Hey folks! My wife and I bought a house from the 1940s last year, and we've got a bit of a situation. The downstairs has been remodeled recently and has modern electrical work, but the upstairs kitchen still uses the old knob and tube wiring. We know it's time to replace it, but we're trying to figure out how to do that along with some kitchen improvements. The kitchen has just two outlets, with one taken by the fridge and another by the oven, forcing us to unplug appliances like the microwave and toaster constantly. Plus, we can't even install a dishwasher because there's no power near the sink area. There's a hefty quote we received for upgrading the electric and adding more outlets, and it's quite steep—around $40k! We're wondering:
1. Can we just replace/add wiring in the kitchen without redoing everything?
2. How urgent is it for us to replace the knob and tube wiring? It's been fine for 80 years, right? Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
You probably can't just replace and extend the wiring in the kitchen; you'll need to run new lines for each major appliance and add outlets along the counters. Plus, your current panel may not support the new requirements. I suggest getting a few more quotes from electricians or general contractors. Sure, you could go the unpermitted route, but it’s risky, especially with electrical work.
Best bet is to do things right.
Totally agree on getting the permits. If you want to stick around for a while, it’s not worth the hassle. Maybe consider installing a larger panel for the upstairs now, but just replace the wiring in the kitchen for now and do the rest later.