What it costs to rewire a house in WA

House rewiring costs in WA

No Busselton or South West electrician we checked publishes rewiring prices, so these are what three Perth electricians and one cost guide publish. The figures vary widely, so treat them as a guide to what's normal, not a quote.

Published rewiring prices

Prices as published, checked 27 September 2026. Web X's include GST. It says most rewires also need a switchboard upgrade (priced below), that its jobs include testing every circuit, the Electrical Safety Certificate and the Western Power notices, that plaster patching and painting aren't in electrical quotes, and that extras such as downlights and fans add up. ACS and Driftwest don't say whether GST is included. Busselton jobs can differ with travel and site conditions.

Related published prices

Prices as published, checked 27 September 2026. Driftwest's page doesn't say whether GST is included. For standalone switchboard prices, see the switchboard upgrade cost guide.

What pushes the price up

Size and the number of points

Every room adds cable runs, power points and lights. Web X Electricians' rule of thumb is $150 to $250 per point, so a home with plenty of power points, downlights and outdoor lights costs more to rewire than the same floor area with fewer.

Roof access

A walkable pitched roof is the easy case, according to Web X Electricians. It says flat roofs, skillion roofs, concrete ceilings and the ground floor of a two-storey house, where there's no access from above, can double the labour.

Double-brick walls

ACS Electrical says Perth's double-brick construction often makes cable runs slower than in timber-framed homes, and surface-mounted conduit is sometimes needed. Chasing new cable into brick walls also means more patching afterwards.

The switchboard

A rewire usually means a new switchboard too. Web X Electricians says most rewires also need a switchboard upgrade, which it prices at $1,800 to $2,800. See the switchboard upgrade cost guide for standalone prices and the Western Power fees that apply if the supply has to change.

Asbestos

HealthyWA says a home built before 1990 likely contains asbestos in some building products, and lists switchboard backing among them. The national Asbestos Product Guide says drilling, cutting or sanding old meter panels may release fibres. If your home is that age, mention it when you ask for quotes, and ask for any removal as its own line.

Making good

Rewiring prices usually cover the electrical work only. Web X Electricians says plaster patching and painting aren't included in electrical quotes, and that extras such as downlights and fans add up, even though they're cheap to add while the walls are open.

Signs your wiring needs attention

WA's Building and Energy lists these warning signs of an electrical fault:

• A tingle or shock from taps, water pipes, gas fittings, appliances or metal surfaces
• Lights brightening and dimming for no reason
• Appliances behaving unusually

A shock needs reporting to Western Power on 13 13 51, and you should get medical attention. Electricians also point to ceramic fuses with no safety switches, two-pin power points, no earth on the lighting circuits, and old rubber or cloth-insulated cable as signs an older home is due.

Old rubber wiring and taped joints

WA's electrical regulator warned in 2000 that homes wired before 1960 could be expected to contain VIR (vulcanised India rubber) cable, and that anecdotal evidence put its service life at no more than 30 years in hot roof spaces, leaving bare live conductors. Building and Energy also says that during the 1970s and early 1980s, cable joints in ceiling spaces were often wrapped only in insulating tape. Where accessible, the owner must have those fixed by a licensed electrical contractor.

Energy Safe Victoria recommends having the wiring checked in any house built more than 30 years ago. Don't go looking in the roof yourself with the power on: WA's safety rules require the mains power to be off before any worker enters a house's roof space, because of hazards like deteriorated cable, unenclosed joints and energised foil insulation.

Full or partial rewire?

Not every older home needs a full rewire. An electrician can test the existing circuits and tell you whether a partial rewire will do, such as the kitchen and bathroom during a renovation. Published partial prices are $1,500 to $3,000 a room (Driftwest Electrical) and $2,500 to $6,000 for a kitchen and bathroom (Web X Electricians). ACS Electrical says a full rewire of a three-bedroom house takes three to five days.

Selling or renting?

The WA rules for selling or renting a home are about safety switches and smoke alarms rather than rewiring. Before the title is transferred, RCDs must protect every circuit supplying power points and lights, with at least two fitted. See smoke alarms and RCDs for both sets of rules. If a building inspection flags old wiring, a rewiring quote helps with the negotiation.

Comparing quotes

Two rewiring quotes can look similar and include very different things. Ask each electrician:

• Is a new switchboard included, with safety switches on every circuit?
• Are plaster patching and painting included, or will you need a plasterer?
• How will asbestos be handled if it's found, and is it priced separately?
• Does the job need Western Power notices or a supply change, and are those fees included?
• How many days will it take, and will the house have power overnight?
• What's their EC licence number? You can check it with Building and Energy.

WA Consumer Protection's advice is to get at least three written quotes and check whether GST is included, and the ACCC requires a displayed consumer price to include taxes and unavoidable fees. For installation work like a rewire, the electrical contractor must give you an Electrical Safety Certificate within 28 days of finishing.

Common questions