Special skills and tools are necessary—leave it to the pros.
Time to complete
1 hour
Cost
$20–$50
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Multi-bit screwdriver
Linesman’s pliers
Stud finder
Wire stripper pliers
Reciprocating, oscillating, or keyhole saw with metal cutting blade
Utility knife
Cable ripper tool (optional)
Voltage tester (multimeter, non-contact voltage detector, or both)
Fish tape
SUPPLIES
Non-metallic wire cable
Old work fixture or junction box
Wire nuts (caps)
Preparing to Extend Electrical Wiring in Your Home
Extending a wiring circuit gives you more freedom to choose where to place light fixtures or a ceiling fan. However, there are some limitations and factors to consider before selecting the DIY option over hiring an electrician.
Electrical Safety
When working with electricity and wiring circuits, use extreme caution. Incorrectly installed electrical circuits have the potential to cause house fires and serious, potentially fatal, personal injuries. Only work on an electrical project if you have proper electrical safety education, and if you don’t, you should hire a local electrician to handle the job.
Electrical Permit
In most cases, any changes you make to the electrical system in your home, such as running conduit outside, require an electrical permit. A hired electrician is responsible for obtaining theirs. If you choose to do the work yourself, you’ll be responsible for contacting your local permitting office to get one and schedule inspections.
Limitations to Know
The structure of your home, the building materials in it, and the National Electrical Code place some limitations on where and how you can extend electrical wiring.
You must be able to install the new cable following NEC requirements, including installing new electrical inside walls or conduit. This could limit where you can place fixtures.
Throughout a circuit, you must use the same gauge wire.
For the context of this article, wire splices will only be in the confines of an approved electrical box.
Turn Off the Power
Never work on a live electrical circuit.
Locate and turn off the breaker switch for the circuit where you’ll work.
If you’re uncertain which circuit to shut off, turn off the main breaker switch to cut power to the entire house.
Running a new cable and making connections is more manageable after removing the existing box.
Remove the existing fixture or socket and wire caps using your multi-bit screwdriver.
Loosen and remove the retaining ring of the cable connector on the side of the box.
With a stud finder, determine which side of the box the wall stud is on.
With a pry bar or screwdriver, coax the box away from the stud enough to see the mounting nail or screw.
With a metal blade on a reciprocating, oscillating, or keyhole saw, cut the nail or screw. Be careful to avoid hitting the electrical cable.
Pull the box out of the hole while leaving the wire in the wall cavity.
Loosen and remove the cable clamp connector.
Install New Cable and Box
Getting the new wires in place can be the trickiest part of the project.
Using fish tape, run the new non-metallic electrical cable from the location of the new fixture to where you're connecting it to the existing circuit.
Through the back of the old work electrical box, slide the new and the old cables through the clamping tabs. Leave about six inches of the cable coming out of the box.
Insert the box into the wall and tighten the securing wings with a screwdriver.
Strip the Wires
Photo: Africa Studio / Adobe Stock
The old wires may not need much preparation. However, it’s easier to work with untwisted wire ends.
On the old cable wires, trim the twisted end off and strip about a 1/2-inch from the wire covers.
On the new cable wires, Use a cable ripper tool or utility knife to remove the protective cable casing as far back in the box as you can reach with tools.
Strip the hot and neutral wire ends to about 1/2 inch.
Connect Wires
If you’re reinstalling the old fixture, support it from below while connecting its wiring.
Gather the bare copper grounding wires and twist them together tightly with a linesman’s pliers. If you’re reinstalling the old fixture, include its ground wire in the connection. If not, simply connect the new wire to the old wire.
Twist the proper-size wire nut (or cap) over the twisted end.
Repeat steps one and two with the black and neutral (white) wires. Again, if you’re reusing the old fixture, include its wires.
Tuck the wires into the electrical box.
Cover the Box and Turn On the Power
If you choose not to reinstall the old fixture, you must cover the box with an NEC-approved cover.
Attach the old fixture or new cover plate to the electrical box.
Turn the electricity back on to the circuit.
Cost to Extend Electrical Wires
Extending electrical wiring in your home as a DIY project usually costs less than $50 for materials. The cost to hire an electrician is around $200 for a typical circuit extension. The price will vary depending on the difficulty of getting the new wire where it needs to go. Electrical wiring costs between $0.15 and $3.50 per foot, which does not include the cost of labor, so make sure you measure appropriately to save.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Going DIY to extend electrical wires can save you some money, but there are many risks associated with electrical work, especially for those who don’t have experience. Electrocutions, fires, and even explosions are all shocking ways you can hurt yourself and your home if you don’t know how to extend electrical wires properly.
If running new electrical cables feels daunting, give your local electrical company a shout to handle it for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the electrical wires you’re working with are too short, one of the easiest ways to elongate it is to extend them with a push-in connector. These user-friendly tools help you splice two wires together with little fuss or the need for extra tools, like a crimping tool, which is an older way of extending wires. As long as you can stripe the ends of a wire, using a push-in connector shouldn’t be an issue.
Yes, you can splice electrical wires together to make them longer. If you follow the proper safety protocols and match the correct colors, you can save yourself from getting a brand-new circuit and add length to your wires to get them where they need to go.
If you find the power cables for your appliances are too short, there are ways to extend them for the cost of just the extra wiring you need. Simply cut and strip your wires, solder them together, and cover them using heat shrink tubing. Not everyone has a soldering tool on hand, so if you’re looking to extend in a pinch, an extension cord, power bar, or surge protector can do the job just fine.
Chris has made every DIY mistake in the book, so has become well-versed in what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to your next home project. Currently the Senior Staff Writer for Branded Content at Zoomer Media, his work can often be found on blogTO and Daily Hive, helping readers feel comfortable about homeownerships.
Chris has made every DIY mistake in the book, so has become well-versed in what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to your next home project. Currently the Senior Staff Writer for Branded Content at Zoomer Media, his work can often be found on blogTO and Daily Hive, helping readers feel comfortable about homeownerships.
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