Electrical Questions, Answered
Updated
Short answers with the numbers. The longer versions, with sources, are in the guides and on the cost page.
Get a free quote
A licensed electrician replies with a price. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
Rather talk? Call (608) 554-4028 or text us.
Prices
How much does an electrician cost in Wisconsin?
PermitDeck's Milwaukee table puts labor at $65 to $135 an hour with a $144 to $244 minimum call. Jobs are usually priced per job: a new outlet $176 to $297, a ceiling fan $150 to $400, a 200-amp panel about $1,500 to $4,500. All ranges are on the cost page.
How much does a panel upgrade cost?
About $1,500 to $4,500 for 200 amps in Wisconsin guides, and $3,500 to $8,500 for 320 to 400 amps. Janesville's permit for a service entrance is $51. See panel upgrades and the cost page.
How much does an EV charger install cost?
About $800 to $2,900 for a Level 2 charger circuit in Wisconsin, more if the panel has to grow. See EV charger installation and the cost page.
How much does it cost to rewire a house?
PermitDeck's Milwaukee data puts a whole house of about 1,800 square feet at $8,580 to $14,520. See knob-and-tube wiring and the cost page.
Why are there no Janesville prices?
None of the Janesville electricians we checked publish a price, so the ranges come from Wisconsin guides, most of them Milwaukee-area. The price that counts is the written one before work starts.
Permits and the law
Do I need a permit for electrical work in Janesville?
For a service upgrade, new wiring or changes to existing wiring, yes. Replacing an existing switch or outlet in the same spot, no. See Janesville electrical permits.
How much is an electrical permit in Janesville?
$51 for a residential service entrance or generator, $16 for a feeder change and $1.17 per outlet, switch or fixture, by the city's published fee schedule. Labor is on the cost page.
Can I do my own electrical work in Wisconsin?
On a house you own and live in, unless a local rule says otherwise. Janesville limits owner-occupants to branch-circuit wiring; service and feeder work needs a licensed Master Electrician. See doing your own electrical work.
How do I check an electrician's license in Wisconsin?
Search the person and the business on the DSPS LicensE lookup at license.wi.gov. See the licence guide.
What electrical code does Wisconsin use?
The 2023 National Electrical Code, adopted in SPS 316 with Wisconsin changes, effective September 1, 2026. It replaced the 2017 edition.
Old houses and old wiring
How many Janesville homes were built before 1940?
4,173 of 29,330, per the Census ACS 2020-2024; 30% were built before 1960. See how old the wiring is.
Is knob-and-tube wiring safe?
Not dangerous just for being old, but it must not be buried in insulation, and decades of splices and modern loads are the usual problems. See knob-and-tube wiring.
Is aluminum wiring a problem?
The CPSC found pre-1972 aluminum-wired homes were 55 times more likely to have an outlet connection reach fire hazard conditions. It accepts three permanent repairs. See aluminum wiring.
Booking
How do I get a price?
Call or text (608) 554-4028, or send the quote form with the address, the job and roughly when the house was built. A licensed electrician replies with a price.
Which towns are covered?
Janesville and the 4 other Rock County cities with their own pages: Beloit, Milton, Edgerton and Evansville, plus the homes in between. See the service area.
Is the work done under permit?
Where a permit applies, yes: the licensed electrician pulls it and calls for the inspection. Nothing starts until you agree to the written price.
Still have a question?
Ask it in the quote form. A licensed electrician answers along with the price.