How to Extend Electrical Wires in Your Home

Stretch your home’s style with new electrical options

A home with pendant lights
Photo: Westend61 / Getty Images
A home with pendant lights
Photo: Westend61 / Getty Images
Chris Middleton
Written by Chris Middleton
Contributing Writer
Updated Mar 14, 2025
SKILL LEVEL
Expert
COMPLETION TIME
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
SUPPLIES
  • Non-metallic wire cable
  • Old work fixture or junction box
  • Wire nuts (caps)
Read more

  1. Turn Off the Power

    Never work on a live electrical circuit. 

    1. Locate and turn off the breaker switch for the circuit where you’ll work. 

    2. If you’re uncertain which circuit to shut off, turn off the main breaker switch to cut power to the entire house. 

    3. Use your non-contact voltage detector, multimeter, or both to ensure there is no current where you’re working.

  2. Remove Existing Fixture or Junction Box

    A man removes a light fixture
    Photo: eggeeggjiew / Adobe Stock

    Running a new cable and making connections is more manageable after removing the existing box.

    1. Remove the existing fixture or socket and wire caps using your multi-bit screwdriver. 

    2. Loosen and remove the retaining ring of the cable connector on the side of the box.

    3. With a stud finder, determine which side of the box the wall stud is on.

    4. With a pry bar or screwdriver, coax the box away from the stud enough to see the mounting nail or screw.

    5. With a metal blade on a reciprocating, oscillating, or keyhole saw, cut the nail or screw. Be careful to avoid hitting the electrical cable.

    6. Pull the box out of the hole while leaving the wire in the wall cavity.

    7. Loosen and remove the cable clamp connector.

  3. Install New Cable and Box

    Getting the new wires in place can be the trickiest part of the project.

    1. 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. 

    2. 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.

    3. Insert the box into the wall and tighten the securing wings with a screwdriver.

  4. Strip the Wires

    A man strips a wire
    Photo: Africa Studio / Adobe Stock

    The old wires may not need much preparation. However, it’s easier to work with untwisted wire ends.

    1. On the old cable wires, trim the twisted end off and strip about a 1/2-inch from the wire covers. 

    2. 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. 

    3. Strip the hot and neutral wire ends to about 1/2 inch. 

  5. Connect Wires

    If you’re reinstalling the old fixture, support it from below while connecting its wiring.

    1. 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.  

    2. Twist the proper-size wire nut (or cap) over the twisted end.

    3. Repeat steps one and two with the black and neutral (white) wires. Again, if you’re reusing the old fixture, include its wires. 

    4. Tuck the wires into the electrical box.

  6. 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.

    1. Attach the old fixture or new cover plate to the electrical box.

    2. 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, hire a local electrician 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.

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Learn more about our contributor
Chris Middleton
Written by Chris Middleton
Contributing Writer
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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