Whole-House Rewiring

Workmanship warranties are set by the contractor, and one to two years on labour is common on larger jobs, with manufacturers covering the equipment separately. Ask for the warranty terms in writing on the invoice, not verbally.

Not automatically, if it is intact and undisturbed. The problems come from brittle insulation, buried splices, missing ground paths and the load it was never designed for. Inspectors and insurers increasingly treat it as a defect, so documentation matters.

Ask for the licence number before work begins and confirm it with the licensing authority for your state or municipality. Electrical licensing is handled at state level in most of the country and at city or county level in a few large metro areas, so the correct place to verify depends on where you live. A licensed contractor will give you the number, and usually the insurance certificate too, without being asked twice.

Card, cheque and bank transfer are common, with financing available on larger projects through some companies. Be cautious of anyone demanding full payment in cash up front — a deposit for materials is normal on large jobs, full prepayment is not.

For an urgent fault, switch the affected circuit off at the panel and leave it off. If the panel itself is hot, smoking, sparking or wet, do not touch it and keep everyone away from it. Never pull a meter or open a panel, and never pour water on anything electrical.

Yes, and it is often the smartest first step. Contractors commonly rewire the highest-risk areas first — kitchen, bathrooms, laundry and any circuit feeding a modern appliance load — then return for the rest in a later phase.

Technicians use existing cavities, attics, basements and crawlspaces wherever possible, cutting small access holes rather than long channels. Those holes are patched as part of the job, but paint and finish matching is usually the owner's responsibility.

Permits are commonly required for panel replacements, service upgrades, new circuits, and work in wet locations like kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors. Simple device replacements often do not need one. Because requirements are set locally, the safest approach is to ask the contractor who will pull the permit and confirm the inspection record afterwards.