Our Approach to Wiring & Rewiring
Whether you need a single new circuit or a complete rewire of an older home, Aces Highlands handles residential wiring with precision and code compliance.
Older homes in the Portland area may still have knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring that presents safety risks and insurance issues. We replace outdated wiring with modern copper wiring, properly routed and protected in every wall and ceiling cavity. A rewire often pairs with a panel upgrade for a fully modernized electrical system.
For renovations and additions, we run new circuits, install junction boxes, and ensure proper wire sizing for the intended load. We also handle plumbing and HVAC work for remodel projects, keeping everything under one roof.
Every wiring job includes proper circuit labeling, secure connections, and thorough testing. We pull permits when required and schedule inspections to ensure full code compliance.
Does Your Home Actually Need Rewiring?
Portland and Southern Maine are full of homes built before 1950, and many still carry some original wiring. The clearest cases for rewiring: active knob-and-tube (no ground, brittle insulation, and a problem for insurers), aluminum branch wiring from the 1960s-70s (connections loosen and overheat), and any wiring with cracked or crumbling insulation. Day-to-day symptoms include frequently tripped breakers, warm switch plates, flickering lights, two-prong outlets throughout the house, and a faint burning smell you cannot locate.
Not every old house needs a full rewire, though. Sometimes only certain circuits are original while others were updated in past renovations. We evaluate what is actually behind your walls and quote accordingly — as a local company without franchise sales targets, we have no reason to sell you a whole-home rewire when a partial one solves the problem.
What Does a Rewire Actually Involve?
A rewire replaces the old conductors with modern grounded copper wiring, adds proper GFCI and AFCI protection where code requires, and usually pairs with a panel upgrade so the new circuits land in a panel that can handle them. Contrary to what many homeowners fear, a rewire does not mean gutting your walls — experienced electricians fish new cable through wall cavities, basements, and attics, opening only small, targeted access points that are easy to patch.
We work room by room to keep your home livable during the project, label every circuit clearly, and finish with a municipal inspection. The work is performed under our Maine electrical license, and every box, splice, and connection is accessible and to code when we leave.
Local & Independent — Not a Franchise
Aces Highlands is a locally owned Portland, Maine company — not a national franchise. Our technicians are not commissioned salespeople and nobody here is required to upsell you anything. We do the work you called us for, do it right, and earn the next call. That is the whole business model.
Licensed Maine Electrician
Every electrical job is performed under a State of Maine electrician's license (#MS60023157), permitted and inspected for full code compliance. Fully insured. Free estimates across Greater Portland & Southern Maine.
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Wiring & Rewiring FAQs
Will my insurance company cover a home with knob-and-tube wiring?
Increasingly, no. Many insurers in Maine decline coverage or charge steep premiums for homes with active knob-and-tube, and some require replacement before closing on a sale. Rewiring resolves the insurance problem and removes a genuine fire risk at the same time.
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
Nationally, whole-home rewiring typically runs $4-$10+ per square foot depending on access, home age, and finish level — a partial rewire of only the original circuits costs far less. After walking your home, we quote a firm written price so there are no surprises.
Do you have to open up all my walls to rewire?
No. We fish new wiring through existing cavities from basements, attics, and small access openings. Some targeted drywall openings are usually necessary, but they are modest and easy to patch — nothing like the gut job people imagine.
How long does a whole-home rewire take?
Most single-family rewires take several days to a week depending on size and access. We stage the work so you keep power in the rooms you are living in, and we walk you through the schedule before we start.
Can I just add GFCI outlets instead of rewiring?
Sometimes. GFCI protection can add shock protection to ungrounded circuits and is a legitimate, code-recognized improvement. But it does not fix deteriorated insulation or overloaded conductors. We will tell you honestly which situation you have — protection upgrade or genuine rewire.
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