How Much Does It Cost to Install a Phone Jack?
Normal range: $109 - $271
If you want to install a phone jack, be prepared to pay around $175, but costs can go all the way up to $497 based on the labor expenses, amount of wiring, number of outlets, and how accessible the installation area is.
If you’re interested in adding a landline to your home, you may need to install a phone jack. Hiring a professional electrician or general contractor to install a phone jack usually costs between $109 and $271. The national average is approximately $175, though a complicated installation could cost up to $497. Various factors can influence the project’s price, including your home’s existing wiring, the type of phone jack you need, and the difficulty of accessing and placing wiring. Phone jack installation involves two parts: the wiring and the phone jack.
- Average
- $175
- Low end
- $50
- high end
- $497
Phone Jack Installation Breakdown
| Cost Factor | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Labor | $50–$80 per hour |
| Wiring | $0.15 per foot |
| Single outlet | $3–$10 |
| Multiple outlets | $5–$10 |
When you get a quote for your phone jack installation, you can expect the following costs:
Materials
The materials for this project are the phone jack and the phone wiring.
A single outlet phone jack costs around $3 to $10, while a multiple outlet phone jack will cost slightly more, likely around $5 to $10.
The wiring you’ll need includes four twisted pairs with high quality shielding. This sort of wiring costs $0.15 per foot when it’s purchased in 100 foot segments.
Labor
This is not a DIY project. The labor costs of hiring a professional to install a phone jack are around $50 to $80 per hour. Individual phone jacks take one to two hours to install, and the cost of labor can vary by location.
If your professional is installing a new phone jack, they’ll need to create a small hole in the drywall after locating an area that is not near a stud. The professional will run a wire from an exterior telephone pole into your home and connect the wire to your brand new phone jack. The process of connecting this wiring requires expertise and specialized skills.
Wall Access
If your home does not allow for easy inter-wall access, the professional may need to make several small holes in the floor and wall to make the connection. This process will take more time and will likely increase your labor costs.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Phone jack installation can be a complicated project that requires cutting holes into just the right location in the wall and running delicate wiring. This sort of job is best left to the professionals.
Either a certified electrician or a general contractor can complete your phone jack installation project. Contacting more than one professional to get quotes is the best way to find the right person for the job.
The phone jack is the square wall-mounted plate into which a telephone plug is placed for the phone to get service. You’ll know your phone is properly connected to a working phone jack if you hear a dial tone when you pick up the phone. Phone jacks are often silver, white, or beige and are usually located in the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, or dens.
As long as your landline is corded, meaning your telephone has a handset wired to a base unit on the wall, it will work during a power outage. Cordless phones won’t work without power, and cell phones will run out of battery eventually, so having a corded landline can be vital if your area loses power frequently or for long periods.