If your switchboard still has ceramic fuses, trips every time the air conditioner kicks in, feels warm, or sits on a crumbling timber backing board, it is overdue for a licensed electrician to look at it. Fully Wired has upgraded switchboards for homes, unit complexes and businesses since 2008. We work from our base in Darra and cover Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba. Most upgrades happen on weekdays, but we can also work weekends for businesses that can only shut down then, and we can supply generators for body corporate, commercial and residential upgrades to keep downtime to a minimum.
Is it time?Most switchboards we replace across Brisbane were installed between the 1960s and the 1990s. They were fine for the kettle, a fridge and a few lights, but they were never designed for today’s split-system air conditioners, induction cooktops, pool pumps, solar inverters and EV chargers. If you notice any of the following, book an inspection before you add any new appliances.
Not sure if yours is compliant? Our smart meter readiness check is a good first step, or book a full electrical safety inspection and we will photograph and explain everything we find.
A switchboard upgrade is more than swapping old fuses for breakers. Done properly, it replaces the enclosure, the protection, the meter panel and the earthing, then tests every circuit before the power goes back on. This is the specification we quote to on every job.
01 / ENCLOSURE
A lockable, weatherproof metal board sized with spare room for future circuits, replacing timber or chipboard housings.
02 / PROTECTION
Every rewireable fuse replaced with a correctly rated circuit breaker matched to the cable it protects.
03 / PEOPLE
RCD protection on power and lighting circuits, split so a single fault does not black out the whole property.
04 / METERING
Meter panel and isolation arranged to Energex metering requirements, so your retailer can fit a smart meter without a defect.
05 / EARTHING
Main earth and bonding tested and upgraded where needed. It is the part of the system most people never see.
06 / PAPERWORK
Every circuit is tested, labelled and documented, and you receive a certificate of testing and safety.
| Typical 1970s–90s board | After a Fully Wired upgrade | |
|---|---|---|
| Shock protection | None, or one RCD on power points only | RCDs on power and lighting circuits |
| Overload protection | Ceramic fuses that can be rewired with the wrong wire | Circuit breakers matched to cable size |
| Enclosure | Timber box, chipboard or possible asbestos backing | Lockable metal, weatherproof, labelled |
| Capacity | Full, with no space for new circuits | Room for solar, battery, EV charger and air con |
| Metering | Old spinning-disc meters, non-compliant panel | Smart meter ready to current requirements |
| Documentation | Handwritten or missing circuit labels | Clear labels plus a testing certificate |
Planning an EV charger installation or new air conditioning? Tell us when you book. We will size the new board and the main cable so your next upgrade does not mean opening the switchboard again.
This 12-unit building in New Farm had an ageing switchboard in a non-compliant location beneath a walkway. The body corporate asked us to fix both problems in one project.
Project spotlight
We regularly get called in to finish or fix switchboard work that was quoted cheaply. The quote looked good because it left things out. Here is what to check before you accept any switchboard quote in Brisbane.
Adding circuits to a full board. Piggybacking new circuits onto old fuses is how cables overheat. If there is no space, the board needs replacing.
Upgrading breakers without testing cables. A new breaker on a damaged cable just trips all the time, or worse, hides a fault. We insulation-test circuits before and after.
Ignoring the next five years. A board with no spare capacity means paying again when you add solar, a battery or an EV charger.
Choosing a price over the paperwork. Without a certificate of testing and safety, insurers, buyers and property managers have no record that the work was done correctly.
Every Fully Wired quote is a fixed price, written on site after your electrician has opened the board. It sets out what is included and what is not, and we are happy to answer any questions. The price you approve is the price you pay, and the workmanship is guaranteed for life.
Switchboard work in Queensland is regulated. You do not need to learn the standards, but knowing the basics helps you compare quotes and understand why we recommend what we do.
AS/NZS 3000:2018
The national standard every new switchboard is built to. For homes, the 2018 edition requires RCD protection on final subcircuits such as power points and lighting, with circuits spread across several safety switches.
QLD ELECTRICAL SAFETY REGULATION 2013
Queensland requires approved safety switches on power point circuits in rental homes and sets safety switch obligations when a home is sold. Landlords, sellers and property managers ask us about this every week.
ENERGEX QECM & QEMM
Energex’s connection and metering manuals control how meter panels, isolation and meter disconnect links are set up. Where a meter or supply change is needed, we lodge the paperwork with Energex for you.
CERTIFICATE OF TESTING & SAFETY
After the work is tested, your licensed electrical contractor must give you a certificate. Keep it with your property records for insurance, sale or leasing.
Older boards may contain asbestos. If we find suspected asbestos, it is handled and removed safely before we start, as we did on a 23-unit complex in Toowong. We follow every safety rule and work with licensed asbestos specialists, so it is handled the right way.
The standard is the same, but the job is very different. We run residential upgrades and multi-unit switchboard projects as separate kinds of work because their planning, access and notification needs are not alike.
Homes
Complexes & businesses
Managing a complex with multiple businesses? See our commercial electrical services or ask about a whole-site inspection with thermal imaging, which finds hot joints and failing components before they cause an outage.
Real jobs completed by our team, with photos taken on site.
Chermside · Motel
Our inspection found visible cracking in the existing busbar. We installed a new lockable weatherproof board, replaced fuses with circuit breakers, added safety switches, installed meter disconnect links to Energex requirements and upgraded the main earth. Approx. $10,280 + GST.
Toowong · 23 units
A custom switchboard built for the building’s layout and load, to AS/NZS 3000:2018. Asbestos found during the first inspection was removed safely before work began. Approx. $72,000 + GST.
Bowen Hills · Unit complex
Rewireable fuses, an outdated meter panel and a deteriorating chipboard backing were replaced with a weatherproof metal enclosure, circuit breakers and safety switches. Custom powder-coated panels gave it a clean finish.
Fantastic work by Alex and Noah. They upgraded our switchboard in a short notice. Really appreciated their professional work and expertise.
★★★★★Yuan, Google review
Most residential upgrades are completed in a single day. Power is usually off for a few hours in the middle of the job while the old board is removed and the new one is connected. Larger body corporate and commercial boards are planned in stages, and the shutdown time is agreed in advance.
Yes, for part of the day. We tell you the expected shutdown window when we quote, so you can plan around fridges, medical equipment and working from home. Where a metering change needs Energex or your retailer to attend, we coordinate that timing with you.
It depends on the size of the board, the number of circuits, the meter panel, earthing and access. That is why we quote on site at a fixed price after opening the board. As a guide from recent jobs, a 17-unit motel main switchboard in Chermside was about $10,280 + GST, while a custom board for a 23-unit Toowong complex, including asbestos removal, was about $72,000 + GST. Homes usually cost far less than multi-unit sites.
An existing fuse board is not automatically illegal. Once work is carried out, though, it must meet current standards, and Queensland has safety switch requirements for rental homes and home sales. More importantly, fuses cannot protect people from electric shock. We recommend upgrading any board that still relies on rewireable fuses.
Often, yes. Older boards rarely have the physical space or the protection needed for extra high-load circuits. We assess the board and main cable together, so the upgrade covers what you are adding now and what you are likely to add later.
Yes. For bodies corporate we can prioritise the main switchboard and meter panel first, then unit boards over later financial years. We provide a written report and photos for committee meetings.
Yes. Where the work affects the supply or metering, we lodge the required notifications with Energex and work with your retailer’s meter provider so the new meter can be installed.
All Fully Wired workmanship is covered by our lifetime workmanship guarantee, and the equipment we install carries its manufacturer’s warranty. You also receive a certificate of testing and safety for your records.
Call 1300 385 599 (Mon to Fri, 8:00am to 4:30pm) or request an onsite quote online. We will inspect your board, explain what we find in plain English, and give you a fixed price before any work starts.
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View all servicesWhether a multi-story apartment blocks, a warehouse factory, or someone’s home; we simply enjoy doing switchboard upgrades! Our proven track record gives our customer’s peace of mind they are working with the best in Brisbane. Since 2018, we’ve watched this number grow along side our business! Speak to one of our expert electricians today.
Electrical Contranctors Licence: 68822
Work Cover Quensland: WAD081103497
Public Liability Cover: 15T1289166
Professional Indemity: 9009193PIN
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