LA Knob and Tube writes rewiring quotes for houses across Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale and South Pasadena, and this checklist covers what a rewiring quote should include whoever writes it. In short: the circuits in scope, the new circuits added, the panel work, each planned wall or ceiling opening and who patches it, the permit and inspections, what happens to the old wiring, and a written list of any knob and tube that stays.
A total with no list behind it cannot be compared with anything. The point of the checklist is to turn two quotes into the same shape, so the difference between them shows.
The checklist
Scope and circuits
- Whole house or partial. A whole-house rewire should say that no live knob and tube will remain. A partial replacement should name the rooms and circuits in scope.
- Old circuits replaced. Ideally listed by room, based on a circuit map, not on a guess from outlet counts.
- New circuits added. Kitchen counters, bathrooms, laundry, and any dedicated circuits for appliances, air conditioning or a home office.
- Devices. The number of outlets, switches and fixture connections, including new outlets where the old layout had too few.
- Protection. How AFCI protection is provided on replaced living-area circuits, at the breaker or the first outlet, where GFCI goes, and tamper-resistant receptacles. All three are California code requirements for the new work.
Access, openings and restoration
- Routing approach. Through the attic and crawlspace first, with openings where routes cross framing or reach a box.
- Openings. A list or count of planned wall and ceiling openings, ideally by room.
- Restoration. Who closes each opening, whether texture is matched, and whether painting is included. Plaster on lath is a different patch from drywall; the plaster wall rewiring page explains why.
- Protection and cleanup. Floor and furniture protection, dust control and daily cleanup.
- Lead and asbestos. For a pre-1978 house, how painted surfaces are handled and whether any asbestos testing is expected. The lead and asbestos guide covers both.
Panel and service
- Panel kept or replaced. If kept, a note that it has the capacity and space for the new circuits. If replaced, the amperage and location.
- Utility work. Whether the meter, mast or service changes, and who coordinates with LADWP, Pasadena Water & Power, Glendale Water & Power or SCE.
- Labeling. A labeled panel directory at the end.
The panel upgrade vs rewiring guide explains why the panel and the branch circuits are separate lines.
Permit and inspection
- Permit. Who pulls it, from which office, and whether the fee is included.
- Inspections. Rough and final inspection, and who is present for them.
- Testing. Circuit testing before inspection, including AFCI and GFCI function.
Old wiring
- Disconnection. Every replaced knob and tube run disconnected at both ends and verified dead.
- Removal. Whether accessible runs in the attic and crawlspace are removed or left in place; the removal page explains the choice.
- Remaining circuits. On a partial job, a written list of every circuit that still runs on knob and tube.
Schedule, exclusions and paperwork
- Schedule. Expected working days, the circuit sequence and the day the whole house is off for any panel work.
- Exclusions. Anything not included, stated plainly: insulation, drywall finishing, fixture rewiring, utility fees.
- License. The contractor’s CSLB license number, which you can check on the board’s website.
How to compare two quotes
Put the quotes into a simple table before looking at the totals.
| Line | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Old circuits replaced | ||
| New circuits added | ||
| Outlets and switches | ||
| AFCI and GFCI approach | ||
| Planned openings | ||
| Patching, texture, paint | ||
| Panel work | ||
| Utility coordination | ||
| Permit and inspections | ||
| Old wiring removed or left | ||
| Knob and tube remaining | ||
| Exclusions |
Blank cells are the useful part. A lower quote that leaves out patching, the panel or the permit is not cheaper; it moves those costs to later. A quote that replaces fewer circuits may leave knob and tube that an insurer still cares about, which the California insurance guide covers.
Claims worth questioning
Some phrases should prompt a follow-up question:
- “No walls opened.” Routes through the attic and crawlspace keep openings small, but a house usually still needs some, at boxes and where framing is crossed.
- “New panel, problem solved.” A panel replacement does not remove knob and tube.
- “Rewire house” with no detail. Ask for the circuit list.
- “Grounded outlets throughout” on a job that is not replacing every circuit. A three-prong outlet on an old circuit is not grounded unless a ground was added.
- No permit. Rewiring is permitted work; the Los Angeles rewiring permit guide explains who issues it.
Checking the total against published ranges
As a sense check, whole-house knob and tube replacement typically costs $10 to $20 per square foot of living area in the LA area for the wiring, before panel and patching, and $12,000 to $35,000 is a national budgeting range for a typical house. A 100 to 200 amp panel upgrade in the same location runs about $2,500 to $5,500 in the LA area. A quote well outside those ranges is not necessarily wrong, but it should be explained by something on the checklist, such as access, plaster restoration or a utility-side service change. The Los Angeles cost guide explains what moves a house within the ranges, and the cost estimator shows the effect of each factor. When you want a quote laid out this way for your own house, call or request an estimate.