Whole-House Rewiring in San Jose, CA
The Most Efficient Way to Heat and Cool Your Bay Area Home
Whole-house rewiring in San Jose typically starts from $8,500 for a standard Bay Area home, depending on square footage, wiring type, and whether a panel upgrade is needed . Homes built before 1980, particularly those with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, often need rewiring before they can support modern electrical loads, pass a home inspection for sale, or qualify for standard homeowners insurance. Ozone Service handles the full scope: wiring assessment, permit acquisition, circuit replacement, panel upgrade if required, and city inspection. One licensed team, one contract, one warranty covering every circuit we touch.
What's Included in Every Rewiring Project
Every whole-house rewiring we complete includes the following as standard – not as billable add-ons discovered during the job.
Whole-Home Wiring Assessment
Before we recommend a scope or price, we inspect every circuit in the home: wire type, condition, gauge, load, and grounding status. You receive a written assessment of what’s present, what’s at risk, and what needs to be replaced. No surprises mid-project.
Complete Circuit Replacement
Old wiring is removed and replaced with new copper conductors, properly sized for modern loads. Every circuit is run to the current California Electrical Code, including AFCI protection on bedroom circuits and GFCI protection in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and exterior locations.
Electrical Panel Assessment
Rewiring almost always surfaces a panel that needs to be evaluated. If your existing panel is undersized, outdated, or incompatible with new wiring, we quote the panel upgrade as part of the project – not as a separate surprise bill. Our licensed electricians handle panel work in-house; no subcontractors.
Permit Acquisition
California requires permits for whole-house rewiring. We pull all required permits through the City of San Jose or the relevant jurisdiction before work begins. Unpermitted rewiring creates disclosure problems during home sales and voids warranty protections.
Minimal Drywall Disruption
We use structured cable routing, existing pathways, and access points to minimize wall opening. In most cases, the project does not require cutting large sections of drywall. We document the access points used and provide a clear scope of any patching required before we start.
City Inspection
Every rewiring project we complete passes city inspection on the first attempt. Our 100% inspection pass rate comes from pulling correct permits, following code without shortcuts, and commissioning every circuit before the inspector arrives.
Up to 12-Year Warranty
Parts and labor, in writing. Every circuit we install is covered. If anything fails within the warranty period, we fix it at no charge – no diagnostic fee, no labor bill.
Which System Is Right for Your Home?
Partial Rewiring
From $3,500
BEFORE INCENTIVES
Best for: Specific circuits, rooms, or additions that need updating without full replacement
Targeted circuit replacement for kitchens, bathrooms, or home additions. Ideal when only part of the home’s wiring is outdated or needs to support new loads.
Whole-House Rewiring
Most Complete
From $8,500
before incentives
Best for: Homes built before 1980 with knob-and-tube, aluminum, or ungrounded wiring
Complete circuit replacement throughout the home. All wiring brought to current California Electrical Code – AFCI and GFCI protection included, permits pulled, city inspection passed.
Panel Upgrade
From $5,500
before incentives
Best for: Homes needing additional capacity for rewiring, heat pumps, or EV charging
Upgrading your panel ensures your home can support modern electrical loads. Licensed in-house electricians, permitted and inspected. Can be combined with rewiring under one contract.
What a Heat Pump Actually Costs After Incentives
The gross cost of a heat pump installation is only part of the picture. Bay Area homeowners have access to three stacking incentive programs that significantly reduce out-of-pocket cost.
We identify which programs apply to your project, ensure the installation meets all rebate program requirements, and handle the documentation. Most contractors don’t touch the paperwork – we do.
Sample Сalculation
San Jose homeowner, heat pump installation, standard income:
SVCE
$2,500
CA Energy-Smart Homes
$5,750
Net savings
$8,250
Rebate availability changes quickly and is often first-come, first-served or waitlisted. We calculate your exact eligibility and current stacking options as part of the free estimate – no guesswork, no surprises.
This Service May Cost Less Than You Think
Bay Area utility programs and state energy incentives may offset a significant portion of your cost. We check what applies to your home and handle all the paperwork – as part of your free estimate, at no charge.
From First Call to Final Inspection
Step 1
Free Estimate & Wiring Assessment
We visit your home, inspect the existing wiring throughout – attic, crawl space, panel, outlets, and switches – and document exactly what’s present. You receive a written assessment and a detailed scope of work with a fixed price. No charge, no obligation.
Step 2
Permit Acquisition
We pull all required permits through the City of San Jose or the relevant city building department before work begins. Permit processing typically takes 2–5 business days for residential rewiring projects. We handle all coordination.
Step 3
Old Wiring Removal
We remove the existing wiring systematically – circuit by circuit, room by room. Knob-and-tube wiring is fully extracted, including staples, tubes, and knobs. Aluminum wiring is removed and recycled. Access to walls is managed to minimize disruption to finished surfaces.
Step 4
New Wiring Installation
New copper conductors are run to every circuit, properly sized for the load. Bedrooms receive AFCI-protected circuits. Kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and all exterior locations receive GFCI-protected circuits. Every outlet, switch, and fixture location is wired to the current California Electrical Code. If a panel upgrade is part of the scope, it happens at this stage.
Step 5
Inspection, Testing & Commissioning
City inspection is scheduled and completed before the job is closed out. We test every circuit under load, label all breakers, and walk you through the completed panel. Our 100% inspection pass rate means the inspector leaves and you have power – no callbacks, no re-inspections.
Why Bay Area Homeowners Choose Us for Whole-House Rewiring
Electrical and HVAC Under One Roof
Rewiring a home almost always intersects with other systems. Running new circuits for a heat pump, EV charger, or home office is far cleaner when the rewiring and the equipment installation happen under the same contract. When two separate contractors work adjacent scopes, accountability disappears. Ozone holds both HVAC and electrical licenses. One team, one warranty, one point of contact - from the first wire pulled to the final inspection sign-off.
100% Inspection Pass Rate
Every rewiring project we complete passes city inspection on the first attempt. That’s a direct result of pulling permits correctly, documenting the scope accurately, sizing circuits for actual loads, and not taking shortcuts on AFCI and GFCI protection. Inspectors flag what was done wrong - we don’t give them anything to flag.
No Subcontractors
The crew that does your estimate is the crew that does the work. Our licensed electricians are employees, not labor hired project by project. That matters for continuity, accountability, and warranty enforcement over a 12-year period.
Written Scope Before Work Begins
Rewiring projects have a reputation for scope creep and mid-project price surprises. We give you a fixed written price after the assessment, covering every circuit, access point, and permit. If we open a wall and find something materially different from what was assessed, we show you and discuss - we do not just add it to the bill.
Authorized Dealer & Installer
Real Homes, Real Results
What Our Customers Say
Commercial Electrical Rewiring
We rewire commercial properties across the Bay Area – office buildings, retail spaces, multi-unit residential, and light industrial facilities. Commercial rewiring projects follow the same process: full wiring assessment, permit acquisition, licensed installation, and city inspection.
For commercial properties with three-phase systems, high-voltage requirements, or tenant buildout wiring, contact us directly to discuss scope and timeline.
FAQ
How much does whole-house rewiring cost in San Jose?
The cost depends on your home’s size, the type of wiring being replaced, the accessibility of your walls and attic, and whether a panel upgrade is needed. Knob-and-tube removal is more labor-intensive than aluminum wiring replacement, which affects the total. We give you a fixed written price after the assessment – not a range that can expand mid-project.The cost depends entirely on what’s wrong. Start-group replacement, including capacitor and contactor – starts at $195. Refrigerant charge (R410, R454, R32) – $300. We give you the exact price after the diagnostic, before starting any work. No trip fees when the repair is completed.
Do I need to move out during rewiring?
In most cases, no. We work room by room and restore power to completed circuits at the end of each day. If your project requires a full shutoff for panel work, we schedule that in a single day and restore power the same evening. We’ll tell you specifically what to expect during the estimate walkthrough.
Will rewiring damage my walls or drywall?
We use attic access, crawl space routing, and structured cable runs to minimize wall penetrations. In most projects, access points are limited to a few small cuts per room – not open-wall demolition. We document every access point in the written scope so you know what to expect before work starts. Any required patching is included in our quote.
Does rewiring require a permit in San Jose?
Yes. The California Electrical Code requires permits and final inspection for whole-house rewiring. We pull all permits before work begins and schedule the city inspection as part of the project. Unpermitted rewiring creates disclosure obligations when selling, voids most warranties, and is not covered by homeowners insurance claims related to electrical fires.
Is knob-and-tube wiring actually dangerous?
It depends on its condition and what’s been done to it over the years. Intact, original knob-and-tube wiring in a low-load home carries some risk from degraded insulation but is not automatically an emergency. The larger problems: it cannot be extended, it has no ground conductor, most Bay Area insurers will not cover a home with active K&T, and it cannot support modern electrical loads. Homes with K&T that have been improperly extended with modern wire are a higher safety concern. Our assessment will tell you exactly what you have.
What’s the difference between aluminum wiring and knob-and-tube?
Knob-and-tube is an older system – pre-1950 construction – that uses individual conductors supported by ceramic knobs and run through ceramic tubes. It has no ground wire and very limited capacity. Aluminum branch-circuit wiring was used from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s as a substitute for copper during a shortage. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper, causing connections to loosen at outlets and switches over time. Both require replacement, but for different reasons and with different removal approaches.
Will I need a panel upgrade as part of the rewiring project?
Often yes. Rewiring a home to modern code changes the circuit layout and increases the total electrical capacity, which frequently reveals that the existing panel is undersized, outdated, or not compatible with the new wiring configuration. We assess the panel as part of the initial inspection and include any required upgrade in the written estimate. Our licensed electricians handle panel work in-house under the same contract and warranty.
What warranty do you provide on whole-house rewiring?
Up to 12 years on both parts and labor. Every circuit we install is covered. If anything fails within the warranty period – wire, connection, outlet, or switch – we diagnose and fix it at no charge. No service call fee, no labor bill.
Get a Free Estimate for Whole-House Rewiring
No trip fee. No diagnostic charge. A licensed electrician inspects your wiring, assesses your panel, and gives you a written scope and fixed price before any commitment.
- go@serviceozone.com
- Serving Bay Area, 24/7
