You’ll qualify for standard homeowners insurance again. Most carriers in Rhode Island won’t touch homes with knob and tube wiring, and the few that will charge you double or triple the normal premium. Once we upgrade your electrical system to modern standards, you’re back in the regular market with regular rates.
Your home becomes safer for your family. Knob and tube wiring causes over 28,000 electrical fires every year because the insulation deteriorates and there’s no ground wire to redirect faults. Modern wiring includes grounding and proper insulation that actually protects against electrical fires.
You can finally use your home the way you need to. That old wiring was designed for a few light bulbs and maybe a radio. You’re trying to run a refrigerator, HVAC system, computers, phone chargers, and everything else modern life requires. After we replace outdated wiring in your house, your electrical system can handle what you’re actually plugging in.
We work in Providence’s older neighborhoods constantly. We know these homes because we’re in them every week—Federal Hill, College Hill, Elmhurst, Mount Pleasant. These areas have some of the highest concentrations of pre-1950 housing in Rhode Island, which means knob and tube wiring is everywhere.
Our electricians are Master Electricians and Electrical Inspector Certified. We’re members of the Rhode Island Electrical Inspectors IAEI Roger Williams Chapter. That matters because knob and tube removal isn’t just about pulling out old wire—it’s about knowing how to work in historic homes without destroying original plaster and knowing exactly what the local inspectors will approve.
We’ve been doing electrical system upgrades for old homes in Providence, RI for years. We know what your insurance company needs to see in the documentation, and we know how to get the work done without turning your house into a construction disaster.
We start with a full assessment of your current wiring. We need to see what’s actually in your walls, where it runs, and what’s feeding what. Most Providence homes have a mix—some circuits were updated over the years, others weren’t. We map everything out so you know exactly what needs replacing and what the cost will be.
Then we plan the new circuit routes to minimize wall damage. This is where experience in old homes matters. We know how to fish wire through plaster walls without ripping everything open. We use existing pathways where possible and only open walls where absolutely necessary.
The actual removal and installation happens room by room or floor by floor, depending on your situation. We pull out the old knob and tube wiring, install modern Romex cable with proper grounding, upgrade your panel if needed, and install new outlets and switches that meet current code. Everything gets inspected and approved by the city.
You get documentation that satisfies your insurance company. We provide you with permits, inspection certificates, and detailed records of the work. That’s what you need to get your coverage back.
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You get a full electrical system that meets 2024 Rhode Island electrical code. That means grounded circuits throughout your home, AFCI protection where required, proper amperage for modern loads, and a panel that can handle everything you’re running. No shortcuts, no “good enough for now” solutions.
Providence homes built before 1950 typically need panel upgrades as part of the knob and tube removal. Your current panel was designed for 60 amps, maybe 100 if someone upgraded it years ago. Modern homes need 200 amps minimum. We handle that upgrade as part of the project so your new wiring actually has the capacity it needs.
We work to preserve your home’s character while modernizing the electrical. That means careful plaster repair, matching existing outlet and switch locations where it makes sense, and keeping disruption to trim and woodwork minimal. You’re living in a historic Providence home because you want to—we respect that while making sure your electrical system is actually safe.
The project includes all permits and inspections required by the City of Providence. We pull the permits, we schedule the inspections, we handle the paperwork. You don’t have to figure out what the city requires or deal with the building department.
Most Providence homes run between $12,000 and $28,000 for complete knob and tube wiring removal, depending on square footage and how accessible your wiring is. A 1,200 square foot bungalow with an accessible basement and attic will cost less than a 2,400 square foot Victorian with finished rooms on three floors.
The size of your home matters most. Electricians price this work by the square foot because that determines how much wire needs to be pulled and replaced. Expect to pay $10 to $15 per square foot for the electrical work itself.
Accessibility affects your cost significantly. If we can run new wire through an unfinished basement and open attic, the job goes faster and costs less. If every circuit requires opening walls because you have a finished basement and no attic access, you’re paying for more labor and more repair work. Panel upgrades add $2,000 to $4,000 to the total if your current panel can’t support modern loads.
Yes, once you replace knob and tube wiring with a modern grounded system, you’ll qualify for standard homeowners insurance coverage at normal rates. Insurance companies refuse coverage or charge extreme premiums because knob and tube wiring represents a documented fire risk they don’t want to insure.
You’ll need to provide your insurance company with proof that the work was done correctly. That means permits from the City of Providence, passed inspections from a licensed electrical inspector, and documentation from a licensed electrician that the old wiring has been completely removed and replaced. We provide all of that documentation as part of the job.
Most Providence homeowners see their insurance situation resolve within a few weeks of completing the upgrade. If your current carrier dropped you, you can shop the regular market again. If you’re paying inflated premiums, you can get quotes at standard rates. The electrical upgrade removes the underwriting issue that was blocking your coverage.
Plan on one to three weeks for most Providence homes, depending on size and complexity. A small single-family home with good access might take a week. A larger multi-story home with finished spaces and limited access could take three weeks or more.
We typically work in phases so you’re not without power in your entire house at once. We’ll rewire one floor or section at a time, keeping the rest of your home functional while we work. That extends the timeline slightly but means you can still live in your house during the project.
Inspection scheduling affects the timeline too. The City of Providence needs to inspect the work before we close up walls and again when everything’s complete. We schedule those inspections as efficiently as possible, but you’re dependent on inspector availability. Factor in a few extra days for inspection scheduling when you’re planning the project timeline.
You can technically replace only some circuits, but it won’t solve your insurance problem. Insurance companies want all knob and tube wiring removed, not just the worst sections. If any knob and tube remains in your home, you’re still in the high-risk category as far as underwriters are concerned.
Partial replacement also doesn’t address the safety issue completely. The circuits you leave in place still have deteriorating insulation, no grounding, and inadequate capacity for modern loads. You’re spending money on an electrical upgrade but not actually making your home significantly safer.
The only time partial replacement makes sense is if you’re doing a phased project for budget reasons—you replace half the house this year and half next year, with a clear plan to complete the full removal. Some insurance companies will work with you on a timeline if you can show you’re actively addressing the issue. But the end goal still needs to be complete removal of all knob and tube wiring in your Providence home.
We’ll need to open some walls, but experienced electricians minimize the damage significantly. The extent of wall work depends on your home’s layout and where we can run new wire without opening everything up. Homes with unfinished basements and accessible attics require much less wall opening than homes where every space is finished.
We use existing pathways wherever possible—running wire through the basement up to first floor outlets, or through the attic down to second floor fixtures. When we do need to open walls, we make strategic cuts where we can fish wire to multiple locations from one access point. We’re not randomly cutting holes everywhere.
Plaster repair is part of the job. We patch and finish any openings we make so your walls are smooth and ready for paint. If you have historic plaster you want preserved, tell us upfront—we’ll adjust our approach to protect original materials as much as possible. The goal is to upgrade your electrical system while respecting the character of your Providence home.
No, most homeowners stay in their homes during the electrical upgrade. We work in sections so you always have power to essential areas like your kitchen and bathrooms. You’ll have some inconvenience—furniture moved away from walls, dust from any wall work, electricians in your house for a week or more—but you can live there.
You will have temporary power interruptions as we switch circuits over from old to new wiring. We schedule those interruptions during work hours and keep them as brief as possible. You might be without power in specific rooms for a few hours at a time, but your whole house won’t go dark for days.
Some homeowners with young children or specific work-from-home requirements choose to stay elsewhere for a few days during the heaviest work. That’s a personal choice based on your tolerance for construction activity. It’s not required, but it’s an option if you want to avoid the disruption entirely.
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