House Rewiring Adelaide
Licensed Adelaide electricians on contractor licence PGE 273919. No call out fee, a fixed quote before we start, and a lifetime warranty on labour. Call 1300 632 094.
Old wiring is one of the few electrical problems you cannot see until it becomes dangerous. If your Adelaide home still runs on rubber or cloth insulated cable, or the lights dim every time the kettle goes on, it may be time for a rewire. We handle full and partial house rewiring across metropolitan Adelaide, from tired inner suburb bungalows to renovations and additions, and we bring the whole installation up to the current AS/NZS 3000 wiring rules.
Every job is done by a licensed rewiring electrician. Adelaide homeowners are covered from the first visit, because we work under contractor licence PGE 273919 and CBS AU54516 and issue a certificate of compliance when the work is signed off. There is no call out fee, we quote in writing before we start, and all our labour carries a lifetime warranty. Call 1300 632 094 and we will talk through what your place actually needs.
Signs Your Adelaide Home Needs Rewiring
Most homeowners do not go looking for a rewire. They notice the warning signs first, then call us. A few of the common ones we get asked about across Adelaide:
- Dimming or flickering lights when an appliance kicks in, which usually points to loose or degraded connections.
- Warm switch plates or power points, or a faint burning smell near an outlet. That is heat where there should not be any.
- Frequent tripping of the safety switch or old fuses blowing when the house is under normal load.
- Discoloured or scorched outlets and switches.
- Not enough power points, so the place runs on double adaptors and power boards.
If any of that sounds familiar, get it looked at rather than living with it. Our licensed electricians can inspect the circuits and tell you whether a repair will do or whether the cabling has reached the end of its life. Many of these faults overlap with a tired meter box, so we often look at your switchboard upgrade options at the same visit.
Full Rewires and Partial Rewires Explained
Not every home needs the lot pulled out. A full rewire replaces all the cabling, power points, light points and switches, and ties everything back to an upgraded board. It suits older homes where the original wiring is past it, or a major renovation where walls are already open.
A partial rewire targets the circuits that are actually a problem, say the kitchen, an old extension, or a run of failing lighting cable, while leaving sound wiring in place. It is a sensible option when the budget is tight or only part of the house has aged badly. During the initial inspection we test the existing circuits and tell you honestly which approach makes sense, so you are not paying to replace cable that has plenty of life left.
Older Adelaide Homes and Ageing Cable
Adelaide has a lot of housing stock from before the 1970s, from sandstone villas and Federation bungalows through to postwar brick homes. Plenty of them have never been fully rewired. The cabling we find in these places tells its own story.
Rubber and cloth insulated cable (the old VIR wiring) goes brittle with age and heat, and Adelaide’s long dry summers do not help. Once that insulation cracks, the copper underneath is exposed. We also come across early plastic TPS cable, black rubber conduit and ceramic fuse boards that were never built for the load a modern home puts through them, with reverse cycle air conditioning, induction cooktops and a house full of chargers. If your home has any of that original wiring, a home rewiring Adelaide electricians sign off on brings it up to a safe, current standard.
A Staged Rewire That Keeps the House Livable
People worry that rewiring means moving out for a fortnight. It usually does not. On an occupied home we plan the work in stages, isolating and rewiring one area at a time so you keep power to the rest of the house overnight. We will agree the sequence with you before we start, and we let you know when the power needs to be off for a few hours so you can plan around it.
Keeping wall damage down is part of the same plan. Wherever we can, we fish new cable through wall cavities, roof space and under the floor, and we reuse existing chases and access points rather than cutting fresh channels. Some patching is unavoidable in a solid brick home, and we will be upfront about that at quote stage, but the goal is always to leave you with as little making good as possible.
Testing, Insulation Readings and Certificate of Compliance
A rewire is not finished when the last cable is pulled. Before we hand the house back, we test every circuit. That means insulation resistance readings to confirm the new cabling is sound, earth continuity and loop testing, polarity checks and testing every safety switch to make sure it trips as it should. These readings are recorded, not guessed.
Once the installation passes, you receive a certificate of compliance. In South Australia this document is your proof that the work was done by a licensed electrician to AS/NZS 3000, and it matters for insurance and when you eventually sell. We handle the paperwork so you are not chasing it later. If a fault ever shows up on our workmanship, the Electrician Adelaide team stands behind it with our lifetime labour warranty.
Upgrading the Switchboard at the Same Time
It is rarely worth rewiring a house and leaving an old ceramic fuse board in place. When we run new circuits, we bring them back to a modern switchboard fitted with circuit breakers and RCD safety switches on the outlets and lighting, as the wiring rules now require. Doing both together saves a second round of labour and gives you one properly protected system rather than new cable feeding old protection. It is the way electrical rewiring Adelaide wide should be finished off.
An upgraded board also gives you room to grow, whether that is an EV charger down the track, solar, or the extra power points and LED lighting most homes end up wanting. We service rewiring right across the metro area, including Norwood, Prospect and Magill.
How Much Does House Rewiring Cost in Adelaide?
There is no single figure for a rewire because no two Adelaide homes are the same. The price comes down to how much cable needs replacing and how hard it is to reach. Rather than quote a number over the phone, we inspect the property and give you a fixed written quote. These are the main things that move the price:
| What drives the price | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Size of the home | More rooms and circuits mean more cable, outlets and labour. |
| Full or partial rewire | Replacing everything costs more than targeting a few problem circuits. |
| Home age and access | Solid brick, double storey and homes with no roof or floor access take longer to run cable. |
| Switchboard upgrade | Fitting a new board with safety switches is often done at the same time. |
| Number of points | Extra power points, lights and dedicated circuits add to the scope. |
| Making good | The amount of wall patching needed once cabling is in. |
| Occupied or vacant | Staging work around a lived in home takes more planning than an empty one. |
You will get a clear, itemised quote before any work starts, with no call out fee to see us out. The figure we quote is the figure you pay, so there are no surprises once the walls are open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my house needs rewiring?
Look for dimming lights when appliances start, warm or discoloured power points, a burning smell near outlets, and safety switches that trip often. Homes over 40 or 50 years old that still have their original rubber or cloth wiring are the usual candidates. A licensed electrician can test the circuits and tell you for certain.
Do I need a full rewire or just a partial one?
It depends on the condition of the cabling. If the whole installation is old and the insulation is failing, a full rewire is the safe choice. If only one area, like a kitchen or an old extension, has aged badly, a partial rewire fixes that section while leaving sound wiring alone. We test first, then advise.
Can I stay in my home during the rewire?
In most cases, yes. We plan the work in stages and isolate one area at a time, so you keep power to the rest of the house. There will be short periods when the power is off in the section we are working on, and we will let you know in advance so you can plan around it.
Will rewiring make a mess of my walls?
We keep wall damage to a minimum. Wherever possible we run new cable through the roof space, wall cavities and under the floor, and we reuse existing chases and access points. Some patching is unavoidable in solid brick homes, and we will tell you exactly what to expect at quote stage.
Is a certificate of compliance included?
Yes. Every rewire we complete comes with a certificate of compliance once the installation passes testing. In South Australia it is your proof the work was done by a licensed electrician to AS/NZS 3000, and it matters for insurance and when you sell. We handle the paperwork for you.
What does a rewire cost in Adelaide?
There is no flat rate because it depends on the size of the home, whether it is a full or partial rewire, access, and how many points you need. We inspect the property and give you a fixed written quote before starting, with no call out fee. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Should I upgrade my switchboard when I rewire?
Almost always. New cabling running back to an old ceramic fuse board does not give you the protection modern wiring rules require. When we rewire, we bring the circuits back to a modern board with circuit breakers and RCD safety switches. Doing both together saves a second round of labour.
What kind of old wiring is unsafe?
Rubber and cloth insulated cable, often called VIR, goes brittle and cracks with age and heat, which exposes the copper. Early plastic TPS, black rubber conduit and ceramic fuse boards were never built for modern loads. If your home still has any of these, it is worth having them assessed.
How long does it take to rewire a house?
It varies with the size of the home and the access. A small home might take a few days, while a larger or harder to access property can run over a week. We give you a realistic timeframe with your quote and, on occupied homes, a staging plan so you know what is happening each day.
Are your electricians licensed for rewiring in South Australia?
Yes. Every rewiring electrician Adelaide wide on our team holds a full licence, and we work under contractor licence PGE 273919 and CBS AU54516. In South Australia only a licensed electrician can legally do domestic wiring, and only a licensed electrician can issue the certificate of compliance you need.
Do you rewire during renovations and extensions?
We do. A renovation is the ideal time to rewire because walls are often already open, which cuts down on patching and cost. We coordinate around your builder, run new circuits and power points where you want them, and tie it all back to an upgraded switchboard ready for the finished home.
Do you offer rewiring across all of Adelaide?
Yes, we cover the whole metropolitan area, from the inner suburbs out to the north and south. If you have an old fuse box or aged wiring and you are worried about safety, we can also help with urgent faults through our emergency electrician service. Call 1300 632 094 to book an inspection.
Talk to a Licensed Adelaide Electrician Today
No call out fee. Fixed quote before we start. Lifetime warranty on labour. Call now or book online.
