Rewiring Old Houses

Rewiring old houses is not just a skill — it’s an art. You have to be part electrician, part carpenter, part plasterer, and part magician. And like most magic, it’s all an illusion. We can’t always get wires to where we need them without disturbing the existing walls. The trick is knowing how to make it look like we weren’t there. I was lucky enough to apprentice under an expert rewirer. He taught me not only electrical contracting but a little about all of the trades.This knowledge has served me well when working in old houses.

When rewiring a typical house, I’ll wire the first floor by working up from the cellar, then run a few feeds up to the attic and wire the second floor by working down from there. Planning is at least half the battle. Try to coordinate with other remodeling crews working in the house at the same time. If the plumber has to open a wall anyway, you...