What a switchboard upgrade costs

Switchboard upgrade and replacement costs in WA

No Busselton or South West electrician we checked publishes switchboard prices, so these are the fixed and starting prices three Perth electricians publish. Treat them as a guide to what's normal, not a quote.

Published switchboard prices

Prices as published by three Perth electricians, checked 27 September 2026. Westside's are fixed and include the service call, parts, labour and GST; AVL's are starting prices confirmed after a look at the site; Martin & Co's excludes GST. Busselton jobs can differ with travel and site conditions.

The spread is mostly about scope. A small board with a handful of circuits and a sound meter box sits at the bottom. A bigger house, more circuits, a new enclosure or a three-phase supply sits at the top.

What pushes the price up

Old ceramic fuses

Western Power's installation rules say that when a switchboard or supply arrangement is upgraded, any old rewireable fuses on that board must be replaced. One Perth electrician prices a ceramic fuse board replacement from $1,795.

An asbestos meter panel

Until July 1988, WA meter panels could be made from asbestos-containing board sold as Miscolite, Zelemite or Lebah. They're usually black, 12 to 30 mm thick, with the brand sometimes stencilled on the back. Western Power says the asbestos stays passive until the panel is cut, drilled or damaged, and that when a panel is upgraded or removed, the asbestos must go, with none left near the meter.

Removing it has to follow WorkSafe WA's asbestos procedures, and whether a licensed removalist is needed depends on the panel's condition and size. None of the price lists we checked publishes a dollar figure for this, so ask for it as its own line on the quote.

• Don't drill, cut, sand or scrape an old black meter panel yourself
• If your home was built before the late 1980s, mention the panel when you ask for quotes

How many circuits need safety switches

Under WA's rules for homes being sold or rented, RCDs must cover every power point and lighting circuit, each RCD can protect no more than three circuits, and you need at least two. A house with eight power and lighting circuits therefore needs at least three RCDs, or an RCBO on each circuit. More circuits means more safety switches. Two Perth electricians publish $200 (fixed) and from $220 to fit or replace a single RCD.

The meter box itself

The meter belongs to Western Power, but the meter panel and enclosure are the owner's responsibility. If yours is too small, damaged or built on a timber frame, it may need replacing to meet current requirements, which adds materials and time.

Western Power fees

Some upgrades need the supply switched off at the street. Changing to three-phase or increasing your supply always involves Western Power. Your electrical contractor lodges the request, and these are Western Power's own published fees:

Western Power's published fees

Western Power's published fees, checked 27 September 2026. The disconnection and phase-change pages don't say whether GST is included, and a phase change also has a design fee charged when it's lodged. Your electrical contractor lodges the request. Not every upgrade needs one, so ask whether it's needed and whether it's in the quote.

The lead times matter as much as the fees: 5 to 7 weeks for a disconnection or phase change after the request is accepted, and Western Power says most supply increases take 3 to 13 months. If you're upgrading before a sale or a new tenancy, start early.

Faults found along the way

New safety switches sometimes trip on circuits that were quietly faulty all along, such as a damaged cable or a wet outdoor power point. They're doing their job. Ask how the electrician will price any repairs they find before they start.

When WA law requires safety switches

An owner must have RCD safety switches properly installed before a home's title is transferred, before a new residential tenancy starts, and before it's offered as short-term rental accommodation or for hire. "Properly installed" means:

• RCDs covering every power point and lighting circuit
• At least two RCDs if the home has more than one circuit
• Each RCD protecting no more than three circuits
• Lighting circuits split between the RCDs, so one trip doesn't leave the house dark
• Rated at no more than 30 mA and installed at the switchboard

The penalty is up to $15,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a company. If a seller doesn't comply, the buyer has to install them within two months of settlement and can recover the reasonable cost from the seller. Homes built after 1 January 2019 need RCDs on every circuit under the current wiring rules. See smoke alarms and RCDs for the smoke alarm rules that apply at the same time.

Comparing quotes

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

• Is every power and lighting circuit protected by an RCD or RCBO, or only some?
• Is the meter panel or enclosure being replaced, and is any asbestos removal priced separately?
• Does the job need a Western Power disconnection or supply change, and is that fee in the price?
• Is surge protection included?
• How will repairs to faults found during the job be priced and approved?
• 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 it says a deposit is generally no more than 10 per cent. See call-out fees and hourly rates for what a written quote should show.

The paperwork you should get

In WA, the electrical contractor must give you an Electrical Safety Certificate within 28 days of finishing installation work like a switchboard upgrade. For notifiable work they also lodge a preliminary notice with Western Power before starting and a notice of completion within 3 working days of finishing. Keep the certificate with your property records.

Common questions