Cost · Electrical
Rewiring and switchboard upgrades cost in Australia
The short answer
No public price index exists for rewiring in Australia. Cost is driven by house construction, access to wall and roof cavities, and how much of the existing wiring is genuinely being replaced.
Checked against 4 published sources, listed in full at the end of this page. How we source this
Why we don’t publish a “typical range”
Australia has no authoritative public price index for this work. Prices vary by state, by site access, by what is found once work starts, and by how busy the trade is that month. Any 'typical range' you see quoted, including on this site's earlier drafts, is someone's guess presented as research, so we publish what actually drives the number instead.
What actually moves the price
Use these to read the quote in front of you and to ask the questions that make competing quotes comparable.
- How much is actually being rewired. A full rewire, a partial rewire and a switchboard upgrade with some new circuits are three different jobs often described with similar words.
- Construction type and access. A single-storey home with an accessible roof space is very different from a double-brick or two-storey home with no cavity access.
- How much wall damage is acceptable, and whether making good and repainting is included.
- Number of circuits, outlets and light points.
- Switchboard condition, including whether asbestos backing is present.
- Whether the property is occupied during the work.
- Any supply upgrade required from the street.
The most important thing to establish on a rewiring quote is its scope boundary, because 'rewire' is used loosely. Ask explicitly: which circuits are being replaced, which are being retained, and what happens to anything found to be non-compliant along the way.
Any rewiring work must include residual current protection on the new and altered circuits under the national wiring rules, and you should receive the certificate of electrical safety or your state's equivalent on completion.
Sources
Every source below was fetched and its response recorded on the date shown. Where a government site blocks automated clients, that is noted rather than reported as a successful check.
- Standards Australia · Standards AustraliaChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
- Electricians · NSW GovernmentChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
- Energy Safe Victoria · Energy Safe VictoriaChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
- Building and Energy · Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (WA)Checked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK