How much does remodel electrical cost as a percentage of the overall project?

In Chicago, electrical typically runs 5-15% of total renovation cost. A kitchen-only remodel skews higher on electrical percentage because kitchens are circuit-intensive. A whole-home rehab with a service upgrade will have a larger absolute electrical cost but a similar percentage.

Should I upgrade my panel during the remodel or leave it?

If you're adding loads — kitchen appliances, bathroom heat, EV charger, basement finish — the panel should be evaluated and usually upgraded during the remodel. It's far more expensive to do later. See [electrical panel upgrade](/services/chicago/electrical-panel-upgrade-chicago).

When do electricians come into the remodel sequence?

Typically twice: rough-in (after framing, before drywall) and trim-out (after drywall, tile, and cabinets). For a kitchen or bath remodel, rough-in is a few days; trim-out is a day or two once the cabinets and fixtures are installed.

Can I leave existing knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring in the walls that aren't being opened?

Unpermitted code aside, most lenders and insurers now require knob-and-tube and aluminum branch-circuit wiring to be remediated. Walls open for a remodel are the ideal moment to replace or remediate that wiring in the affected rooms. We can phase the work room by room across multiple renovations.

Do I need a permit for remodel electrical?

Yes, for any significant scope. New circuits, service changes, panel work, and fixture relocations all require permits through the Chicago Department of Buildings. A simple like-for-like fixture swap usually doesn't.

Can you handle both a single kitchen remodel and a whole-home rehab?

Yes. We scale to the project. For single-room remodels, we quote the focused scope. For whole-home rehabs, we produce a full rough-in schedule coordinated with the GC and handle the full permit path.

Electrician for Home Remodel in Chicago

Electrician for Home Remodel in Chicago — service photo placeholder

Remodeling electrical work is the complete electrical scope of a renovation — rough-in, circuitry, device placement, fixture installation, and any service or panel changes needed to support the new design. It's different from service work. Remodeling electrical is planned ahead of time against architectural drawings, coordinated with other trades, scheduled around framing and drywall, and built to current code from scratch. Done right, it's the moment when an old Chicago two-flat, Lincoln Park Victorian, or Bucktown workers' cottage gets the modern electrical infrastructure it needs for the next 30 years.

Chicago remodels have their own rhythm. Permits are more rigorous than in the suburbs. Historic districts in Beverly, Bronzeville, and parts of Lincoln Park add landmark review. Two-flat and three-flat rehabs bring their own metering and permit complexities. And the Chicago conduit rule means every new circuit gets pulled through EMT, not Romex. We do this work daily.

Why Remodels Are the Right Time for Electrical Upgrades

When walls are open, you can:

Run new circuits anywhere they're needed without drywall cuts later
Relocate switches and outlets to match the new layout
Pull a dedicated circuit for every major appliance
Replace aging [aluminum wiring](/services/chicago/aluminum-wiring-repair-chicago) or [knob-and-tube](/services/chicago/knob-and-tube-wiring-replacement-chicago) permanently
Upgrade the panel to match new loads — see [electrical panel upgrade](/services/chicago/electrical-panel-upgrade-chicago)
Pre-wire for smart home, structured cabling, security, and audio-visual
Install whole-home surge protection at the panel
Add capacity for an EV charger, heat pump, or induction range while you're already there

The electrical you don't do during the remodel is the electrical you'll pay two or three times as much to do later, after the drywall is up and the tile is down.

Kitchen Remodel Electrical

Chicago kitchens often need the most significant electrical upgrade of any single room. Full code-compliant kitchen electrical includes:

Two 20-amp small-appliance branch circuits for countertop receptacles
Dedicated refrigerator circuit
Dedicated dishwasher circuit
Dedicated disposal circuit
Dedicated microwave circuit (built-in or over-range)
240V range or cooktop circuit (40-50 amps)
240V wall oven circuit if separate from cooktop
GFCI protection on all counter-serving receptacles
AFCI protection on applicable circuits
Under-cabinet task lighting
Recessed general lighting — see [recessed lighting installation](/services/chicago/recessed-lighting-installation-chicago)
Pendant lighting over island or peninsula
Island receptacles (code-compliant placement and count)
Dimmers where appropriate

See our detailed [kitchen electrical remodel page](/services/chicago/kitchen-electrical-remodel-chicago) for more.

Bathroom Remodel Electrical

Bathroom remodels in Chicago typically include:

Dedicated 20-amp bathroom receptacle circuit
GFCI protection on all receptacles
Exhaust fan sized for the bathroom, vented outside
Vanity lighting — sconces, over-mirror, or combination
Ceiling or recessed fill lighting
Heated towel warmer circuit
Radiant floor heat with GFCI-protected thermostat
Steam shower circuit where applicable
Tamper-resistant receptacles throughout

See our [bathroom electrical page](/services/chicago/bathroom-electrical-chicago) and [exhaust fan installation](/services/chicago/exhaust-fan-installation-chicago).

Whole-Home Gut Rehab Electrical

A full gut rehab is where the real payoff happens. Typical scope:

Complete rewire to current Chicago Electrical Code — see [home rewiring](/services/chicago/home-rewiring-chicago)
Service upgrade to [200-amp service](/services/chicago/200-amp-electrical-service-chicago) (sometimes [400-amp](/services/chicago/400-amp-electrical-service-chicago) for large homes)
New panel with 40+ circuit positions
New meter socket and service entrance
Grounding electrode system upgrade
Smoke and CO detection wired to current code
Whole-home surge protection
Pre-wire for smart home, structured cabling, security
EV charger circuit
[Generator transfer switch](/services/chicago/generator-installation-chicago) rough-in if planned
Landscape and exterior lighting rough-in — see [landscape lighting installation](/services/chicago/landscape-lighting-installation-chicago)

Basement Finish Electrical

Finishing a Chicago basement into living space requires:

GFCI and AFCI protection per code
Egress-lighting compliance
Sump and ejector pump circuits
HVAC equipment circuits
Dedicated laundry circuits
Recessed lighting and/or fan-light combos
Media wiring and structured cabling

See our [basement electrical wiring page](/services/chicago/basement-electrical-wiring-chicago).

Addition and ADU Electrical

Adding square footage — a second-story pop-top, a rear addition, a coach house conversion, or an ADU — brings its own load calculations. We confirm the existing service can support the addition or add a subpanel, then run the new circuits to code.

Coordination with Other Trades

Electrical doesn't happen in isolation. We coordinate with:

General contractor for overall schedule, inspection milestones, and trade sequencing
Framers on box locations before drywall
Plumbers and HVAC on penetrations, shared wall space, and conduit routing
Drywallers on box protection and final trim timing
Cabinet installers for appliance circuit location and under-cabinet lighting
Tile and flooring for radiant heat mat placement and thermostat location
Low-voltage contractors for structured cabling, audio-visual, security

Permits and Inspections in Chicago

Every non-trivial remodel needs a permit pulled through the Chicago Department of Buildings. We pull electrical permits and coordinate inspection milestones:

Rough-in inspection before drywall
Service change inspection if the service is being upgraded
Final inspection after trim-out

On larger rehabs, the inspections are part of the milestone schedule — passing rough-in electrical unlocks drywall.

Start Your Remodel Planning

[Get a Free Estimate] | [Call Now: (312) 219-3386]

Why Choose E&P Electric?

✓Supervising Electrician License
✓Chicago code expertise
✓Design coordination
✓Trade coordination
✓Old-home experience
✓Written scope and schedule

Get a Free Estimate Today

Serving Chicago and Chicagoland. Licensed and insured.

Call: (312) 219-3386 Request Estimate