Portland knob & tube rewiring
Knob-and-tube wiring replaced or decommissioned in Portland homes, the whole house or only the circuits that need it, with the permit, the inspection, and the paperwork your insurer asks for handled by us.
What's included in a Portland knob & tube rewire
The new wire is the simple part. What sets the price is how many circuits are still on knob-and-tube, how easily we can reach them from the attic and the basement, and whether the panel has room for the circuits that replace them. We find out all three before anything is quoted.
Whole-home rewiring
Every knob-and-tube circuit replaced end to end with grounded cable, from the panel to the last receptacle and fixture, so nothing of the original system is left live.
Partial rewiring
A floor, the rooms a remodel opens up, or the circuits an insurer or an inspection report has named. Each circuit we take on is replaced in full, never only the run you can see.
Decommissioning & circuit tracing
Knob-and-tube is often spliced into wiring added decades later, so we trace each circuit before calling it dead. Runs that can't come out without opening walls are disconnected at both ends and left in place.
Grounded receptacles & safety upgrades
Grounded three-prong receptacles in place of the old two-prong ones, with GFCI and AFCI protection where the code calls for it on the new circuits.
Panel & service upgrades
A house with knob-and-tube often still has a fuse box or an undersized service. We upgrade the panel or the service in the same project and coordinate with PGE or Pacific Power.
Insulation, remodels & home sales
Before an attic or walls are insulated, before a remodel opens them up, or before a sale closes, we evaluate the wiring and put in writing what has to change.
The full scope we take on in Portland:
- Knob-and-Tube Wiring Replacement
- Knob-and-Tube Decommissioning
- Whole-Home Rewiring
- Partial Home Rewiring
- Electrical System Modernization
- Branch Circuit Replacement
- Grounded Receptacle Upgrades
- Electrical Panel Upgrades
- Electrical Service Upgrades
- Wiring for Remodel Projects
- Electrical Safety Evaluations
- Code Compliance Improvements
Why choose Multiphase Electric
- All of it, not a patch. The old wire is replaced end to end or properly decommissioned. What we don't do is redo the run you can see and leave the rest energized behind the plaster.
- Proof for your insurer. You get the permit and the inspection report underwriters ask for — usually the one thing standing between the house and a policy that renews.
- Stay in your house. Access holes stay small and get patched, finished rooms stay usable, and the work area is left clean at the end of each day.
Licenses and certifications
- Oregon CCB — Electrical contractor
How a project runs
Every Portland rewire follows the same steps. The house stays lived in throughout, and only the circuits we are working on that day are off.
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Walk-through and evaluation
We look at the panel, the attic, and the basement or crawl space, and find which circuits are still on knob-and-tube. Photos sent with the estimate request help us come prepared.
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Fixed written quote
You get a fixed price that names the circuits being replaced, where we expect to open walls or ceilings, how many days we will be on site, and whether the panel needs work.
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Permit and utility request
We pull the electrical permit and, when the service is changing, open the request with PGE or Pacific Power, whichever serves the address.
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Rewire, room by room
We work through the house a room at a time, keep access holes small and patch them, and leave the work area clean at the end of each day. Most houses take three to five days.
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Inspection and insurance paperwork
We schedule the inspection, meet the inspector, and leave you with a labeled panel schedule and the permit and inspection record your insurer asks for.
What a knob & tube rewire costs in Portland
Every rewire is quoted at a fixed price after a walk-through, so these are typical ranges for the Portland metro, not a quote. What moves the number most is how many circuits are still on knob-and-tube, how open the attic and the basement are, and whether the walls are plaster or drywall. Patching the access holes is included; repainting is not, unless the quote says so.
| Scope | Typical range | Timeline | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial rewire | $3,000 – $9,000 | 1–2 days on site | The knob-and-tube on a set of circuits, such as one floor or the rooms a remodel opens up, replaced and decommissioned, permit, and inspection. |
| Whole-home rewire, up to 1,500 sq ft | $12,000 – $22,000 | 3–5 days on site | Every knob-and-tube circuit replaced with grounded wiring, old runs decommissioned, access holes patched, permit, and inspection. |
| Whole-home rewire, over 1,500 sq ft | $20,000 – $40,000 | 1–2 weeks on site | The same scope across more floors, finished basements, and plaster ceilings, which take longer to run new wire through. |
| Rewire with a 200A service upgrade | Add $3,000 – $8,000 | 1 more day, plus utility scheduling | New 200-amp panel and meter base in place of a fuse box or small service, grounding, utility coordination, permit, and inspection. |
What our clients say
“I was referred to Multiphase Electric. We now use them from small changes, to our biggest projects. Clear communication, punctual, and guaranteed results. Highly recommend.”
“Really happy with these guys. We did a complete rewiring of the whole house and New panel. Leti is awesome running the office. Very responsive. Vitaliy, John and all the other Electricians were fantastic. They are pros! Highly recommend this company.”
“I have been a customer of Multiphase since 2007, I wouldn't think to go anywhere else they go above and beyond and nothing but Quality work, you definitely can go to bed knowing you were in safe hands, Dave and the whole team has been better than Good to me”
Portland and Multnomah County
We rewire houses across Portland and Multnomah County and the rest of the Portland metro, from Hillsboro and Beaverton to Gresham and Oregon City, for owners, buyers, and remodelers alike.
Nearby in Multnomah County: Gresham, Corbett, Fairview and Troutdale.
Portland knob & tube rewiring FAQs
Do you replace knob-and-tube wiring in Portland?
Yes. We replace and decommission knob-and-tube in houses across Portland and the rest of the metro, whole-home or partial, from the walk-through through the final inspection.
How much does it cost to replace knob-and-tube wiring in Portland?
A whole-home rewire of a house up to about 1,500 square feet usually costs $12,000 to $22,000. Larger houses, plaster ceilings, and a panel or service upgrade cost more, and a partial rewire costs less. You get a fixed price after the walk-through.
How long does a knob-and-tube rewire take?
Most houses take three to five days on site. Larger homes take longer, and a service upgrade adds the utility's schedule. We give you a timeline with the quote.
Will my insurance company cover a house with knob-and-tube?
Many insurers are reluctant to, and some ask for the wiring to be replaced or decommissioned before a policy is issued or renewed. Insurance rarely pays for the rewire itself, but we give you the permit and inspection record the underwriter asks for once it is done.
Do I need a permit to replace knob-and-tube in Portland?
Yes. Rewiring is permitted electrical work in Portland, as it is everywhere in Oregon. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and give you the paperwork when it passes, which is also what your insurer wants to see.
Can we live in the house while you rewire it?
Yes, and most people do. We work room by room, keep the power on outside the circuits we are working on that day, and clean up before we leave.
Will you have to open up plaster walls?
Some access holes are unavoidable. We keep them small, put them in closets, along baseboards, and in other low-visibility spots wherever the framing allows, and patch them. Repainting isn't included unless the quote says so.
Can I insulate an attic or walls that still have knob-and-tube?
Sometimes. Oregon's electrical code allows loose or rolled insulation around existing knob-and-tube only after an electrician has inspected the wiring and every defect has been repaired, and it does not allow spray foam around it at all. We can do that evaluation, or rewire those runs before the insulation goes in.
Do I need a new panel when I replace knob-and-tube?
Often. A house with knob-and-tube frequently still has a fuse box or an undersized service, and the new grounded circuits need breaker spaces. We check the panel on the walk-through and quote both jobs together, which costs less than doing them years apart.
I'm buying a house in Portland with knob-and-tube. Can you look at it before closing?
Yes. We evaluate the wiring for buyers and tell you what a full or partial rewire would involve, and what it would cost, while you still have room to negotiate. Bring the home inspection report if you have one.
About Multiphase Electric
Multiphase Electric LLC is a licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Oregon City, serving residential and commercial clients across the Portland metro since 2005. Reach us at (503) 908-1593, see our knob & tube rewiring page, or see every city we serve.
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