Home Rewiring in Fort Collins, CO
Planning to update the wiring in an older Fort Collins home? Compare free quotes for whole-home or partial rewiring from independent local electrical contractors. We connect Fort Collins-area homeowners with independent local electrical contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. The contractor you choose quotes, permits, contracts and does the work directly with you.
Get a Free Quote Call (727) 300-6656
Older homes in Fort Collins
Fort Collins is a fairly young city overall: Census figures (ACS 2024 5-year) put the median home’s year built at 1992, with 30.6% of housing built before 1980. The picture is different in and around Old Town. In ZIP code 80521, the ZIP that covers much of Old Town and the CSU area, the median year built is 1978, 53.7% of homes were built before 1980 and 15.7% before 1950. About 63% of homes there are renter-occupied.
Age alone does not tell you what is behind the walls; wiring may have been updated, partly updated or left alone. A licensed electrician’s in-person look is the reliable answer.
When homeowners ask about rewiring
- A renovation or addition opens walls anyway
- An evaluation finds older or damaged wiring, or aluminum branch circuits
- The home has few grounded outlets or relies on extension cords
- Breakers trip often, or lights dim when appliances run
- A panel upgrade is planned and the branch wiring is the next question
- A buyer’s or seller’s evaluation flags the wiring; see electrical inspections
Rewiring can be whole-home or partial (a kitchen, a basement finish or flagged circuits). Ask for both options in writing.
Aluminum wiring: what the CPSC says
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s publication 516 is the main federal source on aluminum branch-circuit wiring. Its key points:
- Homes built before 1972 and wired with aluminum were found to be “55 times more likely” to have one or more connections reach fire-hazard conditions than homes wired with copper.
- Homes built before 1965 are unlikely to have aluminum branch-circuit wiring; homes wired between 1965 and the mid-1970s may.
- CPSC recognizes only three permanent repairs: rewiring with copper, the COPALUM crimp method, and AlumiConn connectors, applied to every aluminum connection in the home.
We know of no published figure on how many Fort Collins homes have aluminum wiring, so ask a licensed electrician to check. Our post on aluminum wiring in older homes explains the repair options in more detail.
How a rewiring project usually runs
Evaluation and quote
The contractor surveys the panel and circuits and quotes the scope, wall openings and patching in writing.
Permit
Inside Fort Collins, the contractor pulls a City electrical permit before work starts.
Rough-in
New cable is run, often room by room, and a rough inspection happens before walls are closed.
Final
Devices go in, walls are patched, and the City’s final inspection closes the permit.
The City of Fort Collins Building Services, not the state, issues electrical permits and inspects inside city limits; inspections are scheduled in Accela Citizen Access (970-416-2740). Homeowners may do work on their own home under C.R.S. 12-115-116(2), but not if it is for sale or rental, and it still needs a permit and inspection; Fort Collins limits this to single-family owners with an affidavit. That matters for the many rental homes near CSU. Colorado adopted the 2023 NEC effective August 1, 2023, and Fort Collins moved to it by ordinance in 2025; check with Building Services for the edition in effect. A permitted remodel can also trigger Colorado’s CO alarm requirement (C.R.S. 38-45-102/104). Outside the city, see our permit guide. This is general information, not legal advice.
Old Town historic district: exterior work only
Old Town became a local historic district in 1979, and landmark properties need design review for most exterior work. That review concerns the outside of the building. If a rewiring project includes exterior changes, such as a relocated meter or service mast or new exterior lighting on a landmark, ask Historic Preservation (preservation@fortcollins.gov, 970-224-6078) before the electrical permit.
What rewiring costs
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Whole-home rewiring | $3–$5 per sq ft (Fixr: about $7,200–$13,400 for a typical home) |
| Panel upgrade (100 A → 200 A) | $750–$2,000 (utility service-upgrade costs extra) |
| New outlet | $200–$300 |
| Electrical inspection | $100–$125 |
Typical national ranges from published cost guides (2025–2026) — estimates, not quotes; no Fort Collins-specific source was published.
Wall patching and painting are often quoted separately. Use the calculator on our electrician cost page to estimate by square footage.
Before you hire: a five-point checklist
In Colorado, electrical work for hire is done by licensed electricians working for a registered electrical contractor (C.R.S. 12-115). Check these points with every contractor you compare:
- Confirm the contractor’s Colorado electrical contractor registration and its master electrician’s license with the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) license lookup.
- Inside Fort Collins, confirm the contractor is registered with the City.
- Ask who pulls the permit, and make sure it is pulled before work starts.
- Ask for proof of insurance.
- Get a written quote that says whether the utility’s service-upgrade costs are included.
Our guide to checking a Colorado electrician’s license walks through the lookup step by step.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rewire a house in Fort Collins?
National cost guides put whole-home rewiring at about $3 to $5 per square foot, and Fixr estimates about $7,200 to $13,400 for a typical home. Access, wall repair, panel work and permits all change the total. These are estimates, not quotes, since no Fort Collins-specific price source was published. Get several written quotes that list what is included.
How do I know if my house has aluminum wiring?
The CPSC says homes built before 1965 are unlikely to have aluminum branch-circuit wiring, while homes wired between 1965 and the mid-1970s may. Cable jackets are sometimes marked, but the reliable answer comes from a licensed electrician who checks the panel and several outlets. Do not open devices yourself; ask for a written evaluation.
What are the approved fixes for aluminum wiring?
The CPSC recognizes three permanent repairs: replacing the aluminum branch wiring with copper, the COPALUM crimp method, and AlumiConn connectors. It recommends that repairs cover every aluminum connection in the home. Ask each contractor which method it proposes, why, and whether the quote covers every outlet, switch and fixture connection.
Does rewiring an Old Town home need historic review?
Historic design review in Old Town applies to exterior work on landmark properties. Most rewiring happens inside the walls, but if a project includes exterior changes such as moving the meter or service mast or adding exterior lighting, ask Historic Preservation (970-224-6078) before the electrical permit. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I live in my house while it is rewired?
Often, yes, though it depends on the scope. Many contractors rewire a home in sections so some circuits stay live, and walls are opened and patched as they go. Ask each contractor how long power will be off, how many wall openings to expect, who patches drywall, and when the City's rough and final inspections happen.
Share the home’s age, square footage and what prompted the question, then request free rewiring quotes. Electrician Fort Collins is a free quote service, not an electrical contractor.
Get a clear electrical quote before you commit.
Free, no-pressure quotes across Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Wellington and Timnath.