When renovating, involving an electrician in Geelong early allows electrical design, wiring, lighting, power points and future power requirements to be considered before walls, cabinetry and finishes restrict your options. Salt Electrical provides electrical design, installation, rewiring, lighting and power point services for residential renovations in Geelong. Electrical planning should be part of the renovation design, not an afterthought. Decisions about appliances, room layouts, heating and cooling, technology and future additions can all affect what electrical infrastructure your home requires.
Do I need an electrician when renovating?
If the renovation involves electrical installation work, it must be completed by appropriately qualified electrical professionals. Energy Safe Victoria advises consumers to engage a Registered Electrical Contractor, which is responsible for ensuring licensed electrical workers carry out electrical installation work safely and in accordance with Victorian requirements. Energy Safe Victoria also states that DIY electrical work is illegal and can be deadly.
Engaging your electrician while the renovation is being planned also gives you an opportunity to identify electrical requirements room by room. For a kitchen, consider the location and requirements of the oven, cooktop, dishwasher, refrigerator and other appliances, along with bench-level power points and lighting. A home office may need additional power points, data connections and task lighting, while living areas may need power and data positioned around the planned furniture and television layout. The objective is to design the electrical installation around how each space will be used.
Should you upgrade your switchboard during a renovation?
A renovation is a sensible time to have the existing switchboard assessed, particularly when the project will add electrical equipment or increase demand. An older switchboard may not be appropriate for the home’s planned electrical requirements. Salt Electrical identifies older switchboards, inadequate safety protection and changing electrical requirements as reasons to investigate a switchboard upgrade.
The assessment becomes particularly relevant if the renovation includes substantial new electrical loads or lays the groundwork for future electrification. This could include:
- induction cooking
- additional heating or cooling
- electric hot water
- solar and battery storage
- an EV charger
- additional circuits for a renovated kitchen or other high-use areas
Some switchboard work is classified as prescribed electrical installation work in Victoria. Energy Safe Victoria explains that prescribed electrical work must be independently inspected by a Licensed Electrical Inspector before it is energised or used. Your electrician can assess the existing installation and advise what, if anything, needs to change for the renovation.
Does an older Geelong home need rewiring?
Age alone does not mean an entire house needs rewiring, but older wiring deserves attention when renovating. Energy Safe Victoria advises that wiring in houses more than 30 years old should be checked. It also warns that old wiring can degrade or may be unable to cope with the demands of modern electrical equipment. Energy Safe Victoria reports that Victorian fire brigades respond to more than 300 domestic electrical fires each year, with many caused by old wiring that has degraded or cannot handle modern electrical demand.
Potential warning signs identified by Energy Safe Victoria can include an old switchboard, damaged or ageing switches and power points, flickering lights or sparks from electrical equipment. This is particularly relevant when renovating established properties. Opening walls and ceilings can provide access to wiring that is normally concealed, making the renovation a logical time to have the electrical installation assessed.
The result does not necessarily have to be a complete rewire. Depending on the condition of the existing system and the scope of the renovation, an electrician may recommend targeted work or a more extensive upgrade. Salt Electrical undertakes electrical upgrades and home rewiring in Geelong as part of its general residential electrical services.
What electrical work should you plan before construction starts?
Start with the floor plan and think about how you will use the finished home. Power points are an obvious consideration, but quantity is only part of the decision. Their position matters. Think about bedside tables, televisions, desks, kitchen benches, cleaning equipment and places where phones, tablets and other devices will regularly be charged.
Lighting should also be designed for the purpose of each space. Kitchens and work areas need effective task lighting, while living areas may benefit from a combination of general, feature and adjustable lighting. Outdoor lighting can also be incorporated into the electrical design rather than added later. Salt Electrical provides electrical design, power point installation, feature lighting, general lighting installation and rewiring as part of its residential electrical services in Geelong. Planning these elements before plastering, cabinetry and painting can reduce the need to alter finished surfaces because an electrical requirement was overlooked.
Should you include data points and future technology?
A renovation should account for the way you expect to use the home over the coming years, not just what is plugged in today. If reliable wired connections are important for a home office, television, security equipment or other connected devices, discuss data and communications cabling while electrical work is being planned. Salt Electrical provides data and communications services alongside its general electrical work.
EV charging is another consideration. Even if you do not currently own an electric vehicle, a major renovation provides an opportunity to discuss whether future charging should influence the electrical design. Salt Electrical installs and services residential EV charging systems in Geelong. Future planning does not mean installing every possible technology immediately. It means discussing likely requirements while access is straightforward, then making informed decisions about what should be installed now and what can reasonably wait.
When should you involve your electrician in Geelong?
Ideally, involve your electrician before construction begins. Bring your floor plans, appliance selections and ideas for lighting, technology and future electrical equipment to the discussion. Your electrician can then identify where circuits, wiring, power points, lighting and other infrastructure need to be incorporated. For larger renovations, useful questions include:
- Is the existing switchboard suitable for the renovated home?
- Does any existing wiring need replacing?
- Where will dedicated electrical circuits be required?
- Are there enough power points in practical locations?
- What lighting should be planned before ceilings and walls are finished?
- Do we need data or communications cabling?
- Should we allow for an EV charger, solar, battery storage or other future electrical equipment?
- What electrical safety work should be completed at the same time?
- What Certificates of Electrical Safety will be provided?
These questions help turn electrical work from a collection of last-minute installation decisions into part of the renovation design.
Plan the electrical work before the walls are finished
A well-planned renovation should leave you with an electrical system suited to the finished home, not one that immediately needs workarounds or further alterations. Assessing existing wiring and switchboard capacity, planning lighting and power point locations, considering appliance requirements and allowing for future technology can all be addressed while the renovation is still taking shape.
Salt Electrical provides residential electrical design, installations, rewiring, lighting, power points, switchboard upgrades and other general electrical services throughout Geelong. If you are planning a renovation, contact Salt Electrical to discuss the electrical requirements of your Geelong home.