Whole Home Rewiring in Rohnert Park, CA
Safer Wiring, Honest Answers
Knob-and-tube, aluminum, or cloth-insulated wiring replaced with modern grounded copper — real pricing, a real timeline, and an honest answer about living in your home while it happens.
What Rohnert Park homeowners want to know first:
- Most homeowners live in the house during a rewire — we phase the work room by room and tell you honestly what to expect, including the one stretch when power goes out for the panel swap.
- If your insurance company is pushing you toward a rewire, we'll explain what's actually driving that and help you prioritize if a full rewire can't happen right away.
- Every circuit is permitted and inspected, and if we find an outdated or risky panel along the way, we'll flag it honestly before doing anything else.
★★★★★
5.0 · 27 Google reviews
20+ years
in the trade
CSLB #1156335
licensed · bonded · insured
Sonoma County
owned & operated
Whole Home Rewiring
Why Rohnert Park Chooses Bright Right Electric
- Licensed under CSLB #1156335, with every rewired circuit brought to current code.
- A family-owned crew that assesses your wiring honestly instead of leading with scare tactics.
- Straightforward pricing you hear before we start, not after.
Whole Home Rewiring
What Is Whole Home Rewiring?
Whole home rewiring replaces most or all of a home's branch wiring — commonly knob-and-tube, aluminum, or cloth-insulated wiring — with modern, properly grounded copper wiring. It's most often needed in older Rohnert Park-area homes where the original wiring no longer meets current code or insurance standards. This page covers residential rewiring; if you manage a commercial or tenant space, our commercial whole home rewiring page is the better fit. Rewiring frequently uncovers an outdated electrical panel in the process — see Panel Upgrades for what that project involves on its own.
Whole Home Rewiring
Our Process
A rewire happens in stages, and we plan the sequence around how you actually live in the house.
01
Walkthrough & honest assessment
We look at your actual wiring and explain what we find plainly — real risk where it exists, not blanket fear.
02
Written estimate
You get a price in writing for a full rewire or a phased approach, whichever fits your situation.
03
Permit filed
We file the permit before work begins.
04
Room-by-room rewiring
We fish new wire through existing cavities wherever possible and patch minimally, working room by room so most of the house stays livable.
05
Panel swap day
If a panel replacement is part of the job, expect the whole house to briefly lose power during the swap — we'll tell you exactly when.
06
Final inspection & closeout
Every circuit is tested and the permit closed out clean.
Whole Home Rewiring
What Does Whole Home Rewiring Cost?
Whole home rewiring commonly runs $4 to $15 per square foot, depending on wiring type and how accessible your walls are. Knob-and-tube replacement specifically tends to run higher — often $8 to $17 per square foot, or roughly $12,000 to $35,000 for a full home — since the labor of accessing and removing the old system adds real time to the job.
Those are honest national ranges, not a locked-in Bright Right Electric quote — the fastest way to get an exact number is a walkthrough. Call (707) 791-5552 or request a quote below and we'll tell you plainly what your home needs and what it'll cost.
Whole Home Rewiring
Knob-and-Tube vs. Aluminum Wiring
Knob-and-tube wiring is an early-1900s system using porcelain knobs and tube insulators, and it generally has no ground wire at all. Aluminum wiring, common in homes built between 1960 and 1980 during a copper shortage, expands and contracts more than copper as it heats and cools, which loosens connections at outlets and switches over time — a real, documented fire risk. Both are common reasons a rewire gets recommended, and both are treated the same way once we're inside the walls: replaced with modern grounded copper, sized and protected to current code.
Whole Home Rewiring
Do I Need to Move Out? Living in Your Home During a Rewire
Most homeowners stay in the house for the entire project. We work room by room, so only part of the house loses power at any given time — you can generally keep using the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms that aren't actively being worked on. The one honest exception is panel swap day: when the panel itself is replaced, the whole house briefly loses power, typically for a stretch of hours rather than days. We'll tell you exactly when that's coming so you can plan around it.
Whole Home Rewiring
What If My Insurance Company Is Pushing This?
It's a common trigger, and it's worth understanding what's actually happening. Many insurers won't write a standard policy on a home with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, and some give homeowners a window — often around 30 days — to commit to a rewire, offer a reduced policy in the meantime, or route the home to a specialty insurer at a higher premium. If a full rewire can't happen in that window, prioritizing the highest-risk circuits first is a legitimate way to start the clock in the right direction. Call (707) 791-5552 and we'll help you figure out a realistic plan.
Whole Home Rewiring
What's Included
Whole home rewiring covers a few different wiring situations. Here's what falls under it.
Knob-and-Tube Wiring Replacement
Removing early-1900s wiring with no ground wire and replacing it with modern, grounded copper circuits.
Aluminum Wiring Replacement
Replacing 1960s-70s era aluminum branch wiring, a documented higher fire risk than copper as connections loosen with age.
Cloth-Insulated Wiring Replacement
Replacing older wiring with degraded, brittle cloth insulation before it becomes a bigger problem.
Grounding & GFCI/AFCI Upgrades
Adding proper grounding where it's missing, along with GFCI and AFCI protection brought up to current code.
Panel Replacement
Rewiring frequently uncovers an outdated or unsafe panel along the way. See Panel Upgrades for what that project involves.
Phased & Priority Rewiring
If a full rewire isn't immediately affordable, we can tackle the highest-risk circuits or code-required areas like kitchens and bathrooms first, and plan the rest over time.
Whole Home Rewiring
Why Choose Bright Right Electric
Honest assessment, not fear-based sales.
We tell you what we actually find — real symptoms like flickering lights, warm outlets, or frequent breaker trips — instead of leading with blanket scare tactics.
Phased options when you need them.
A full rewire isn't always realistic all at once, and we'll help you prioritize instead of insisting on all-or-nothing.
Permit-first, every time.
Every circuit gets permitted and inspected, so the work is documented cleanly for insurance and resale.
24/7 means 24/7.
Call any time and you'll reach Dustin or Rick directly, not a dispatcher relaying a message.
08 ─────── Reviews
What Rohnert Park Customers Are Saying
"This is the most professional company I have ever worked with. I am a difficult person and hard to please (I have really high standards (as a retired science teacher) and I am skeptical of workmen and I'm a perfectionist!). Bright Right is currently working on the 3rd job I have hired them for – everything has gone smoothly, no stress at all!!! They are so friendly and so courteous. Rick and Dustin are an effective team with their two unique personalities – both very upbeat, serious, and kind. They explain everything in detail and answer all my questions (I am hyper-concerned about my property), and they are basically experienced, conscientious electricians you can trust."
— Nora Parker · Google Review
"I recently hired Dustin for some electrical work at my home, and I couldn't be happier with the results. He installed a high-quality bathroom fan, finished installing several outlets around the house, and completed a new electrical panel installation. From start to finish, Dustin was professional, knowledgeable, and clearly takes pride in doing the job right. The new panel installation was the bigger job, and Dustin handled it with real expertise. Everything was organized, labeled, and done to a very high standard, which gave me a lot of confidence in the safety and quality of the work."
— Google Review
"Bright Right did the electrical for our kitchen remodel and we couldn't be happier, we have since then added an EV with them and they were as good as the first time. Highly recommend!"
— Joey Evans · Google Review
"Shout out to Dustin Fildes, the electrician they sent to do the work at my house. You can tell he takes pride in his work. He's a very professional and very friendly. Individual would absolutely recommend Bright Right Electric and specifically Dustin to all my family and friends. Thank you Bright Right"
— Robert Horner, Google Review
Google Business Profile
5.0
Across 27 Google reviews
Whole Home Rewiring
Serving Rohnert Park and the Greater North Bay
Bright Right Electric provides commercial and tenant improvement electrical throughout Rohnert Park — offices, retail, and restaurants along the Commerce Boulevard and Redwood Drive corridors, and businesses near Sonoma State University and the University District — and out to Cotati, Penngrove, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sonoma, and Cloverdale. Coverage extends into Marin County (San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Larkspur, Corte Madera, San Anselmo, Fairfax, and Tiburon) and Napa County, including wineries, tasting rooms, and hospitality projects. If your property isn't listed, call anyway — the answer is usually yes.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rewire a whole house?
Whole home rewiring commonly runs $4 to $15 per square foot, with total project costs often falling between $2,500 and $15,000 or more depending on home size and wiring condition. Call (707) 791-5552 for an exact number.
How much does it cost to replace knob-and-tube wiring?
Knob-and-tube replacement typically runs $12,000 to $35,000, or $8 to $17 per square foot, reflecting the extra labor of accessing and removing the old system.
How long does it take to rewire a house?
Most homes take 3 to 10 days, with smaller or more accessible homes finishing faster and larger homes or those with plaster walls and limited attic or crawlspace access taking longer.
Can I live in my house while it's being rewired?
Yes, most homeowners do. Work typically proceeds room by room, so only part of the house loses power at a time. The most disruptive stretch is usually panel swap day, when the whole house may briefly lose power.
Will my homeowners insurance cover a home with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring?
Often not on a standard policy. Depending on the carrier, options typically include committing to a rewire within a set window, accepting a reduced policy, paying more through a specialty insurer, or being placed with a state FAIR plan as a last resort.
Why is aluminum wiring considered dangerous?
Aluminum wiring, common in homes built between 1960 and 1980, expands and contracts more than copper as it heats and cools, which loosens connections over time and carries a documented higher fire risk.
Can I rewire my house in phases instead of all at once?
Yes. Prioritizing the worst-condition circuits or code-required areas like kitchens and bathrooms first is a legitimate approach when a full rewire isn't immediately feasible.
What's the difference between knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring?
Knob-and-tube is an early-1900s system using porcelain supports with no ground wire. Aluminum wiring is a 1960s-70s branch wiring type used during a copper shortage, prone to loosening connections as it ages.
What are the warning signs my house needs rewiring?
Flickering lights, warm or discolored outlets, frequent breaker trips or blown fuses, burning smells, buzzing sounds, small shocks when plugging in appliances, and two-prong outlets throughout the home.
Does rewiring a house increase its value?
Yes, generally. Rewiring makes a home easier to insure at a lower premium and easier to sell, since many buyers are hesitant to take on a home with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring. Call (707) 791-5552 to talk through your home's specific situation.
Get in touch
Ready to Get Started?
Call (707) 791-5552 any time, day or night, or fill out the quote form below and we'll get back to you.
Phone
(707) 791-5552
(tap to call)
Address
1150 Holly Ave, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Hours
7am - 5pm & 24 hour emergency services available.
15 ─────── Full service detail
Electrical Panel Upgrades in Rohnert Park
Replacing an undersized or obsolete panel is the most common job we perform in Rohnert Park, and it's the one that unlocks everything else. If your home still runs original 100-amp service, a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, or a Zinsco panel, you're working with equipment engineered for a much smaller electrical load — and, in the case of those two brands, with a documented history of breakers that fail to trip. Upgrading to 200-amp service makes EV charging, battery backup, heat pumps, and modern appliance loads possible without constantly tripping breakers. We size the new service to what your household actually needs, pull the permit, coordinate the PG&E disconnect and reconnect, and meet the inspector for final sign-off.
EV Charger Installation in Sonoma County
Bright Right installs Level 2 home charging sized to your vehicle and, just as importantly, to your panel's actual available capacity. We run the dedicated 240-volt circuit, mount and commission the charger, and handle the permit — installing Tesla Wall Connectors, universal J1772 and NACS units, and hardwired or plug-in setups across Rohnert Park, Petaluma, and Santa Rosa. The detail most homeowners don't hear until it's too late is that many Sonoma County panels can't support a Level 2 charger without a service upgrade first, so we run a load calculation before you buy equipment, not after. We can also pre-wire a second circuit if a second EV is anywhere in your future.
Standby Generators & Backup Power
Public safety power shutoffs are a fact of life in Sonoma County, and so are winter storms that take lines down in the hills. We install whole-house standby generators with automatic transfer switches that pick up the house within seconds of an outage, wire inlets and manual transfer switches for portable generators, and add whole-house surge protection so your equipment isn't damaged when the utility comes back online. We'll also tell you honestly which tier makes sense — not every home in Cotati or Penngrove needs a whole-house unit when a critical-loads panel that keeps the refrigerator, well pump, internet, and a few circuits alive costs a fraction as much.
Solar & Battery Systems
We handle new photovoltaic installation, battery storage, system additions, and remove-and-replace work when a roof needs attention or a system has failed — plus service on existing arrays that aren't producing what they should. If you inherited a solar system with the house and nobody can tell you how it's wired or whether it's still under warranty, we can assess it and give you a clear picture. Battery storage in particular has changed the math for Sonoma County homeowners: between shifting utility rate structures under NEM 3.0 and the frequency of outages, a battery paired with existing solar is often a better investment than adding more panels.
Interior & Exterior Lighting
Recessed and can lighting, full LED retrofits, under-cabinet lighting, dimmer and smart-switch installation, fixture and chandelier hanging, landscape lighting, and security and motion-sensor lighting for homes across Rohnert Park and the University District. On the commercial side we handle lighting retrofits for offices, retail spaces, and warehouses along the Commerce Boulevard corridor, including the fixture and control changes that come with California Title 24 compliance. Lighting is one of the few electrical upgrades where the difference is immediately visible, and it's frequently the cheapest way to make a dated room feel finished.
Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair
Breakers that trip for no obvious reason, circuits that go dead, lights that flicker when the dryer starts, outlets that no longer hold a plug, GFCIs that won't reset, a faint burning smell you can't locate. These are the calls where experience shows. We trace a fault to its real source instead of swapping parts and billing for guesses, which is why our repairs hold and why we get called in behind other contractors who couldn't find the problem. In older Sonoma County homes the cause is often a failing backstab connection, a corroded neutral, a rodent-damaged run in a crawlspace, or a decades-old junction box buried behind drywall.
Custom Homes & New Construction
Full electrical for ground-up residential builds, major remodels, and additions throughout Sonoma, Marin, and Napa County — load calculations and plan review, service and meter setup, rough-in, trim, and final inspection. We work with general contractors, designers, and owner-builders, and we're comfortable on high-end custom projects near Sonoma State University where the lighting design, low-voltage layout, and smart controls all have to be coordinated before a single wire goes in. Getting the details right at rough-in is what keeps a home safe and functional for the next forty years — and it's far cheaper than fixing it after the drywall is up.
Commercial Electrical & Tenant Improvement
Service upgrades, panel and subpanel work, dedicated circuits for equipment, lighting retrofits, EV charging for employee and customer parking, and full tenant-improvement electrical for offices, retail, restaurants, and light industrial space along Redwood Drive and beyond. We understand a commercial job runs on someone else's schedule, so we work around business hours when the scope requires it. From a single dedicated circuit to a complete build-out, you get one licensed contractor coordinating permits, PG&E, and inspection — with clear pricing and a clean, code-compliant result.