Your insurance company stops threatening to drop you. That’s usually why people call—they’re trying to renew their policy and get told the knob and tube wiring has to go.
After we replace knob and tube wiring in your Westerly home, you’ll have a grounded electrical system that meets current Rhode Island codes. Your outlets work properly. Your breaker panel can handle what you’re actually plugging in—not what someone in 1920 thought you’d need.
You can also sell your home without buyers walking away during inspection. In Westerly, where over 25% of homes were built before 1940, this old wiring removal comes up constantly during real estate transactions. Buyers either demand it gets fixed or they move on to the next house.
The fire risk drops to nearly zero. Old wiring gets brittle. Insulation deteriorates. When that happens in your walls, you’re one overloaded circuit away from a serious problem.
We’ve spent over 30 years working on old home electrical wiring replacement across Rhode Island. We’re licensed Master Electricians who know how Westerly homes are built—the plaster walls, the tight attic access, the quirks that come with houses from the 1920s and 30s.
We’re not a handyman service trying to figure out electrical work. We’re certified electrical inspectors who’ve completed more than 1,500 projects. When we pull a permit for your knob and tube upgrade in Westerly, it passes inspection the first time.
Most of our work comes from insurance requirements, pre-sale inspections, or people who just want to know their electrical system won’t fail when they need it. We get it done without tearing apart your house, and we clean up when we’re finished.
We start with an inspection of your electrical system. We map out where the old wiring runs, check your panel capacity, and figure out the best access points. In Westerly’s older homes, that usually means working through the basement, attic, or both.
Next, we pull permits with the town. Rhode Island requires licensed electricians to handle this work, and inspections are mandatory. We schedule everything so you’re not waiting around for approvals.
Then we install the new wiring. We run modern, grounded circuits that meet the 2023 National Electrical Code. We replace outdated outlets and switches. We upgrade your panel if needed—most homes with knob and tube wiring have panels that can’t handle today’s electrical load.
We don’t leave holes in your walls. We use existing pathways when possible and patch anything we open. The final inspection happens after everything’s installed, and you get documentation showing your electrical system is code-compliant.
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You get complete removal of the old knob and tube wiring—not just covering it up or disconnecting it. We pull it out and install new wiring that’s grounded and code-compliant.
We upgrade your electrical panel if it can’t support modern circuits. Most homes in Westerly with knob and tube wiring have 60-amp or 100-amp panels. That’s not enough for central air, electric dryers, and everything else you’re running. We typically install 200-amp panels during these upgrades.
You also get additional outlets and circuits where you need them. If you’re rewiring anyway, it makes sense to add convenience outlets in the kitchen, extra circuits in the bedrooms, or dedicated lines for appliances. We handle the permit process, the inspections, and the final documentation your insurance company needs.
In Westerly, where the median home was built in 1972 and thousands of houses predate 1940, we’ve done this work hundreds of times. We know what inspectors look for, what insurance companies require, and how to get it done without destroying your walls.
Most knob and tube removal projects in Westerly run between $12,000 and $36,000. The average is around $24,000, but your actual cost depends on your home’s size, how accessible the wiring is, and whether you need a panel upgrade.
A small cape with an unfinished basement and open attic costs less than a two-story colonial with finished rooms on every floor. If we can run new wiring without opening walls, the job goes faster and costs less. If we’re cutting into plaster and lath, it takes longer.
Panel upgrades add to the cost but they’re usually necessary. Homes with knob and tube wiring often have outdated panels that can’t handle modern electrical loads. Upgrading to a 200-amp panel while we’re rewiring the house makes sense—you’re already paying for the permit and inspection.
We give you a fixed price after the inspection. No surprises, no hourly rates that spiral out of control. You know what it costs before we start.
No. Insurance companies don’t pay to remove knob and tube wiring—they just refuse to insure your home if you don’t get rid of it.
Some insurers give you 30 to 60 days to replace the wiring before they cancel your policy. Others won’t write a new policy at all if the inspection shows knob and tube wiring. A few will insure you but charge 50% to 100% more in premiums because of the fire risk.
If you’re trying to sell your home in Westerly, buyers’ insurance companies often flag this during underwriting. The sale can fall through if the wiring doesn’t get replaced before closing. We’ve had sellers call us in a panic because they’re two weeks from closing and just found out the wiring is a deal-breaker.
The cost of replacing knob and tube wiring is an investment in keeping your insurance, protecting your home’s value, and eliminating a serious fire hazard. It’s not optional if you want coverage.
Sometimes, yes. It depends on how your home is built and where the wiring runs.
If you have an unfinished basement or accessible attic, we can often run new wiring through those spaces without opening walls. We use existing pathways—like the channels where the old wiring ran—to minimize damage. In Westerly’s older homes, we’ve gotten good at working around plaster walls and tight spaces.
But if the wiring runs through finished walls with no attic or basement access, we’ll need to open some sections. We keep it minimal. We patch and paint what we open, and we coordinate with you so you know exactly what to expect.
The goal is to get your home rewired with as little disruption as possible. We’ve done this in occupied homes where people are still living there during the work. It’s not a gut renovation—it’s a targeted upgrade to your electrical system.
Most knob and tube wiring removal projects in Westerly take one to two weeks. Smaller homes with good access can be done faster. Larger homes or homes with limited access take longer.
The timeline includes the inspection, permit approval, the actual rewiring work, and the final inspection. Rhode Island requires permits for this work, and inspections can add a few days to the schedule depending on the town’s availability.
We don’t drag the job out. We show up when we say we will, we work efficiently, and we don’t leave your home torn apart for weeks. You’ll have workers in your house for several days, but we clean up at the end of each day and keep disruption to a minimum.
If you’re on a deadline—like a closing date or an insurance cancellation notice—let us know. We’ve prioritized jobs before when people are up against a hard deadline.
Usually, yes. Most homes with knob and tube wiring have 60-amp or 100-amp panels, and that’s not enough for a modern home.
When we rewire your house, we’re installing circuits that can handle today’s electrical load—central air, electric dryers, kitchen appliances, computers, TVs, and everything else you’re running. A 60-amp panel can’t support that. Even a 100-amp panel is often maxed out.
We typically install 200-amp panels during knob and tube removal projects. It costs more upfront, but it means your electrical system can handle what you need now and in the future. You won’t be tripping breakers or worrying about overloading circuits.
Rhode Island code requires that new electrical work meets current standards. If your panel is outdated, inspectors won’t sign off on the job until it’s upgraded. We handle that as part of the project so you’re not dealing with failed inspections or code violations.
Your insurance company will likely drop you or refuse to renew your policy. That’s the most immediate consequence. Without insurance, you can’t get a mortgage, and you’re personally liable for any damage to your home.
If you’re selling, buyers will find the knob and tube wiring during the inspection. They’ll either walk away or demand that you replace it before closing. In Westerly’s real estate market, homes with outdated wiring sit longer and sell for less.
The fire risk is real. Knob and tube wiring wasn’t designed for modern electrical loads. The insulation deteriorates over time, and when it fails, exposed copper can arc and start fires. The National Electrical Code specifically prohibits covering this wiring with insulation because of the heat buildup and fire danger.
You’re also dealing with a system that can’t handle what you’re plugging in. Overloaded circuits, frequent breaker trips, and outlets that don’t work properly are all symptoms of wiring that’s 80 to 100 years old. At some point, it fails—and emergency electrical repairs cost more than planned upgrades.
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