Are you pushing an old home’s wires to their limit? The average Perth home has more appliances every year, drawing power from the same electrical cables. If your home’s wiring is undersized or outdated, you should consider electrical upgrades. Otherwise, that extra load can trigger a devastating fault, leading to fires, electrocution risk or home damage.
At best, we’re talking about a blown fuse. But as recently as 2018, electrical faults (including rechargeable devices) sparked more house fires than any other cause.
What Does Rewiring A House Involve?
Electrical rewiring can mean anything from restoring old outlets to replacing every electrical cable in your home. In between, there are electrical upgrades like:
- Updating an old electrical switchboard to 100, 150 or 200-amp capacity
- Moving plug sockets off skirting boards
- Replacing light fittings
- Installing new power points
- Replacing old light switches
- Repairing or replacing dodgy wiring done by a previous occupant
The benefits of rewiring your house
The number one benefit of electrical rewiring is your family’s safety. Electrical hazards are often invisible, hidden in walls or behind plug sockets. Leaving faulty wiring or unsafe plugs languishing risks electrocution, fire and property damage.
Second, any savvy homebuyer will spot outdated electrics from a mile away. So Perth homeowners can quite often recoup the cost of electrical rewiring when they sell. In the meantime, the upgrades make your home safer, more enjoyable and more comfortable.
When Should I Rewire My House?
If you’re ‘haunted’ by flickering lights or frequently blown fuses, it’s time to consider electrical rewiring. Other indications you need an electrical wiring upgrade are:
- Faulty or fickle outlets
- Light bulbs need replacing often
- Buzzing sounds from sockets
- Burning smells
- Evidence that the previous occupant took a DIY approach
- Sparks when plugging in appliances
- Discolouration around the plug
- Hot cables and outlets
- Loose-fitting plugs
If your home is over 30 years old or you’re experiencing any of these chronic cabling concerns, contact an electrical contractor to get professional advice.
Can I DIY Rewire MY House?
The short answer is no; you probably can’t perform DIY electrical upgrades in your own home. Doing so risks severe penalties. But even more serious are the electrocution risks, either while performing illegal DIY tasks or down the track when the wiring fails.
The WA State Government sums up why:
“In Western Australia, the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 provide that electrical work may only be carried out by persons with an electrician’s licence, as issued by the Electrical Licensing Board of Western Australia. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure safety for electrical workers and end users of electricity in Western Australia.”
If you’re a licenced electrical contractor with the experience, qualifications and tools to rewire your own home, you can apply to the State Government for special permission. Otherwise, call a professional.
How Much Does Electrical Rewiring Cost?
Rewiring a Perth home costs around $6,000, although the cost could range from $1,000 to $10,000+.
It depends on the complexity and size of the job:
- Number of bedrooms
- Length and complexity of the job
- Wiring accessibility
- Required materials
- Additional installations (plugs, light fixtures, switches)
Electrical rewiring is an investment in the safety and value of your home.
Planning Your Electrical Rewiring
Start with a comprehensive plan
Rewiring a house usually takes between 1 and 10 days. Like the cost, how long rewiring takes will depend on the complexity and size.
When you start to plan your rewiring project, there are a few key considerations:
- Safety: Is faulty wiring a safety risk to you and your family?
- Urgency: Are you experiencing regular outages, sparks or faults?
- Area: Has part of the house already been rewired?
- Complexity: Do you need new switches, sockets, cables and lights – or is this a simple electrical upgrade?
- Existing infrastructure: Is your electrical panel old, damaged or undersized?
- Size: How big is your home? How many rooms need rewiring?
- Future plans: Are you planning to sell your home? Should you upgrade the electrical capacity to handle home automation, extra appliances or a potential extension?
Set a budget
Smaller homes, simple rewiring, isolated fault repair and homes with crawlspaces are usually less expensive. But a 5-bedroom house or complex electrical upgrade job will noticeably increase the cost.
It pays to be realistic with your budget. We always encourage homeowners to source multiple quotes and choose the best electrical contractor for the job, not the cheapest.
Find a qualified electrical contractor
An electrical contractor must carry out electrical rewiring in Western Australia. But that doesn’t mean any old electrician is suitable for the job. Get a few quotes and look for a contractor who is:
- Experienced
- Qualified
- Reliable (look for testimonials)
- Capable of handling big jobs
- Local
- Affordable (transparent with pricing)
- Friendly
- Service-minded
- Professional and organised
When looking for electrical contractors to rewire your home, make sure NJP Electrical is on the shortlist. With 20 years of experience in residential and commercial electrical work, NJP Electrical is Perth’s rewiring specialist. We have the expertise to undertake any electrical upgrade and a dedication to client satisfaction,
Read what homeowners like you have to say about our services or request a rewiring quote today.
