What shapes the price
The work itself: how many points, lights or units, and what's being removed. The switchboard: whether it has room, whether it's an old fuse board, and whether the circuit needs safety switch protection added, which the Wiring Rules require when an existing circuit is altered.
The route and access: whether cable can run through an open roof space or has to get through solid brick, a concrete slab or between storeys. Roof pitch, ceiling height, parking and any patching or painting by others all play a part too.
Why some jobs need a look first
Two jobs that sound the same in an enquiry can be very different on site. A new power point in a 1960s weatherboard in Laverton with an open roof space is a different job from one on the ground floor of a double-storey Point Cook home with no way through the ceiling.
Faults are similar. Until the circuit is tested, nobody can honestly say whether it's a loose connection or a damaged cable. For those jobs, the first visit is about finding the cause, and we'll explain how that visit works before we book it.
What the price tells you
When we give you the price, we spell out what's in it: the work, the main materials, testing, and the Certificate of Electrical Safety that must be issued for electrical work. If something sits outside it, such as plastering, gas work by a licensed gasfitter or a distributor's part of a supply change, we say so.
If something unexpected turns up once work is underway, we stop and talk to you, and you get the price for the extra work before it goes ahead.
Services that can help
Read more in our guides
Related questions
- What happens if extra work is found during the job?We stop and tell you.
- What happens after I send an enquiry?Once you send it, you'll see a reference on screen.
- How do I avoid cables when drilling or hanging pictures?Assume a cable could be anywhere until you've ruled it out.
- Do I need to be home for the visit?Not always, but someone needs to give us access to everything the job involves.
Sources for this answer
2 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Energy Safe Victoria: Clause 2.6.3.2.5 of the Wiring Rules states: Additional protection by RCDs shall be provided in existing electrical installations where alterations or a switchboard replacement is completed. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Energy Safe Victoria: Whenever a licensed electrician completes any electrical installation work, they must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). 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.