Quoting a full house rewire for old knob and tube - how do you estimate the hours accurately?

Man, quoting rewires is killing me this year, especially with these old houses full of knob and tube that nobody wants to touch. I've got a 1950s ranch in the Chicago area that's got wiring running everywhere, and the homeowner wants it all updated to 14/2 Romex with AFCI breakers per NEC 210.12. I usually figure 4-6 hours per 1000 sq ft but then I always end up eating time on surprises like buried junctions or chasing neutrals. Saw a thread on r/electricians where guys were complaining about the same crap, and someone in the Electricians Network FB group mentioned using Housecall Pro for better material takeoffs. Anyone got a solid formula for padding the estimate without scaring them off?

Homeowners who wait till the insurance cancels always lowball the quote then act shocked.

Break it down by room, quote T&M for unknowns like attic access.

These DIY homeowners think it's a weekend project, SMH.

I feel your pain, been there on too many rewires.

SharkBite for plumbing maybe, but for wiring? Nah, stick to proper boxes or get sued.

Use Bluebeam for digital takeoffs, saves hours on estimates.

Watched Dustin from Electrician U on YouTube, he breaks down rewires by circuit count.

Estimating knob and tube jobs is a crapshoot every time.

Just bid high and let em negotiate down to your real number.

NEC changes every cycle screw with your standard estimates.

From the guy in The Contractor Fight group: always include a site visit fee upfront.

Had a laugh when a customer tried to quote me back using ChatGPT.

Quote the wire run footage at $2/ft including labor.

Me and the apprentice was laughin at a job where the old wiring sparked just looking at it.

Electricians Network is full of these quoting horror stories.

Never underestimate the time for fishing through plaster walls.

Yeah, that stuff adds up quick.

How do you handle change orders when they find more knob and tube mid-demo?

Same here, Chicago basements are the worst for hidden runs.

These old houses are a liability nightmare.

I hear ya, lost a bid last week cuz I padded too much.

Always get 50% upfront on rewires over $5k.

Client called at midnight panicking over flickering lights, turned out to be the whole system.