Rewiring a Bedroom

Turn Off the Power

• Like with any electrical project, the first thing you need to do is turn off the circuit breakers on the service panel supplying power to the circuits on which you will be working. Double-check that the power is actually off and the circuits are safe to work on by using a noncontact voltage tester. Sometimes, there may be more than one circuit running through an outlet box, so you may have to turn off more than one circuit breaker before the box is safe to work in.

Laying Out the Wall Receptacle Outlets

• According to Section 210.52(a) of the National Electrical Code, and according to all local electrical codes, no point on a wall, measured along the floor line, shall be more than 6 feet from a receptacle outlet. To locate the first outlet, measure 6 feet from any opening in the wall, such as a room door or closet door, and mark that location. Since standard duplex receptacles are actually two receptacles in one, the second receptacle outlet box is located 12 feet after the first. There are no code requirements for outlet box mounting height above the floor line, but 15 inches to the bottom of the box is considered standard.

Adjusting for Furniture Placement

• If the standard placement of receptacle outlet boxes places a receptacle in an inaccessible spot, such as behind a bed's headboard, the distance between receptacles may be reduced so the receptacles are at the side of the bed and not hidden behind the headboard. The code allows the distance between receptacles to be less than 6 or 12 feet, but not more than 6 or 12 feet.

Positioning Light Switches

• Just as with wall receptacle outlets, there is no rule regarding the mounting height for light switches in private dwellings, but 48 inches to the bottom of the switch box is considered standard. An 48-inch mounting height also meets the Americans With Disabilities Act requirements.

Running the Wire

• The easiest way to run wire in any room with finished walls is to run it behind the baseboards. Simply remove the baseboards, cut a channel in the wall finish behind the baseboard, and cut notches in the studs. Lay the cable in those notches and, cover the cable with steel nailing plates to protect the cable as required by code. By using this method, you only have to fish cable through the walls to reach the receptacle and switch locations, and up to any lighting outlet boxes you install. For lighting outlet boxes, the easiest way to run the wire is by working from above using an attic or attic crawlspace.