Narrabeen Switchboard Upgrades, Done Properly
Old ceramic fuse switchboards are still doing the job behind plenty of Narrabeen's older cottage doors. We swap them for a modern board, test it properly and hand over the paperwork.
Call (02) 9134 9029 or book online.
- Certificate of Compliance. Every board we install gets tested, with the paperwork lodged before we pack up.
- Lic #452529C. Licensed for notifiable switchboard work under NSW rules.
- Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee. If our workmanship on the board ever lets you down, we come back and fix it at no cost.
- Fixed Price, No Surprises. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Six Signs Your Home Is Asking for Switchboard Upgrades
Some boards fail loudly. Others just quietly stop coping with the house around them.
- Fuses that trip the instant the kettle and toaster run at the same time.
- A board with no RCDs, or only one covering the whole house.
- Scorch marks, a burning smell, or a board that feels warm to touch.
- Ceramic fuse carriers instead of switches, especially in a pre-1980s home.
- Lights that dim whenever a big appliance kicks in.
- A recent renovation or extension that added circuits without touching the board.
Inside a Typical Switchboard Upgrades Job
A switchboard upgrade swaps out the entire board rather than patching the failing part. We size the new one to match how the household draws power now, not the load it was originally wired for.
Circuits get grouped sensibly, kitchen and laundry on their own runs, outdoor power and lighting on another, so a fault in one area does not take out the rest of the house.
- Board replacement. The old fuse carriers come out and a modern enclosure goes in.
- RCBOs and safety switches. Each circuit is given its own breaker and RCD, replacing the single switch that used to cover the whole house.
- Fuse-to-breaker conversion. Old ceramic fuses are retired for resettable circuit breakers.
- Circuit labelling. Every switch is clearly marked, so whoever's home can flick the right one without guessing.
- Defect rectification. Non-compliant wiring the job uncovers gets fixed in the same visit.
- Sign-off. The finished board is tested and the compliance paperwork lodged before we leave.
What Affects the Cost of Switchboard Upgrades
A few things move the quote from one job to the next.
- How big the new board needs to be, and the circuit count it has to carry.
- How the cabling has to run to reach the switchboard.
- How sound the existing wiring behind the board is.
- Whether the upgrade needs to allow for an EV charger or a home office setup.
- Any defects the inspection turns up on the day.
Coastal air off the beach and lagoon corrodes older board hardware faster than it does further inland. We check terminals and lugs for salt damage on every quote, which can add a small allowance for replacement parts.
There's no call-out fee just to get a board assessed, and new customers get $50 off your first service.
The Narrabeen Angle on Switchboard Upgrades
Original postwar and 1960s-70s homes around the lagoon and beach often still carry ceramic fuse switchboards. They were standard when those cottages went up, and a lot of them have simply never been touched since.
Streets like Octavia Street show the mix well, older fibro and brick cottages sitting next to renovated homes with modern additions bolted on. A board built for one bathroom and a single power circuit rarely copes once a house gains an extra bedroom or a run of new appliances.
It is one of the most requested jobs in the suburb for exactly that reason.
How We Work Through a Switchboard Upgrades Job
- Inspection and quote. We assess the board, log any defects, and confirm a fixed written price before we start.
- Power isolation. The supply is safely isolated before work on the board begins.
- Install and rewire. The old board comes out, the new one goes in, and each circuit is tested as it is connected.
- Restore and certify. Power is restored and the finished board is signed off.
Most jobs run to a single day. A board with heavier defects, or extra circuits to add, can take longer, and we say so upfront rather than after the fact.
The Rules That Apply in NSW
Every switchboard job must comply with AS/NZS 3000, the wiring rules covering circuits, RCDs and enclosures. It is notifiable electrical work, which means a Certificate of Compliance for electrical work gets lodged with NSW Fair Trading once testing is complete.
NSW also requires a safety switch (RCD) on power and lighting circuits in most homes, something a lot of older ceramic-fuse boards never had. DIY electrical work is illegal in NSW, so this stays licensed work start to finish.
What You Get When We Do Your Switchboard Upgrades
We fit Clipsal and Hager switchgear, not cheap imports, because a board is not somewhere to cut corners. Every job leaves with signed-off paperwork and a lifetime workmanship guarantee behind it.
The price is agreed before any work starts, so what lands on the invoice matches what we quoted. Drop sheets down and the place left tidy is standard on every board we touch.
Servicing Narrabeen and the Suburbs Around It
A board upgrade often surfaces more work further down the track, an EV circuit that needs headroom, or a level 2 job if the supply itself can't keep up. Beyond Narrabeen, we're regularly out at Collaroy and Dee Why doing the same kind of board work.
Call Now and Get It Sorted
An old ceramic fuse board is not something to leave until it fails.
Call (02) 9134 9029 for a free written quote, or message us online. Ask about $50 off your first service.
Common questions
Common Switchboard Upgrades FAQs
Straight answers to what people ask before booking a switchboard upgrade.
How long does a switchboard upgrade take?
Most single-phase homes are done in a day. A board with a lot of ceramic fuse rewiring, or a job that turns up unexpected damage, can run into a second.
Do you upgrade switchboards in Narrabeen's older homes?
Yes, it's a large share of our workload around here. Fibro and brick cottages from the 1940s through the 1970s are exactly the stock a modern board is built for.
Is there anything I should do before you arrive?
Clear access to the switchboard, and let us know if pets or young kids will be home since power goes off for part of the job. Otherwise we handle the rest.
Can a house be too old for a switchboard upgrade?
No, age is usually the reason people call us, not a reason to hold off. Boards running original postwar wiring get brought up to a compliant standard in one visit.
How do I know it's time for a switchboard upgrade?
Ceramic fuses blowing under normal load, a board with no safety switches, or a recent renovation that added circuits are the three we see most often.
Do NSW rules require anything to be lodged for a switchboard upgrade?
Yes, it counts as notifiable electrical work, so compliance paperwork is lodged with NSW Fair Trading once testing is done, ready for you to keep.