House rewiring across south-east Melbourne
Rubber-insulated cable from the 1950s does not fail gradually. It sits there looking fine until somebody moves it, and then a circuit dies or worse. If your house has original wiring in any part of it, the question is when to deal with it, not whether.
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Old wiring gives you years of notice
Very few houses need a full rewire. Most need part of one, and knowing which is the difference between a five figure job and a manageable one.
- Cloth or rubber-insulated cable visible in the roof space, the subfloor or at the board.
- Faults that keep appearing in different parts of the house rather than one circuit.
- Insulation that crumbles away when a cable is moved or a fitting is replaced.
- A circuit failed the week after downlights went in or ceiling insulation was laid.
- Black rubber cable at the switchboard with no earth conductor on some circuits.
- You are renovating, and the walls or ceilings will be open anyway.
- A building inspection or an insurer has flagged the wiring in writing.
- The house has never been rewired and was built before about 1970.
What a rewire actually covers
A whole-house rewire and a partial are different jobs at very different prices. We tell you which one you actually need after inspecting the wiring.
- Inspection and testing first, so the recommendation is based on the actual condition of the cable.
- A staged plan where a full rewire is not practical, worst circuits first.
- New circuits run in modern TPS cable, correctly sized and separated.
- Switchboard replaced as part of the work, with circuit breakers and residual current protection.
- Earthing and bonding brought up to current requirements, including water and gas where required.
- Additional circuits and outlets added while the walls are open, because that is the cheap moment.
- Cable routes planned to minimise patching, and the extent of patching agreed before we start.
- Full testing, independent inspection and a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
About House rewiring
How to tell whether a house needs rewiring
A single dead circuit is a repair. Rewiring becomes the conversation when the cable itself is the problem, and there are three signs that point at it.
- Rubber or cloth insulation visible anywhere: at the board, in the roof space or under the floor.
- Insulation that crumbles away when a cable is moved or a fitting is changed.
- Faults appearing in different parts of the house rather than repeatedly on one circuit.
We test before recommending either. Plenty of houses need three circuits replaced and a new board rather than the whole lot, and the difference between those two jobs is thousands of dollars.
Why old cable fails when it is disturbed
Rubber-insulated cable from the 1950s and 60s does not degrade gradually in a way you can see. It sits there working until the insulation goes brittle, and then the first thing that moves it causes the failure. That is why the fault so often appears the week after somebody fits downlights, lays ceiling insulation, or works in the roof for another trade entirely.
It also means the risk profile changes the moment you renovate. A house that has been fine for forty years becomes a problem the day a builder puts a foot through the ceiling cavity.
Staging the work
A full rewire of an occupied house is disruptive but it does not mean moving out. The work is staged so the house has power overnight and at weekends, with specific areas off during the day and those days agreed with you in advance.
Where budget is the constraint, a partial rewire prioritised by risk is a legitimate approach. The circuits with the worst cable and the areas involving water go first, and the rest follows when it suits you.
What you get at the end
New circuits in modern cable, correctly sized and separated rather than everything sharing. A new switchboard with circuit breakers and residual current protection. Earthing and bonding brought up to current requirements. Additional circuits and outlets added while the walls are open, because that is the cheap moment to do it.
Rewiring is prescribed electrical work, so it carries a Certificate of Electrical Safety and an independent inspection by a Licensed Electrical Inspector who does not work for us. On the most invasive electrical work a house ever has, that second set of eyes is worth having.
We quote the job in front of us
No rate card, because the honest number depends on things nobody can see from a website. Estimates are free.
03 9889 3341Not urgent? Send the details and we will come back to you within one business day.
Standards this work is held to
A rewire is prescribed electrical work. It carries a Certificate of Electrical Safety and an independent inspection by a Licensed Electrical Inspector who does not work for us. That is a genuine second set of eyes on the most invasive electrical work a house ever has done.
Everything is installed to AS/NZS 3000. In practice that means residual current protection across the final subcircuits, a properly sized and separated circuit layout rather than everything sharing, and an earthing system that actually meets current requirements rather than whatever was acceptable in 1955.
We will tell you when a full rewire is not warranted. Plenty of houses need three circuits replaced and a new board, not the whole lot, and the difference is thousands of dollars.
How long it takes
- Inspection and quote
- A site visit and testing, usually within a few days. Free.
- Full rewire, occupied house
- Typically one to two weeks depending on size and access, worked in stages so you are not without power.
- Partial rewire
- Two to four days for a handful of circuits and a new board.
- Certificate
- Issued after independent inspection, usually within a few days of completion.
Rated 5.0 across 216 Google reviews
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Simon from STL Electrical is excellent, one of the best tradies I worked with during my renovation. He works fast, does quality work, and communicates well. Plus he wears little booties when he comes inside the house which is very…
Jerome Levinson, Google review -
Symon is a very professional electrician . He came to the house to have a look at where the main electric box is and he said is not gonna be easy job as the electric box is far away from…
Carmen Ng, Google review
House rewiring questions we get asked
How do I know if my house actually needs rewiring?
A single dead circuit is a repair. Rewiring becomes the conversation when we find rubber or cloth insulation, when faults keep appearing in different places, or when the insulation crumbles as soon as a cable is moved. We test before recommending either.
Do I have to move out?
Usually not. The work is staged so the house keeps power overnight and at weekends. There will be days where parts of the house are off, and we agree those with you in advance.
Will you make a mess of my walls?
There will be some patching, and we agree the extent of it before starting rather than after. Running through roof and subfloor space avoids most of it in a single storey home. We do not do the plastering and painting.
Can it be done in stages to spread the cost?
Yes, and for a lot of houses that is the sensible approach. We prioritise by risk: the circuits with the worst cable and the areas with water go first.
Is the old wiring dangerous right now?
Not necessarily. Old cable that is undisturbed and lightly loaded can sit for years. The risk rises sharply the moment somebody works in the ceiling, adds load, or lays insulation over it.
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03 9889 3341Not urgent? Send the details and we will come back to you within one business day.