How Long Does It Take to Rewire a House? (Real timelines from LA jobs we’ve actually done)
Quick take: For most Los Angeles homes with 2–3 bedrooms, a full rewire usually lands in 3–7 working days. A single room? 1–2 days. Add time if you’ve got plaster walls, tough access, or you’re pairing the rewire with panel upgrades, EV charging, or remediation. Below, I’ll lay out real-world schedules, what speeds things up (and what slows them down), a simple day-by-day plan, and a true Farashi Electric case from right here in LA.
The question everyone asks: “Can this be done in a week?”
If you’re searching how long does it take to rewire a house, you’re probably trying to line this up around work, school drop-offs, and a contractor who “can start Monday.” Here’s the straight answer: your home’s access sets the tempo. If we can fish wires through an attic or crawl space, follow a sensible circuit map, and you’ve cleared space near the panel and likely drops, you can be surprised how fast this goes—without living in a demolition zone.
The short answers
How long to rewire a house?
- Most 2–3 bed drywall homes: 3–7 working days (we phase circuits so evenings stay livable).
- Plaster/lath, limited access, or heavy remediation: 6–12+ days.
- Adds time: panel upgrade, EV-ready circuit, whole-home surge, smart controls.
How long to rewire a 3-bed house?
- In typical LA conditions with attic/crawl access: 5–8 days end-to-end, including inspection and small patch/prime.
How long to rewire a room?
- 1–2 days with clean access and no shared MWBC/subfeed surprises. Kitchens and baths can take longer thanks to GFCI/AFCI protection and bigger appliance loads.
What’s the average time to run a single new circuit?
- From panel to a room via attic/crawl: usually 2–4 hours to drill plates, fish, make up boxes, and test—assuming no weird obstacles.
How long after water damage, a failed inspection, or remodel discovery?
- Figure +1–3 days for dry-out, remediation, and permit re-scope on top of the base timeline.
Want a precise, day-by-day rewiring timeline?
Share a few photos and get a clear start/finish plan—fast, clean, inspector-ready work by Farashi Electric.
Get My Rewiring Timeline & EstimateWhat actually speeds things up (and what drags)
Faster
- Attic/crawl access, wide soffits, or usable chases.
- Drywall (vs. stubborn plaster) and simple floor plans.
- Permit already in hand, clear device counts, rooms labeled.
- Grouped vertical drops (switches/outlets lined up).
Slower
- Lath & plaster, tiled feature walls, or no overhead/underfloor access.
- Knob-and-tube or aluminum remediation; brittle old conductors.
- Panel tucked in a far corner with long runs, or a service that needs an upgrade.
- Midstream change orders and surprise “mystery junctions.”
Still comparing options? Browse scope examples and timelines on rewiring services los angeles to see where your project fits.
Professional take: People love to say, “Just fish it—it’s quick.” Sure…until the AHJ wants a safer path, the joist bay blocks a straight shot, or we run into vintage plaster that cracks if you glare at it. Clean access and decisions made up front beat any “we’ll figure it out as we go” plan.
A clean, phased rewire—day by day
- Day 0 (Prep): Permit in place. Walk-through, mark circuits, floor protection, dust control.
Want dates—not averages? Request a photo-based plan on home rewiring los angeles ca and get a room-cluster schedule with clear start/finish.
- Day 1: Pull main home runs from panel to attic/crawl. Set junction points in closets/utility spots.
- Days 2–3: Tackle room clusters (living + hallway; bedrooms; kitchen). Fish vertical drops, set boxes, bond grounds.
- Day 4: Kitchens/baths/laundry (AFCI/GFCI), smoke/CO interconnects, surge protection.
- Day 5: Trim-out (switches/receptacles), labeling, continuity/polarity tests, load checks.
- Day 6: Inspection and punch list. Close postcard-sized openings; prime/texture touch-ups.
- Day 7: Contingency. Final walk-through and warranty packet.
Want minimal wall impact? Take a look at How to Rewire a House without Wrecking the Walls for the surgical tricks we use.
Real LA case study (3 bed, 1,600 sq ft, 1958)
Goal: Replace aging mixed wiring, add AFCI/GFCI, and future-proof with a spare conduit to the attic.
Constraints: Partial plaster walls, low attic in spots, toddler at home—quiet evenings a must.
Plan: 6 days, phased so at least one bedroom and the living area stayed powered every night.
- Day 1: Panel labeling; three new home runs via attic; junction set in a hallway closet that smelled faintly of old paint and cedar—classic Valley house.
- Day 2: Bedrooms + hallway; tiny corner openings only; zip-wall dust control kept that fine plaster dust from settling on the dresser.
- Day 3: Living + dining; added two dedicated circuits; relocated a switch to meet code height (no more “why is this switch at my knee?”).
- Day 4: Kitchen + laundry GFCI/AFCI; tamper-resistant outlets; we test under appliance start so lights don’t “wink” when the washer kicks on.
- Day 5: Devices, smoke/CO interconnect, whole-home surge; quick thermal scan under load to catch hot spots before the inspector does.
- Day 6: AM inspection pass; PM patch/prime; handoff with a labeled directory and a photo log.
Outcome: First-time pass, family slept at home every night, total on-site time: 6 days.
Mini story from the field: On Day 2, the homeowner came home to the smell of fresh primer instead of dust and said, “I expected chaos.” Order beats chaos. Every time.
How you can keep your timeline tight
- Decide scope early. “One more circuit” midstream sounds small, but it adds hours.
- Clear access. Empty closets near vertical runs, pull furniture a foot off likely drops, keep space around the panel.
- Pick device styles up front. Decora vs. toggle, colors, TR/GFCI—no day lost to “which white?”
- Coordinate paint. We patch/prime surgical openings; a painter can follow for a perfect blend.
- Ask about evening energize. We can phase so key rooms work at night—huge for families and WFH.
Deep-dive resources
- For outlet safety, TR/GFCI/AFCI rules, and layout tips, check Electrical Outlet Wiring.
- Planning hall or stair lighting? See How to Wire a 3-Way Switch for clean, code-compliant control from two locations.
Prefer a nearby crew with neighborhood experience? Start here: house rewiring near los angeles ca.
If you’re staring at your own calendar now—kids, work-from-home, pets, tenants—and wondering how a full rewire would ever fit, that’s exactly what Farashi Electric helps homeowners plan around. Instead of giving you a vague “one to two weeks,” we look at your actual square footage, panel condition, access (attic/crawl), and how many rooms have to stay live each night, then build a phased rewiring schedule that makes sense for your life. In Los Angeles, that might mean tackling bedrooms first, splitting upstairs and downstairs over separate days, or pairing a panel upgrade with new circuits so you’re not living in chaos.
Our Latest House Rewiring Projects in LA
Bahram Farashi
C-10 Licensed Electrician (CA Lic. #1102687) — 10+ years installing residential/commercial Electrical Services.
FAQ (direct answers)
Most 2–3 bed LA homes finish in 3–7 working days. Plaster, complex layouts, or upgrades add time.
1–2 days with normal access; kitchens/baths can take longer due to protection rules.
Plan 5–8 days including inspection. We phase circuits so nights stay livable.
2–4 hours, depending on distance, drilling, and access.
Expect +1–3 days for remediation and re-inspection beyond the base scope.
Usually a few surgical openings near corners/closets—then patch/prime. (See our low-dust methods above.)
