Extending Up & Out

Adding a second storey to an existing home is one of the more complex electrical challenges in residential construction. The existing wiring needs to be carefully assessed, the new load calculated and balanced, and the rough-in coordinated across two levels simultaneously. Millar Electrics managed all of this for a growing family in Ringwood who wanted more space without sacrificing any of the quality they'd already invested in the ground floor.

Load assessment and new distribution board

Before any new work could proceed, we conducted a full assessment of the existing electrical installation to determine its condition and capacity. The original switchboard was found to be near capacity, so a new surface-mounted distribution board was installed with space for the additional circuits required by the extension. All existing circuits were relabelled at the same time.

Ground floor tie-in

The ground-floor living areas were partially opened up as part of the renovation, which gave us the opportunity to relocate some outlets that had been poorly positioned and add new circuits for the redesigned layout.

Upper level rough-in

All four bedrooms, the new bathroom, and the upper hallway received new lighting and power circuits. Separate circuits were run for the ducted air conditioning system and the home's data and communications backbone. Staircase lighting was wired on a two-way circuit controlled from both levels.

The project was completed over a twelve-week construction program and passed inspection without defects.