The Cost of Wiring a House

Home Wiring Projects

• For installing basic wiring into a home, for example, you'll have to account for the number of light fixtures, outlets and switch boxes you'll have, as well as the number of circuits you'll need in the circuit breaker. If you're a handyman or have experience installing electrical systems, you can probably do at least some of the work yourself, such as running electrical lines for outlets and lights. However, connecting the home wiring system to the electrical grid, as well as other more complicated projects, typically requires the assistance of a licensed electrician.

Wiring Options

• You have several different options when wiring a home. The most basic wiring installation involves solely electrical wiring for lights, appliances and electrical outlets. Adding a phone or cable line is also a common wiring need, as is adding data wiring for computer networks. Wireless computer networks typically require much less work, as they rely only on an Internet connection and electrical power source.

Costs

• Home wiring costs are typically expressed by cost per square foot. For example, if you're building a 2,500-square-foot home, you'll need to determine how many rooms you have to wire, the number of outlets to install, the number of lighting fixtures you need, and whether you're installing electrical or gas appliances, a solar power system, data wires and cable connections, among other things. The simplest way to determine the price is to contact several electrical contractors, explain the kind of work you need done and ask them to submit bids that break down the cost by both labor and materials.

Other Considerations

• Regardless of the size of the home and the kind of wiring going into it, all wiring projects must meet state and local building regulations. Electrical installation may require you to get appropriate building permits before you begin your job. These may add additional costs to the total project cost.