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Switchboard Upgrades

Switchboard Upgrade Cost in Melbourne

Switchboard upgrade pricing varies a lot — single-phase vs three-phase, mains condition, number of circuits. Below is what to expect across Melbourne's east, with the factors that move the price.

  • Median$2,100
  • Range$1,200–$4,200
  • Mid 50%$1,700–$2,800
  • DatasetIndustry-typical
  • As ofApr 2026
  • Taxex GST
02Pricing tiers

Where your job lands.

Three bands cover the full spread we see. Most jobs land in the typical band — bigger or smaller jobs sit either side.

01

Smaller jobs

$1,200–$1,700

Bottom 25% of jobs we quote — straightforward scope, easy access, fewer line items.

02

Typical

$1,700–$2,800

Middle 50% of completed jobs — most quotes land here.

03

Larger jobs

$2,800–$4,200

Top 25% — bigger scope, harder access, multiple complications stacked together.

03What drives the price

Where the spread comes from.

Each entry below moves the median up or down. Your job lands somewhere on the curve based on how these stack.

01

Single vs three-phase

Three-phase boards typically add $400–$800 over single-phase — additional consumer mains, more complex board layout, and meter coordination with the distributor.

02

Number of circuits

A small home with 6 circuits sits at the bottom of the range. Larger homes with 15+ circuits — especially when you're adding new ones during the upgrade — push the upper end.

03

Consumer mains replacement

If the cable from the meter to the board is undersized, degraded, or asbestos-jacketed (common in homes built before 1985), it has to be replaced. Adds $300–$700, plus a re-energisation appointment with the distributor.

04

Board location and accessibility

Outdoor boards in weatherproof enclosures are more expensive than internal sub-board replacements. Tight or congested locations also add fit-out time.

05

Existing wiring complexity

Older homes with mixed wiring vintages — TPS, VIR, mixed-aluminium — take longer to disconnect, identify, and re-terminate cleanly than homes with documented modern wiring.

04In the median price

6 line items.

What's covered when we quote a typical job in this band.

INCLUDED
  1. +01Full assessment of your existing board and circuits
  2. +02Supply and installation of a modern consumer mains panel
  3. +03Safety switches (RCDs) installed on all circuits
  4. +04Circuit breakers replacing old ceramic fuses
  5. +05Neat labelling of every circuit
  6. +06Certificate of Electrical Safety issued on completion

Switchboard upgrades are one of the most-quoted jobs we do across Melbourne's eastern suburbs. The price band above reflects what to expect for a typical residential or small-commercial board replacement — the spread is wide because the underlying work scales with home size, age, and electrical complexity.

Reading the numbers

The median is more useful than an average for this kind of work — one or two outlier large jobs can pull averages up significantly. The p25–p75 range (the middle 50%) is the most reliable predictor: if your home is similar to what we typically work in (3–4 bedrooms, single-phase, no major mains issues), expect a quote in that band.

When to budget at the upper end

Three-phase + mains replacement + 15+ circuits is the combination that consistently pushes a quote above $3,000. If two or more of those apply, plan accordingly. We can usually phase the work — replace the board now, sort the mains in a follow-up appointment — if cash flow matters.

What's not in the price

This guide is for the upgrade itself. It doesn't cover new circuits added later (e.g. for an EV charger), cosmetic re-routing of cables, or any rectification of pre-existing wiring faults found during the upgrade. We flag those during the quote and price them separately so there are no surprises.

05FAQ

Common questions about cost.

06Compare

How this stacks up.

Other guides in the same audience, ordered by median.

07From the blog

Read more on this.

Field notes that go deeper on the work behind the numbers.

08 / NEXT STEP

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