What it costs
$8,000 to $20,000 for a full rewire of a typical three-bedroom character home, driven by floor area, roof access, the number of new points and whether the switchboard and consumer mains are included. Partial and staged rewires cost proportionally less.
Nobody can quote a rewire accurately without getting into the roof space and looking at the existing cable, the board and the ceiling construction. Be sceptical of anyone who does.
How fast
One to two weeks on site for a full rewire, with power off in sections rather than all at once. The house stays liveable throughout. Staging it across two or three financial years is common and entirely reasonable — switchboard and power circuits first, where the safety benefit concentrates, lighting after.
Why these homes need it, and how we avoid wrecking them
Vulcanised india rubber cable was the Australian domestic standard from the early 1900s into the 1960s, with a design life of about 50 years. Every VIR installation still in service is now well past 70. The rubber hardens, cracks and falls away from the copper, fastest where it's been warm — roof spaces, ceiling roses, behind light fittings.
You can usually tell without an inspection. Black cloth-covered or dull rubber-sheathed cable running over the joists is original. So is a ceramic fuse board. The trigger is often something else — a renovation, downlights, a new kitchen, or ceiling insulation blown in over cable that can't take it.
- Top-down. New cable runs through the roof space and drops inside wall cavities. Where a cavity is blocked by solid masonry or a chimney breast we agree the access point with you before cutting anything.
- Reuse existing routes. Old cable often works as a draw wire to pull new TPS through the same path.
- Stage it. A full rewire doesn't have to happen in one hit — board and power circuits first, lighting later, or room by room.
- Fix the layout while you're at it. Two power points per room was normal in 1920. This is the one chance to change that without opening the walls again.
Common questions
How much does it cost to rewire a house in Adelaide?
$8,000 to $20,000 for a full rewire of a three-bedroom character home including a new switchboard. Access, floor area and the number of new points drive most of the variation.
How do I know if my house needs rewiring?
Black cloth-covered or rubber-insulated cable in the roof space, a board with ceramic rewireable fuses, lighting circuits with no earth, repeated fuse failures, warm or discoloured switches, or a pre-1960 house with no record of rewiring. Any of those together is a strong indicator.
Do I have to move out during a rewire?
Usually not. We work in sections and isolate circuits as we go, so you keep power to most of the house most of the time. It's dusty and there are people in your roof space, but it's liveable.
Does rewiring require council approval?
No. Internal electrical work isn't a development approval matter, even in a Historic or Character Area or on a listed property. Overlays affect externally visible work only.
Is ceiling insulation over old wiring dangerous?
It can be. Blown-in or batt insulation over aged rubber-insulated cable traps heat the cable was never designed to shed, and degraded insulation plus heat is how roof-space fires start. If your home has original wiring and has had insulation added, get it inspected.
Related
Serving Unley, Parkside, Goodwood and Malvern. See what electrical work costs in Adelaide.