# Whole-house rewiring in San Francisco

> Whole house rewiring in San Francisco: every old branch circuit replaced, new circuits planned with the panel, DBI permit and inspections. See local costs.

URL: https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/whole-house-rewiring/

**Service**

Every old branch circuit replaced, new circuits added where the house needs them, and the panel sized for the load.

Last Updated: October 30, 2026

**Where**

San Francisco and the East Bay: Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda and Piedmont.

**Local rules**

- An electrical permit from DBI before new wiring goes in, then a pre-cover and a final inspection.San Francisco Electrical Code 89.127
- A separate permit for each dwelling unit, except in single-family (R-3) buildings.DBI fee schedule
- Only owner-occupants of a single-family home may pull their own electrical permit.SF Department of Building Inspection
- No insulation around concealed knob and tube without a licensed electrical contractor's certification.California Electrical Code 394.12
- Up to $2,000 toward active knob and tube for income-qualified PG&E customers in an EASE Home project.BayREN

[Fog City SF Knob and Tube](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/) manages whole-house rewiring in San Francisco and the East Bay: every old branch circuit in the house is replaced, whether it is knob and tube, cloth-insulated cable or later wiring that was spliced into both, and the panel is sized for what the house will run next. The electrical work is carried out by licensed and insured electrical contractors.

A whole-house rewire is a different decision from [knob and tube replacement](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/) on a few circuits. It is the right fit when most of the house is original, when several wiring eras are mixed together, or when the owner wants every outlet grounded and every room on a circuit that matches how it is used today. It is not common in San Francisco only because the houses are old: DBI’s electrical permit records on DataSF include 3,361 permits filed from January 2016 to October 2026 whose descriptions call for a complete, entire or whole-house rewire.

## What happens on the first visit

The first visit tests every circuit and records what each one runs on: knob and tube, cloth-insulated cable, later cable, or a mix joined by splices. At the panel or fuse box, each circuit’s protection and the spare capacity are written down. That map, not the age of the house, decides whether a whole-house scope is needed.

The visit then looks at the house as a job site. In a Sunset or Parkside house with living space over a garage, the garage ceiling is often the main route for first-floor circuits. In a Mission flat building with a flat roof, there may be no walkable attic at all, so top-floor ceiling circuits need another path. Plaster ceilings, picture rails, built-in cabinets and finished basements are noted, because each one changes where cable can travel and where an opening has to go. The result is a route plan and a written scope that lists each opening and who closes it. A [knob and tube inspection](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/knob-and-tube-inspection/) on its own covers the testing half of this visit when no work is planned yet.

## Why whole-house, not circuit by circuit

Original knob and tube circuits were laid out for a few ceiling lights and a handful of outlets, often several rooms to one fuse. Later owners added to them. A remodel might have run new cable from a kitchen back to an old ceiling splice, or a handyman might have tapped a hall circuit for a bathroom heater. Each addition leaves a joint between eras hidden in a ceiling or wall, and those joints are where problems concentrate: an unboxed splice, a later cable with no ground, or a circuit protected by a fuse larger than the old conductors can carry.

Replacing one circuit at a time leaves those joints for someone to find later. A whole-house scope replaces the original branch circuits, the [cloth-insulated cable](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/cloth-wiring-replacement/) that followed them, and the hybrids in between, so nothing old stays connected behind a modern-looking outlet. Where testing shows that most of the house was already rewired by an earlier remodel, a [partial replacement](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/partial-knob-and-tube-replacement/) is usually the better value, and the plan should say so. Retired runs that stay in the walls are disconnected at both ends; San Francisco’s electrical code requires unused conductors to be removed or identified and terminated in an approved manner, which is what [knob and tube removal](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/knob-and-tube-removal/) covers.

## Planning new circuits and the panel together

A whole-house rewire is the one chance to fix the circuit layout without opening walls twice. Kitchen countertops, bathrooms and laundry get their own circuits. Rooms with one or two outlets get more. Dedicated circuits are planned for appliances that used to share, and for anything electric the owner expects to add, such as an induction range, a heat pump dryer or a car charger. A load calculation then shows whether the existing panel and service can carry the plan.

That is why the panel question belongs in the same plan. In DBI permit descriptions that name knob and tube, filed since 2016, 27.9% mention a subpanel, 11.3% mention 200 amps and 11.0% mention a service upgrade, main panel or meter. When more capacity is needed, an [electrical panel upgrade](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/electrical-panel-upgrade/) is scheduled with the rewire, and PG&E handles its side through its own application, with full payment due before PG&E starts construction. A new panel by itself replaces no branch wiring at all, which the [panel upgrade vs rewiring guide](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/panel-upgrade-vs-rewiring/) explains in detail. San Francisco’s own amendments also matter here: new service-entrance conductors must run in a raceway such as rigid metal or PVC conduit of at least 1-1/4 inch, not in cable.

## Routing cable through a San Francisco house

Where cable goes is what separates a tidy rewire from a messy one. Basement and garage ceilings, attics, closets and stacked bathroom walls are used first, and walls are opened only where a run cannot be fished. San Francisco treats premises wiring less than 8 feet above a walking surface as subject to physical damage, which matters in the ground-floor garages under so many west-side houses: cable along a low garage ceiling may need protection or a different wiring method.

Plaster and lath is the other constraint. Openings are kept small, placed at outlet boxes, ceiling fixtures and the tops and bottoms of wall cavities, and patched afterward, with the patching shown as its own line in the quote; [plaster-wall rewiring](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/plaster-wall-rewiring/) covers the methods. DBI presumes buildings built before 1979 contain lead paint unless a certified inspector proves otherwise, and the EPA requires firms paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 homes to be certified and follow lead-safe practices. The [lead and asbestos guide](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/lead-and-asbestos-during-rewiring/) explains what that adds.

In buildings with more than one unit, each existing dwelling unit needs its own DBI electrical permit, and San Francisco limits where nonmetallic cable can go in common areas of some multifamily construction types. [Apartment building rewiring](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/apartment-building-rewiring/) covers phasing around tenants.

## Code protection on the new work

New circuits are built to the California Electrical Code that San Francisco adopted, operative January 1, 2026. Replaced or extended branch circuits serving most living areas need arc-fault protection, kitchens, bathrooms, laundry areas and the other listed locations need ground-fault protection, and new receptacles must be tamper-resistant. Every new cable carries an equipment grounding conductor, so the [grounded outlets](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/ground-outlets-old-house/) it feeds are grounded in fact, not only three-prong in appearance. About one in ten San Francisco knob and tube permit descriptions also mention smoke alarms. The [AFCI and GFCI guide](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/afci-gfci-knob-and-tube/) covers what each device does.

The pre-cover inspection happens before any wall or ceiling is closed. DBI can order concealed, uninspected work exposed at the owner’s expense, so patching waits for that sign-off. After the final inspection, DBI issues the Certificate to Connect Current, the Green Tag.

## Insurance, sale and rebates

Insurance is often what starts a whole-house job. Thirty San Francisco knob and tube permit descriptions filed since 2016 cite an insurer, one of them reading “like for like insurance requirement to replace existing knob & tube to nm cable.” A whole-house rewire with a written circuit record gives the clearest answer to an underwriter’s question, but the carrier still makes its own decision; an [electrical inspection for insurance](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/electrical-inspection-for-insurance/) documents the house before or after the work.

BayREN’s EASE Home program reimburses up to $2,000 to fix active knob and tube for income-qualified PG&E customers whose homes have four or fewer units, as part of an EASE Home weatherization project; the [BayREN rebate guide](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/knob-and-tube-rebate-bayren/) has the eligibility details. Fog City SF Knob and Tube helps with the rebate paperwork, and the electrical contractors who do the work supply the electrician’s invoice and the inactivity certification the program asks for; BayREN decides eligibility and the amount.

## What the quote should separate

A whole-house quote is easier to compare when it splits four things: the electrical scope, the panel or service work, the PG&E side, and patching and paint. Bay Area homeowners report that some electricians price wiring only and leave the openings, while others include plaster repair as its own line. Neither is wrong, but two quotes that look far apart may simply be covering different work. A Fog City SF Knob and Tube quote includes the plaster patching as its own line. The [rewiring quote checklist](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/rewiring-quote-checklist/) lists what to ask for, the [San Francisco cost guide](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/knob-and-tube-replacement-cost-san-francisco/) explains each part of the price, and the [cost estimator](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/tools/knob-and-tube-cost-estimator/) gives a first number without a call.

**Scope**

## What's included

- A test of every circuit, recording which run on knob and tube, which on cloth-insulated cable, which on later wiring and which are spliced together
- A new circuit plan that splits overloaded original circuits and adds kitchen, bath, laundry and appliance circuits
- A load calculation that shows whether the existing panel and service can carry the plan
- New grounded cable for every branch circuit in scope, routed through basement, garage and attic paths before any wall is opened
- New boxes, receptacles and switches where the old ones cannot be reused
- Arc-fault, ground-fault and tamper-resistant protection where the California Electrical Code requires it for new work
- Every retired run disconnected at both ends, removed where reachable or identified and terminated
- DBI permit, pre-cover and final inspections, a labeled panel directory and a written circuit record

**Choosing the scope**

## Whole-house rewiring, partial replacement or a panel upgrade alone

| Compare | Whole-house rewiring | Partial replacement | Panel upgrade only |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it replaces | Every old branch circuit, knob and tube or not | The named circuits still on old wiring | The panel and, if needed, the service; no branch wiring |
| Best fit | Most circuits are original, or several wiring eras are mixed | A remodel already replaced most of the house | Branch wiring is already modern but capacity is short |
| Knob and tube left live | None | None on the replaced circuits; check the rest | All of it |
| Grounded outlets | Throughout | On replaced circuits only | No change |
| New circuits | Planned for the whole house at once | Only where the scope reaches | Breaker space for later circuits |
| Walls and access | Planned openings on every floor | Openings in the rooms in scope | Usually none inside the living space |
| Typical cost | $20,000 to $50,000 or more, a typical San Francisco range | $2,000 to $10,000, a national budgeting range | $3,000 to $10,000, a typical San Francisco range |

**Read next**

## Related resources

- [Decision GuideWhat should a rewiring quote include?The lines that make two knob and tube rewiring quotes comparable, what each one tells you, and the gaps that turn into surprises later.](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/rewiring-quote-checklist/)
- [LearnWhat replaced knob and tube wiring?The wiring methods that followed knob and tube, what a rewire installs today, and the San Francisco code amendments that decide which one goes where.](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/what-replaced-knob-and-tube-wiring/)
- [LearnWhat is the amp rating of knob and tube wiring?Why there is no number printed on the wire, what really sets a knob and tube circuit's capacity, and what changes when modern loads land on it.](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/knob-and-tube-amp-rating/)
- [Decision GuideWhat are the signs your house needs rewiring?A symptom-first way to sort what you are seeing, for owners who are not sure what wiring they have, with what each sign can and cannot tell you.](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/signs-your-house-needs-rewiring/)
- [Cost GuideHow much does knob and tube replacement cost in San Francisco?The ranges, what moves a house within them, and the parts of the price that come from public figures.](https://fogcitysfknobandtube.com/guide/knob-and-tube-replacement-cost-san-francisco/)

**How a job runs**

## From the first call to the Green Tag.

### First call

Tell us what started this: an insurer's letter, an inspection report, a remodel, an attic you want to insulate.

The age of the house, the number of units and any deadline shape the next step.

### Walk-through

Circuits are tested to separate live knob and tube from abandoned runs, and attic, basement and garage access is checked.

Plaster, trim and finishes are noted, and you get a written scope and price.

### The work

The permit is filed with DBI. New cable is fished along the planned routes and openings are kept small.

The pre-cover inspection happens before anything is closed.

### Patching, inspection and the Green Tag

Once the pre-cover inspection passes, the openings are patched. Plaster patching is included and shown as its own line in the quote.

After the final inspection and the Green Tag, old runs are removed or terminated and the panel directory is updated.

**On the job**

## What this work looks like

Four new white cables stapled along a basement joist and passing through drilled holes toward the panel

A room during rewiring with a drop cloth, a stepladder and two small taped openings high on a plaster wall

A new white three-prong receptacle in a blue box set into a plaster wall, its cover plate not yet installed

Removed cloth-covered wire and loose porcelain knobs collected in a bucket on a drop cloth

Before

After

**Questions**

## Whole-house rewiring: questions

### What does whole-house rewiring cost in San Francisco?

A typical San Francisco range for the electrical scope of a whole-house knob and tube replacement in a single-family home is $20,000 to $50,000 or more, with permits. A panel or service upgrade is separate, typically $3,000 to $10,000. Whether other contractors include patching varies; Fog City SF Knob and Tube includes plaster patching as its own line in the quote.

### Does whole-house rewiring replace cloth-insulated wiring as well as knob and tube?

It should. A whole-house scope covers every old branch circuit, including cloth-insulated cable from the decades after knob and tube, which usually has no ground wire either. If a quote says knob and tube only, ask whether later ungrounded cable that was spliced into it will stay in the walls.

### Will a whole-house rewire make room for an electric range, heat pump or EV charger?

It is the cheapest moment to plan for them. Circuits for a range, dryer, heat pump or charger can be routed while floors and walls are open, and a load calculation shows whether the panel and service can carry them. If they cannot, a panel upgrade is planned into the same project instead of a second one.

### Does whole-house rewiring always need a 200-amp service?

No. The load calculation decides. Some houses carry the new circuits on the existing service with a new or rearranged panel; others need more capacity, especially when electric cooking, heating or car charging is planned. About one in nine San Francisco knob and tube permit descriptions filed since 2016 mention 200 amps.

### Can we live in the house during a whole-house rewire?

Often, in a single-family house. Circuits can be replaced in sequence so most rooms have power at night, and the rooms being worked are covered and closed off. Some days the kitchen or a bathroom may be without power for part of the day, which belongs on the schedule before work starts. Tenant-occupied flats follow Rent Board rules.

**Related services**

## Other work on the same wiring

### Partial knob and tube replacement

The circuits still running on knob and tube replaced from the panel out, with a written record of exactly what remains.

### Electrical panel upgrade

A fuse box or undersized panel replaced, the service resized when the load calculation calls for it, and PG&E's side coordinated.

### Plaster-wall rewiring

New circuits fished through lath-and-plaster walls from the attic, basement and garage, with small openings that are patched as an itemized line.