines what is included.
| Item | Confirm in the rewiring scope | Identify separately |
|---|---|---|
| Branch circuits | New cable from the panel to every outlet, switch and fixture in the house, including dedicated circuits code requires for kitchen counters, laundry, bath, and major appliances | — |
| Devices and boxes | Which boxes, receptacles and switches are replaced or retained; required grounding, tamper resistance and GFCI protection | Decorative devices, dimmers, smart switches on request |
| Code protection | Identify AFCI arcing protection and GFCI shock protection required for each circuit and location under the adopted code edition and local amendments | Optional protection beyond the required scope |
| Added outlets | The layout required for the permitted alterations, including receptacle spacing where applicable | Requested additions beyond the agreed scope |
| Lighting | Reconnecting existing fixtures; new boxes rated for the load | New fixtures, recessed lighting, fans |
| Abandoned wiring | How disconnected conductors are verified; which accessible runs are removed and what remains | Further removal requested by owner, insurer or lender |
| Panel | Reconnection of new circuits to the existing panel if it’s sound and has capacity | Panel replacement; 200-amp service upgrade (below) |
| Permits and inspections | Permit in the city the house is in; rough-in (before walls close) and final inspections; the scope states who schedules them | — |
| Wall access | Expected openings and the applicable lead-safe work plan for pre-1978 painted surfaces | Patching, texture and paint, per the terms in your estimate |
| Documentation | Permit record, final inspection, itemized invoice, panel directory, as listed in the scope | — |
Do you need a panel replacement or a service upgrade?
Rewiring and upgrading the service are two different jobs, and plenty of whole-house rewires don’t need the second one. The estimate should make the distinction visible.
- Retain the existing panel only if its condition, rating, usable breaker spaces and listed compatibility support the proposed circuits and required protective devices. Available spaces and service amperage are different limits.
- Replace the panel when its condition, rating, compatibility or space is inadequate for the design. A same-amperage panel replacement can still require related grounding, bonding or service-equipment work; ask what the quote includes.
- Increase service capacity when the electrical load calculation and planned loads require it. An EV charger, electric heating or new appliances may affect the calculation, but a full panel alone does not prove the service must be increased. The contractor and utility determine the equipment and supply changes needed.
The model NEC’s dwelling emergency-disconnect provisions also affect service-equipment projects in jurisdictions using the 2020 or 2023 editions. Local amendments and the precise alteration determine the requirement. Ask whether an exterior emergency disconnect is included and why; the permits guide lists local editions.
The utility is part of a service upgrade
A service upgrade means the utility disconnects, the contractor replaces the service equipment, the city inspects, and the utility reconnects. Which utility depends on the address:
- Evergy serves most of the Missouri side outside Independence and most of Johnson County, Kansas. Service upgrades go through Evergy’s online Meter & Service Request form; the customer (in practice, the contractor) furnishes a meter socket from Evergy’s approved list. (Evergy construction and upgrades)
- Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) serves Kansas City, Kansas. BPU “cannot set the meter or establish service until the Customer’s installation has passed inspection” by the Unified Government. (BPU Electric Service Policies)
- Independence Power & Light serves the City of Independence. New or altered wiring must be approved by the city’s electrical inspector before IPL will serve it, and the customer installs an IPL-approved meter socket. (IPL)
- Cooperatives — Platte-Clay Electric in the rural Northland, Osage Valley Electric to the south — have their own procedures.
The scope should name who coordinates the disconnect, inspection and reconnection, the expected outage window, and the contingency if inspection or utility scheduling changes. Do not assume same-day reconnection.
What happens to walls and ceilings
Expect access openings where new boxes or cable routes cannot use existing access. Basements and attics may provide routes from below or above; blocking, finished ceilings and inaccessible cavities can add openings. In a plaster house, ask for an estimated opening count by room and a lead-safe work plan where required.
Ask the estimate to identify where the plan runs into a finished basement ceiling, a decorative plaster ceiling or a tiled wall, and how each is handled. Patching terms — who, to what finish — are stated so you can compare bids on the same basis. Detail: Rewiring finished walls: plaster and drywall.
Staying in the house
Occupancy depends on safe separation from the work, essential services and the outage plan. Ask which rooms remain usable, how dust containment affects access, and whether each day’s work can safely leave the required services operating. Nightly power restoration is not guaranteed. Children, pets, medical equipment, food storage and remote work can change the plan. The planning checklist helps you settle those details before work starts.
Permits, inspections and licensing
Whole-house rewiring is permitted work in every Kansas City-area jurisdiction we checked, with contractor licensing and permits determined by the address — Kansas City, Missouri; Kansas City, Kansas; Independence; or the relevant Johnson County city or unincorporated county area. A whole-house job typically has a rough-in inspection per phase before walls close, a final, and a utility release if the service is upgraded. Inspection dates gate the schedule and belong on the estimate. Who issues what, which code edition applies, and what inspectors look for: Electrical permits and inspections in the Kansas City area.
What it costs
We don’t publish a whole-house price. The number depends on stories and access, wall finish, whether a service upgrade is bundled, device count under current code, and whether the house is occupied — far more than on square footage. The Kansas City figures that have been published (one contractor’s “$10,000 to $20,000” for 1,000–1,500 square feet with panel and wall-repair costs requiring clarification; a homeowner’s $39,000 quote for a 1932, 2,000-square-foot house) are laid out with what each covers in Rewiring cost in Kansas City. Use the worksheet there to compare the same scope across written estimates.
Not ready to talk yet? Start with the planning layer: the complete guide to rewiring an older Kansas City home — wiring types, how much needs replacing, what a rewire adds, and how to compare bids.
Frequently asked questions
How long does whole-house rewiring take?
There is no standard duration for every house. Ask for working days, inspection gates, outage windows, patching time and contingencies after the wiring and access have been evaluated. Stories, finished surfaces, occupancy and utility work can each change the schedule.
Is cloth-covered wiring the same problem as knob-and-tube?
No. Early cloth-covered cable (1940s–1960s) runs both conductors together in one jacket; it usually has no ground wire and the insulation can be brittle at terminations, but it is evaluated on condition. It’s evaluated, not automatically condemned. Knob-and-tube is separate conductors on porcelain supports with no ground anywhere, and it can’t be enveloped in insulation. (ASHI Reporter)
Will I end up with more outlets than I have now?
A permitted rewire can require more receptacles and dedicated circuits than the house currently has. Ask for the proposed device layout and the code provisions triggered by your alterations; the city determines their application to the project.
Do I have to upgrade to 200 amps?
The required capacity comes from the load calculation, planned use and applicable rules. Have the contractor distinguish panel replacement from an increase in service amperage and explain any proposed 200-amp upgrade as a separate scope item.
Can you rewire a house with a finished basement?
Yes. The basement ceiling is the wiring highway for the first floor, so expect a row of openings along the run lines and at the panel unless the ceiling has removable panels. Ask the estimate to identify expected openings, any uncertainty from concealed framing, and who patches them before work starts.