Electrical for remodels & renovations

What we do on a remodel

A remodel is often the best time to fix and update the wiring in a room, because the walls and ceilings are open. We install new circuits, move and add outlets and switches, wire lighting, and provide circuits for new appliances. We also look at the existing wiring we uncover and tell you if any of it is damaged or unsafe.

Common projects include kitchen remodels with new appliance and countertop circuits, bathroom remodels with new lighting and exhaust fans, finished basements, and additions. For lighting plans, see our recessed lighting installation page.

Plan the electrical early

Bring us in before the layout is final. We walk the space with you or your general contractor, list the appliances and fixtures you plan to use, and check whether your panel has room for the new circuits. If the added load is more than the current service can carry, we tell you before work starts so you can plan for a panel upgrade or replacement or a service upgrade.

A clear plan keeps the project on schedule. It shows where each outlet, switch, light and appliance circuit goes, so the drywall and cabinet crews can work around it.

Code requirements that apply to remodels

New wiring must meet the electrical code in effect when the permit is filed. Minnesota adopted the 2026 National Electrical Code for permits filed on or after Aug. 17, 2026. When existing branch circuits are extended or modified in areas that require arc-fault protection, the code requires that protection on the circuit work. Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry areas, basements and outdoor outlets also carry ground-fault protection requirements. We explain what applies to your rooms and install it. Learn more about GFCI and AFCI protection.

A remodel is also a good time to check your alarms. Minnesota law requires a smoke alarm in every dwelling unit and a carbon monoxide alarm within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping. We can install or replace hardwired smoke and CO alarms while the walls are open.

Permits and inspections

Minnesota law requires the request for electrical inspection to be filed at or before the start of the work. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry requires rough-in inspections before wiring is covered by insulation, drywall or ceiling materials, and a final inspection when the work is done. If wiring is covered before inspection, the person who covered it is responsible for the cost of exposing it. We schedule the rough-in and final inspections and coordinate the timing with your contractor so the walls do not close early.

Leave new circuits to a licensed electrician

Do not add circuits, extend existing circuits or work inside your panel yourself. Minnesota law allows an owner who lives in a single-family home with its own electrical service to do electrical work there under a permit and inspection, but errors hidden inside walls can cause shocks or fires years later. Our electricians are licensed, background-checked and drug-tested.

To plan the electrical for your remodel, call 651-488-5555. We serve homes across the seven-county Twin Cities metro.

Signs your remodel needs an electrician

• You are adding or moving kitchen appliances, outlets or lighting
• You are finishing a basement or building an addition
• The room you are remodeling has too few outlets and relies on extension cords
• Walls or ceilings will be opened and you want the wiring checked
• Your panel has no open spaces for the new circuits
• You want new lighting, exhaust fans or heated floors

Common questions

Sources

• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Electrical codes and standards (2026 NEC effective Aug. 17, 2026)
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Homeowner electrical permit, existing home (rough-in before concealment, final inspection)
• Minnesota Statutes 326B.36 — Electrical inspections
• Minnesota Statutes 326B.33 — Licensing; homeowner exemption, subd. 21
• Minnesota Statutes 299F.362 — Smoke alarms
• Minnesota Statutes 299F.51 — Carbon monoxide alarms
• Mike Holt Enterprises — 2023 NEC 210.8 GFCI protection, dwelling unit locations
• City of St. Paul — AFCI requirements for branch circuit extensions and modifications