When LA Homes Need Rewiring.
The Los Angeles housing stock is full of wiring that worked fine in 1955 and is a problem in 2026. Knob-and-tube still hides in attics across Encino, Sherman Oaks, and Studio City — ungrounded, no longer insurable, and a real fire risk. Aluminum branch wiring from the 1965-1973 build cycle overheats at terminations and is showing up on more and more home inspection reports. And then there’s the typical 1980s remodel that left a patchwork: half the house on modern Romex, half on the original cloth-jacketed cable.
If you’re renovating, refinancing, selling, or just trying to bring a home up to current standards, a whole-home rewire is the work. It’s a big project — usually 2-6 weeks — but it’s also the project that resolves every electrical issue at once. New wiring throughout. New panel. New devices. New permit history. New insurance posture.
What’s Included in an
Alpha One Whole-Home Rewire.
- Full removal of old wiring — knob-and-tube, aluminum branch, cloth-jacketed Romex, all of it
- New copper Romex sized to circuit type (12 or 14 AWG) per NEC 2023
- New panel and breakers — typically 200A Siemens with full AFCI/GFCI build-out
- All new outlets and switches in Leviton Decora, tamper-resistant per NEC 2023
- All new junction boxes, properly sized, properly secured
- Dedicated circuits for range, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, HVAC, water heater, and EV charger if applicable
- Smoke and CO detectors on dedicated circuit, hardwired and interconnected per code
- Hardwired bathroom exhausts per current code
- Grounding system upgrade — new ground rod or UFER per NEC, bonded throughout
- Complete LADBS permit with rough-in, service, and final inspections attended on-site
- Written workmanship warranty covering all installation work
Our Rewiring Process.
- Free Site VisitYarden walks every room. Pulls outlet covers in a few locations to identify the wiring. Looks at the panel, the attic, the crawl space. Asks about your remodel plans, your insurance situation, your timeline.
- Detailed QuoteItemized written quote, room by room. Panel work, rough-in, finish devices, smoke/CO, permit fees. We talk through phasing options if you want to spread cost over time.
- Permit PullLADBS rewire permit (typically a 1-2 week issuance for residential). For most LA homes, this also triggers an LADWP service review.
- Rough-In PhaseOld wiring out, new wiring in. We work room by room or by section depending on your situation. If walls are open (active remodel), this phase moves fast. If walls are closed, we fish and patch — we minimize cuts, but some are required.
- Rough-In InspectionLADBS inspector signs off on the wiring before drywall closes up. We attend.
- Service UpgradeIf a panel upgrade is part of the scope, this is when LADWP shuts off and we set the new panel.
- Finish TrimAll new outlets, switches, and dimmers installed. Smoke/CO detectors hardwired. Panel labeled.
- Final Inspection & DocumentationLADBS final. Signed inspection card. Permit close-out. Written warranty. Everything filed.
Cost & Timeline.
Typical schedule from your first call to a passed final inspection: 4 to 10 weeks. Active phase on-site: 2 to 6 weeks. We can phase the work to keep you in the home throughout.
Insurance & Resale.
Two reasons most of our LA rewires happen: insurance and escrow. Insurance underwriters — Allstate, State Farm, Mercury, AAA — are increasingly refusing to renew policies on homes with knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring. And during escrow, an electrical inspection that flags old wiring kills deals or costs sellers tens of thousands at closing. A documented, permitted rewire resolves both. Your inspection card and permit close-out are your proof.
Yarden at Alpha One was quick, responsive, thorough, and communicative — and his price was very reasonable. He handled everything professionally and got it done fast.