# Switchboard Upgrades
Canonical URL: https://empireelectricalcontractors.com.au/services/switchboard-upgrades
Empire Electrical Contractors · Phone +61468404608 (24/7)

Safe, compliant switchboard replacements and upgrades

Old ceramic fuses, tripping breakers or a hot meter box? We replace and upgrade switchboards to modern, safe, code-compliant standards - usually in a day.

## What's included
- Ceramic fuse replacements with modern circuit breakers
- RCD safety switch installation on every circuit
- Full switchboard replacement and rewiring
- Meter box repair, relocation and weatherproofing
- Sub-board installation for extensions or granny flats
- Compliance certificate issued on completion

## Overview
A modern switchboard is the single most important safety upgrade in an older Sydney home. If your board still has ceramic fuses, a rewireable main switch, or no RCDs (safety switches), it predates current NSW wiring rules — and it will not disconnect a fault fast enough to prevent shock or fire. Our licensed electricians replace old boards with a fully compliant unit built around individual RCBOs (a combined safety switch and circuit breaker on every circuit), a properly sized main switch, surge protection where appropriate, and clean, labelled cabling you can actually read.
Most Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown homes we visit fall into one of three buckets: a 1970s-90s board with a mix of ceramic fuses and old breakers that needs a like-for-like modern replacement; a heritage terrace where the meter box also needs weatherproofing or relocation; or a renovation that needs a bigger board and a sub-board for a new extension, granny flat or EV charger. Every job includes a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW), Ausgrid notification where required, and a written test result sheet.
We keep spare boards, RCBOs and enclosures on the van, so the vast majority of switchboard upgrades are completed in a single day with power off for 2-4 hours during the swap. If we uncover something serious mid-job — perforated tails, an overloaded neutral, aluminium wiring — we tell you before we do anything about it and adjust the quote before continuing.

## Fixed pricing
$1,800–$3,500 AUD per board. Workmanship warranty 60 months. Typical on-site duration ~5 hours.

## Symptoms we hear about
- Ceramic fuses that blow when running the kettle and toaster together
- Breakers that trip every time it rains
- Warmth, browning or a burning smell from the meter box
- No safety switch (RCD) on the power circuits
- Old rewireable main switch that arcs when flipped

## Common causes
- 1960s-80s boards with ceramic fuse holders and no RCD protection
- Weather-damaged meter boxes on north-facing walls
- Perished VIR insulation on tails feeding the main switch
- Overloaded neutral bar from too many circuits added ad-hoc
- Corroded connections behind the meter panel

## How we handle it
1. **Isolate and inspect** — We shut off the main, remove the front panel and photograph every circuit, breaker rating and cable termination.
2. **Test tails and earth** — We test the main tails for insulation resistance, verify the earth stake and check the neutral link is properly torqued.
3. **Quote a fixed price** — Before any tools come out we hand you a written quote covering the enclosure, RCBOs, surge protection, testing and the compliance certificate.
4. **Notify Ausgrid and schedule outage** — If the meter or main switch needs isolating we lodge the paperwork and book the outage window with you.
5. **Swap the board** — New enclosure installed, individual RCBOs on every circuit, surge protection where appropriate, cabling labelled and terminated to spec.
6. **Test and certify** — Every circuit is tested to AS/NZS 3000, we hand you the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) and walk you through the labelling.

## Applicable standards
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Clause 2.6 — RCD protection
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Section 4 — Selection & installation of switchgear
- NSW Service and Installation Rules (SIR) 2019 — meter box requirements

## Seasonal note
Book switchboard work before summer storm season — the majority of fault callouts we run happen after the first big southerly rolls through.

## Recent anonymised jobs
### Ceramic-fuse board swap on a 1970s brick veneer
Homeowner in the local area had breakers tripping every time the kettle and toaster ran together. We pulled the old board, installed a modern enclosure with individual RCBOs on every circuit and re-terminated the tails.
Outcome: New compliant board, CCEW issued, zero tripping since.. Approx. 340 minutes on site.

### Meter box relocation for a heritage terrace
A terrace in the local area had a warped, weather-damaged meter box on the front facade. We coordinated the Ausgrid outage, relocated the meter, upgraded the board and weatherproofed the new enclosure.
Outcome: Meter moved, board upgraded, heritage frontage preserved.. Approx. 480 minutes on site.

## FAQs
**How do I know if my switchboard needs an upgrade?**
Signs include ceramic fuses instead of breakers, frequent tripping, no safety switches (RCDs), burning smells or warmth from the board, or a board over 25 years old. NSW law also requires RCDs on all new work.

**How long does a switchboard upgrade take?**
Most residential switchboards are replaced in a single day, with power off for 2-4 hours during the swap. Larger boards or those needing meter relocation can take 1-2 days.

**Do I need council approval?**
No council approval is required for like-for-like switchboard upgrades. We handle the electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and notify Ausgrid where required.

**Will you install safety switches (RCDs) on every circuit?**
Yes - it's now NSW code for any board work we touch. Every circuit gets an individual RCBO (safety switch + breaker combined) as standard.

**How much does a switchboard upgrade cost in Sydney?**
Most single-phase residential upgrades land between $1,800 and $3,500 fully installed, including RCBOs on every circuit, new main switch, surge protection where appropriate and the compliance certificate. Three-phase boards, meter relocations and asbestos-backed board removals cost more — we quote a fixed price on site before touching anything.

**Can I add solar or an EV charger to my existing board?**
Sometimes yes, but often the existing board is already full or unable to isolate a new high-load circuit safely. We audit the board as part of the EV or solar quote and only recommend an upgrade if it's genuinely needed — if there's room and the tails are sound, we'll just add the new circuit.

**Is asbestos in the meter box a problem?**
Some pre-1985 Sydney homes have asbestos backing panels in the meter box. We identify it, contain it safely and dispose of it under NSW regulations as part of the switchboard upgrade — never sand, cut or break it dry.

## Reviews
Aggregate: 5/5 across 195 Google reviews.
- Shirish Shetty (5/5, 2026-06-01): Absolutely outstanding electrician and genuinely one of the best people to work with. He diagnosed and fixed the issue within a couple of hours. He was professional, efficient, and reliable.
- Jie Z (Jessica) (5/5, 2026-06-01): VERY HIGHLY recommend! We had an issue with power at home and needed someone urgently to restore the electricity service. They responded quickly, showed up on time, and got everything back up and running without any hassle.
- Vin J (5/5, 2026-03-01): I highly recommend Joe, he's very skilled, kind and does honest work. He did a massive last minute job for us, installing an entire 17.4kw ducted aircon system after our old unit broke.
- Jennifer Cornish (5/5, 2025-11-01): Exceptional Service - Highly Recommend! I contacted Joe from Empire Electrical to install new powerpoints and downlights. His professionalism, punctuality, and thoroughness stood out.
- Jasmin Cumming (5/5, 2025-07-01): I am so glad I called Empire Electrical. Joe is a very honest person which is hard to come by. He explained everything to me and charged me an incredibly fair price.