Electrician in South Melbourne

South Melbourne's terraces and cottages go back to the 1850s, and many were renovated from the 1980s as the suburb gentrified. A renovation often rewired the new kitchen and bathroom but left original circuits in the front rooms or the roof, so one house can hold cable from several different decades.

When we work in a terrace, we find out which circuits are which before adding anything new. Long, narrow floor plans can put the switchboard a long way from the rear extension, so we check the cable size on those runs and confirm the circuit is protected by an RCD.

Most South Melbourne homes are apartments, from the Housing Commission towers built from the 1960s to recent mid-rise blocks. Apartment work usually means a compact switchboard, a set number of circuits and concrete or finished ceilings that limit where new cable can go.

We look at what the unit's board can support and suggest options that suit the building, such as replacing old fittings with efficient LEDs on existing circuits rather than adding new ones. If the job needs access to a riser or meter room, tell us who manages the building so it can be organised.

With more than half the suburb renting, landlords and agents need smoke alarms and safety switches that work, and paperwork that proves it. Victorian rules require smoke alarms to be tested at least once a year, and older rentals are the most likely to have expired alarms or no RCDs.

We test, replace and interconnect alarms, add safety switches where the board allows, and document what was done so you have it on file.