The switchboard: door open, covers on
A switchboard photo tells us a lot before we arrive: whether it has circuit breakers or old ceramic fuses, how many safety switches there are, whether there's spare room, and roughly how old it is. Open the meter box door, step back so the whole board is in the frame, then take a closer shot of the labels.
Leave every cover, screw and panel exactly where it is. Older boards can contain asbestos, and WorkSafe Victoria lists switchboards and their backing boards as a typical location for it. If the board is wet, scorched, buzzing or smells hot, don't open it at all. Tell us that instead.
Where the job is
For a new power point, light or ceiling fan, photograph the wall or ceiling from a few steps back so we can see the whole room. For an EV charger, take the garage wall where you'd like it, the route back towards the meter box and the meter box from outside. For a fault, photograph the power point, fitting or switch that's playing up from normal standing distance. If it's loose, cracked or scorched, don't touch it to get the shot.
Labels and rating plates
For an oven, cooktop, hot water unit or EV charger, a photo of the rating label helps, because the appliance's rating decides the cable and circuit it needs. Only photograph a label you can see without moving the appliance or reaching behind it. A model number from the manual or the box works just as well.
Sending them
Mention in your enquiry that you have photos, and we'll ask for them when we get in touch. They help us plan and bring the right parts. Some jobs still need a look on site before we can give the price, especially where cables have to get through walls or the switchboard is older, but good photos make that visit shorter.
Services that can help
Read more in our guides
Related questions
- How do I describe an electrical fault in my enquiry?Tell us what stopped working, when it started, what was running at the time and what the switchboard shows.
- How should I prepare for an electrician's visit?Clear access to the switchboard and the areas we'll be working in, clear the space under the roof manhole, and write a short list of every job you'd like done.
- Do I need to be home for a switchboard upgrade?Someone should be there at the start and at the end, and the electrician needs access to the switchboard and to the rooms inside for testing.
- What is a sub-board, and do I have one?A sub-board is a smaller switchboard fed by its own cable from a circuit breaker on your main switchboard.
Sources for this answer
2 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.WorkSafe Victoria: A person who has management or control of a workplace, and employers or self-employed persons and employees should be aware of the typical uses and applications of ACMs, particularly in buildings constructed or… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Energy Safe Victoria: Do not touch or attempt to repair a loose, cracked or broken power point switch – cover it immediately and arrange for a licensed electrician to replace it. Accessed 30 September 2026.
General information for homes in Victoria. Every installation is different, so treat this as a starting point. Where this answer refers to Victorian safety or rental rules, the sources above have the current requirements.