Electrical upgrade: To rewire or not to rewire

Electrical upgrade: To rewire or not to rewire

Rental Property Investor · Lansing, MI · Member since 2017 · 58 posts · 18 votes

Background: Purchasing my parents home to convert to a rental property, so I know the property well and it's been "in the family" since the late 70's.

1600 sqft

1 story ranch with full basement and attic access which will help access all the wiring (no sheet rock removal should be required)

Estimated current market value is $170-180k for point of reference

The house built in the late 60's and still has the original (or at least REALLY old) electrical service/wiring/panel.  To rent in this particular city, you need a rental license that requires an inspection.  Part of the inspection is the electrical system to verify you have GFCI outlets in the bathrooms and kitchen.  Admittedly this probably a good idea whether there is an inspection or not.  I'm not complaining about that.  But the house has not been updated so it doesn't have these outlets.  There are also a few minor things that I would want to upgrade on the electrical system to prepare for a renter...so I'm planning on $500-$1000 of electrical work anyway.

Here is the question: 

My friend is an electrician and is will to re-wire the entire house which is a 1600 sqft 3 bedroom, 2 bath house including a new panel and meter so we can increase the amperage to the house.  Plus install canned lighting in the bedrooms and main rooms.  This will cost $5000-6000.

This will be a rental property.  Do you think it's worth the investment?  Obviously I have to bring it up to code.  I'm talking about the additional work.

I don't want to spend money on a limited rehab budget that could be spent elsewhere or saved entirely...on the other hand, I don't want phone calls from a tenant about popping breakers all the time.

Since I've lived in the house before, I am concerned that with the current power demands of the typical American family I may get complaints. (multiple TVs, computers, electric dryer, microwave, oven, AC all potentially running at the same time)  But at the end of the day, it is a rental.

Thoughts?

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  • Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    8y

    A home built in the 60s should not need to be upgraded. I would recommend you only do necessary work related to code. As a rental you do not waste money on unnecessary work. It could easily eat all your cash flow for years. You spend money on necessary repairs and items that will allow you to increase the rent with a pay back in a couple of years maximum.

    Are you able to get $1800/month rent in your market.

  • Rental Property Investor · Sumter, SC · Member since 2015 · 334 posts · 531 votes
    8y

    Is there a reason you feel the whole house needs to be rewired? I'd probably just upgrade your panel and install the GFCIs as needed. I rehabbed a house last year that was built in '68, spent about $1000 putting in a 200A panel and replacing all outlets and light fixtures in the house...got a family in there now with three kids and all the usual TVs, games, computers, etc. They haven't had a single problem.

    I wouldn't spend the money rewiring it all unless there was a serious issue. Save that money for something else.

  • Rental Property Investor · Lansing, MI · Member since 2017 · 58 posts · 18 votes
    8y

    A little more information:

    Many of the outlets are only 2 prong

    Some rooms may only have one outlet

    Very few lights in the house, so the outlets have to used to plug in lamps

    Too many areas of the house are on the same breaker so you pop breaker from time to time (example: you can't run a hair dryer in both bathrooms at the same time)

    There is ONE outlet in the entire garage and one outlet is used for the garage door opener

    Perhaps just a new panel, the GFCI outlets and additional outlets is the way to go, rather than removing the existing wiring, just add to it.

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