Cost to Whole-House Rewiring in San Francisco, CA

$5,425–$23,250 in San Francisco

55% above the national average · 1.55x cost multiplier

Expect to pay $5,425–$23,250 for a whole-house rewiring in San Francisco, about 55% above the national benchmark. The West Coast region's contractor market and material costs account for most of this difference. The detailed breakdown below shows how budget, mid-range, and premium projects compare at San Francisco prices.

Cost Breakdown in San Francisco

Line Item	Low	Mid	High
Cost per sq ft	$5	$8	$12
Materials	$2,325	$4,650	$8,525
Labor	$3,875	$6,975	$11,625
Permits	$465	$620	$775
Total	$6,665+55% vs. national avg	$12,555+55% vs. national avg	$21,700+55% vs. national avg

Budget

Small home (under 1,200 sq ft), accessible wiring paths, basic NM-B copper wiring, standard outlets and switches, code-minimum circuit count

Mid-Range

Average home (1,500-2,000 sq ft), mix of accessible and closed walls, AFCI/GFCI breakers throughout, dedicated circuits for kitchen and laundry, 200-amp panel

Premium

Large home (2,500+ sq ft), complete drywall removal and replacement, structured wiring for data and entertainment, smart panel, whole-home surge protection, subpanels

Material Options

Material prices below are national averages; availability in San Francisco may shift costs slightly.

Material	Cost/Unit	Pros	Cons	Best For
Standard NM-B (Romex) Copper Wiring	$0.50 - $1.50 per foot	Industry standard, easy for electricians to work with, affordable, meets all residential codes	Cannot be used in exposed locations or conduit runs, not suitable for outdoor or wet locations	Interior walls, most residential rewiring projectsIndustry standard, easy for electricians to work with, affordable, meets all residential codes
MC (Metal Clad) Cable	$1.50 - $3.00 per foot	Built-in metal armor for protection, required in some jurisdictions (Chicago, NYC), good for exposed runs	More expensive, harder to work with, heavier, requires special connectors	Exposed basement runs, jurisdictions requiring metal-clad wiring, commercial-style installationsBuilt-in metal armor for protection, required in some jurisdictions (Chicago, NYC), good for exposed runs
THWN Wire in Conduit	$2.00 - $4.00 per foot (wire + conduit)	Wires can be replaced without opening walls, maximum protection, required for outdoor and garage applications	Most expensive option, requires conduit installation, more labor intensive	Outdoor runs, garage wiring, unfinished basement exposed wiring, industrial aestheticsWires can be replaced without opening walls, maximum protection, required for outdoor and garage applications
14 AWG Wire (15-amp circuits)	$0.30 - $0.60 per foot	Lighter, easier to pull, less expensive, adequate for lighting and general-purpose outlets	Limited to 15-amp circuits, not suitable for high-draw appliances or kitchen outlets	Bedroom and living room lighting circuits, general-purpose outlet circuitsLighter, easier to pull, less expensive, adequate for lighting and general-purpose outlets
12 AWG Wire (20-amp circuits)	$0.50 - $0.90 per foot	Handles 20-amp loads, required for kitchen and bathroom circuits, more future-proof	Slightly more expensive and stiffer to work with than 14 AWG	Kitchen small-appliance circuits, bathroom circuits, garage circuits, home office circuitsHandles 20-amp loads, required for kitchen and bathroom circuits, more future-proof

Other Projects in San Francisco

Full Kitchen Remodel

Full Bathroom Remodel

Hardwood Floor Installation

Back to national average for Whole-House Rewiring

San Francisco Estimate

Typical Range

$5,425–$23,250

vs. National Average

55% above national

Cost Multiplier

1.55x

Cost Per sq ft

$5–$12

Estimates apply San Francisco's 1.55x regional cost multiplier to national averages. Actual bids vary by contractor, project scope, and timing.

See national average costs →