Knockdown rebuild: the power supply steps from demolition to new connection

A knockdown rebuild touches the power supply at four points. The old supply comes off before demolition, a temporary supply goes in for construction, the new home's mains, meter box and switchboard are installed, and the distributor connects the new supply. Each step involves different people, and delays usually come from one step not being lodged in time for the next.

Your builder usually manages most of this, but not always all of it, and some parts may be yours to arrange. Ask the builder for a list of who lodges what, and when.

Before demolition starts, the house's electricity supply has to be permanently disconnected and the meter removed by the network, not just switched off at the main switch. The overhead service line or underground connection is made safe on the network's side. Gas is similar: the gas supply is disconnected and the meter removed through the gas network, with any gasfitting done by a licensed gasfitter.

These requests usually go through your electricity and gas retailers, or through the builder or demolition contractor on your behalf, and they take time to book. Lodge them well before the demolition date, and get written confirmation that both are done before anyone starts pulling the house down.

If the old house is fed through a private pole or overhead line on the property, that's part of your installation. Energy Safe Victoria says the property owner is responsible for the installation from the point of supply, including private electric lines on the property, so plan its removal with the rest.

Construction needs power for tools, lighting and the site shed, so builders set up a temporary supply: a temporary switchboard on a pole or stand, usually near the front boundary, connected by the network. It's normally the builder's job to arrange, often through their own electrician.

Ask where it will sit and how long it stays. It needs to be clear of the driveway crossover, the new meter box position and any trees, and the network sets requirements for its location and access. Once the permanent supply is connected, it comes out.

On the new home, the consumer mains and meter box sit on your side of the point of supply, so their position is your decision as much as the builder's. The meter box has to be where the distributor can reach it, usually on the front or side of the house, and reasonably close to where the supply enters the property.

Look at it on the site plan with the driveway, side gate, fences and landscaping. A meter box behind a locked gate or a future fence creates access problems. A main switchboard close to the meter keeps the mains run short. If you're planning solar, a battery or an EV charger, leave space near the board and an easy route to the roof and garage.

In established streets around Altona, Sunshine or Footscray, the supply often comes from overhead lines on the street, while newer estates are usually supplied underground. The existing connection point shapes where the new mains can come in, so check it on site before the plans are final.

The new home's consumer mains, meter box, main switchboard and main earthing are prescribed electrical work. Energy Safe Victoria says prescribed work must be inspected by a Licensed Electrical Inspector and can't be switched on, or left on, until it has been inspected.

Once the work is done and inspected, the electrician lodges the paperwork with the distributor, which connects the supply and fits the meter. Your retailer needs to set up the account as well. Timing depends on the distributor's booking, so the request should go in before the house is finished, not after.

Which distributor you deal with depends on where you build. Jemena's area reaches Williamstown and Footscray, while Powercor's Altona terminal station supplies areas including Altona Meadows, Point Cook, Werribee, Tarneit and Hoppers Crossing. Each has its own process and booking times.

Under Victoria's Building and Plumbing Amendment Regulations 2025, all new homes must be built all-electric from 1 January 2027, and new homes needing a planning permit have had to be all-electric since 1 January 2024. Planning scheme clause 53.03 also stops a permit being granted for a new gas connection when building a new dwelling. Ask your builder or building surveyor how the dates apply to your permit, but for most rebuilds the old gas meter won't be coming back.

That puts cooking, hot water and heating on the switchboard, alongside air conditioning and perhaps an EV charger. Settle the supply size before the connection is applied for. A heavier single-phase supply suits many homes, and three-phase makes sense when large loads run together, such as a big ducted system, two EV chargers or a workshop. It's far simpler to set at the start than to upgrade later.

Most hold-ups in a knockdown rebuild come from one step waiting on another. Keep this list beside the build schedule and tick it off with your builder.

Keep the Certificates of Electrical Safety for the mains, switchboard and fit-off with your handover documents. They're the record of what was installed and inspected.