Posted on May 20, 2025

Most homeowners and renters alike have come across deteriorating, damaged, or outdated outlets. The truth is, outlets (also known as plugs, wall plugs, receptacles, or wall sockets) all eventually wear out and break down. This, in turn, brings up the question of how much it costs to replace home outlets—or, by their technical term, “receptacles.” This article will explore that question for our curious or ready-to-update readers.

First of all, if you’re seeking to replace one or more outlets, it is wise and in your best interest to hire a licensed electrical contractor to install your plugs. Why? There are many reasons this job should be done by a professional licensed electrician; let’s explore a few. First off, a licensed electrical contractor must be, by law, licensed, bonded, and insured. This protects you, the homeowner or business owner, should something go wrong and—God forbid—an accidental fire is caused by the installer. Next, it decreases the chances of errors or issues with your plugs or your electrical branch circuits. Who wants to come home or to work and find a string of wall outlets not working just to save a few bucks? Definitely not what anyone would want. Lastly, hiring a reputable electrician guarantees a longer life for your outlets. This is often the case because this is what these technicians do day in and day out, so you can almost bet connections will be tight and last for years to come.

Like most electrical work, the price of updating those old plugs can vary drastically. Factors that come into play include the number of receptacles that need to be installed, the type of receptacles, accessibility of the receptacles to be installed, price of materials, and price of labor for your given electrical contractor.

A good rule of thumb for the replacement of a single receptacle installed by a professional electrician is approximately $150 to $250, depending on the factors mentioned above. For example, if you are seeking to install a single duplex receptacle in a home (a regular 15 amp plug), the price will most likely be between $150 and $200. That is because an electrician needs to take the time to drive to your location, unload their tools, have purchased or stocked your receptacle, and replace your faulty plug. The same concept applies if the situation involves replacing a dryer circuit, for example; however, due to the increased price of a dryer plug, the overall cost would increase as well.

If you intend to replace multiple outlets at home, such as all the outlets inside the home, the price will vary, but expect to pay less per outlet than a single outlet installation since the electrical contractor is already on-site and accounts for setup time in the first hour of work. Expect to pay approximately between $45 and $85 per outlet depending on the type of outlet (GFCI, tamper-resistant, weather-resistant, or other NEMA-rated specialty outlets). Additionally, some specialty receptacles may cost even more.

Replacing all outlets in a home may seem like a large, unnecessary expense, but the truth is, if your receptacles are beginning to wear out, it is a worthwhile investment. Not only does updating receptacles look good, but it will save a whole lot of headache, make your electrical system last longer, and even prevent a fire in some cases.

If you are in need of electrical outlet replacements, contact Zeus Electric. Zeus Electric is licensed, bonded, and insured. Zeus Electric also warranties all of our work for a full year. We offer world-class customer service and stand by all of our work. We are here to help and support you in your next electrical endeavor.