Electrician Highton
Switchboards, lighting, security and renovation wiring for Highton homes, by CabledIN
CabledIN Electrical Solutions is the licensed electrician Highton home owners call for safety switches, lighting and switchboard work, as well as data points and security cameras, from our base in North Geelong. Our registration is REC 30925, backed by more than 20 years' experience and a lifetime workmanship warranty.
Small jobs are usually one visit. A switchboard upgrade takes longer, and every job is priced on site once the electrician has looked at it.
- Jobs in Highton
- More than 25
- Most common jobs
- Safety switches, lighting, switchboards
- Licence
- REC 30925
- Emergencies
- 24/7 call-outs on 1300 025 555
How does a Highton home's age shape the electrical work it needs?
Highton was rural until Geelong's expansion reached it in the mid-1950s. Building has not stopped since, and the newest streets are in the north-west near the Ring Road. The council describes housing development since the 1950s and, more recently, home unit building on Highton's hills, with views across the river, the city and Corio Bay, and mostly tree-lined streets. At the 2021 Census it had 20,736 residents and 8,095 private dwellings, 87.3 per cent of them separate houses.
That spread explains our work there:
- Homes from the first decades are well past the 30-year mark at which Energy Safe Victoria says wiring should be checked by a licensed electrician. Some still have the original switchboard, with no safety switch on some or all circuits. That is why safety switch and switchboard work sit near the top of our Highton list.
- Kitchens and extensions. New circuits can be more than an old board was ever sized for, so the board is often looked at as part of the job.
- Newer houses and home units usually have a modern board. The calls there are for additions: data points, security cameras, and outdoor and garden lighting.
Electrician Highton: an even spread of jobs
We have done more than 25 jobs in Highton, one of our busiest suburbs, and no single kind of job runs away with the list:
- Safety switches. Usually a combined circuit breaker and safety switch (RCD) fitted circuit by circuit.
- Lighting. New switches, dimmers and LED fittings, at the top of the list with fault finding and safety switches.
- Switchboard upgrades and repairs. Close behind.
- Power points. Extra double outlets added, and old ones replaced.
- Fault finding. Tripping circuits and dead points, about one job in four.
- Data cabling and CCTV. Data points and security cameras both turn up in our Highton records, and so does TV wall mounting.
- Inspections, outdoor work and mains. Safety inspections, outdoor power and garden lighting, exhaust fans and fuse mains box replacements make up the rest.
Compare that with Lara, where power points lead by a long way. Highton's list is more even, with lighting, safety switches, the switchboard and fault finding close together at the top.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
What should Highton owners know before new wiring goes in?
Three things are worth knowing before you change a kitchen or add a room:
- Get the electrician in before the plaster goes on. Cable is run while the walls are open, then we come back to fit off switches, power points and lights. Moving a point later means cutting into finished walls.
- Cooktops have their own rule. Any cooking appliance with an open cooking surface must have an isolating switch you can see and reach easily, and the 150 mm around the edge of the cooking surface has to stay free of switches and power points. Plan the splashback around that. See oven and cooktop installation.
- Old circuits get tested when new work joins them. If the existing cable fails, it has to be repaired or replaced before it is switched back on. Where a lot of it fails, rewiring part of the house while the walls are open is the sensible time to do it.
If the house needs more supply, such as a change to three-phase, that is a mains upgrade. We lodge the application with Powercor, the electricity distributor for the Geelong region. Powercor says most alterations take 3 to 8 weeks, so raise it early.
Electrical services available in Highton
Highton bookings tend to fall into three groups.
Power and protection
- Switchboard upgrades, safety switch (RCD) installation, circuit breakers and surge protection
- Power points, EV chargers, electrical safety checks and smoke alarms
Lighting and comfort
- Lighting, downlights and outdoor lighting installation, garden lighting included
- Ceiling fans, exhaust fans and bathroom heaters
Security, data and TV
- Security camera installation and video doorbells
- Data and network cabling, with the Cat6 versus Cat5e choice explained, and TV wall mounting
How booking works, from first call to certificate
Ring 1300 025 555 or fill in our contact form with a short description of the job. A photo of your switchboard with the door open helps. From there:
- Site visit. The electrician checks the board, the wiring it can see and the route for any new cable.
- Price. You see what is included, and what it costs, before agreeing to anything.
- The work. We tell you beforehand if the power needs to be off and for which part of the job.
- Testing. Earthing, insulation resistance, polarity and safety switch operation are tested before a certificate can be issued.
- Certificate of Electrical Safety. One is provided for every job. Keep it with the house papers, because the contractor only has to keep a copy for three years.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Emergency electrician in Highton, 24/7
Our emergency call-outs reach Highton 24/7, and 1300 025 555 is answered through the night. Ring if you notice a burning smell or scorch marks at the switchboard, sparks from a switch or power point, lights that flicker or dim across the house, or a safety switch that will not reset.
Dim lights, or power in only some rooms, call for caution: keep your hands off the switchboard and anything metal, switch off whichever power points are within easy reach, and ring Powercor's faults line, 13 24 12. Fire or immediate danger is a 000 call. Our emergency repairs page has more.
Nearby suburbs we also cover
Highton's neighbours on the council's map include Newtown, Belmont and Wandana Heights, along with Fyansford, Ceres, Manifold Heights and Waurn Ponds, and the same electricians cover all of them. Beyond those, the full area is mapped out on our electrician Geelong hub.
Recent electrical jobs around Highton and Geelong
Frequently asked questions
Electrician Highton: is CabledIN licensed, and how do I check?
Yes. Our Registered Electrical Contractor number, REC 30925, appears on Energy Safe Victoria's public register, which lists every registered contractor and licensed electrician in Victoria. Anyone can search it, and Energy Safe Victoria also suggests asking to see the electrician's own licence when they arrive.
Does my older Highton home need a switchboard upgrade?
It may. Energy Safe Victoria lists an old switchboard without a safety switch as a sign the wiring may be faulty, and says homes over 30 years old should be checked. An inspection will tell you whether the board needs replacing or only needs safety switches added.
Will the power be off during a switchboard upgrade?
Yes, for part of the job. A replacement main switchboard is prescribed work, so it must be inspected by an independent licensed electrical inspector before power goes back onto it. We explain the plan for your house before the day.
Do I need an electrician for a kitchen renovation?
Yes. Moving or adding power points, wiring an oven or cooktop and fitting a rangehood are all electrical installation work, which must be done by a licensed electrician. Cooktops also need an isolating switch that is visible and easy to reach.
Can you add power points to a Highton kitchen?
Yes. Most people want more double power points along the bench than an older kitchen had. The best time is before a new splashback goes on, and none may be within 150 mm of the edge of the cooktop. We also check the switchboard has room for any new circuits.
Will my Highton switchboard cope with an EV charger?
That is the first thing we check. Whether the switchboard and the supply to the house can carry the extra load depends largely on the age of the house. Powercor lists EV chargers as a common reason to upgrade a home's supply, and if yours needs it we lodge that application for you.
Can CCTV and data cabling be done in the same visit?
Yes, and booking them together usually costs less than two separate visits. Security cameras and data points use similar cable and the same routes through the roof space, so one electrician can run both on the day, and we price them as one job.
Is a pre-purchase electrical inspection worth it for an older Highton house?
For a house from Highton's early decades, yes. Before you move into a home built before the 1980s, Energy Safe Victoria recommends getting its wiring checked. A pre-sale or pre-purchase electrical inspection covers the switchboard, wiring and fittings and lists anything that needs repair, so you know before settlement.
Can a Highton landlord book an electrical safety check?
Yes. About one in five Highton homes is rented (21.4 per cent at the 2021 Census), and owners and property managers can book us to check the switchboard, wiring and fittings. The written report goes to whoever booked the check, and any repairs are priced separately.
What should I do if I get a tingle from a tap or appliance?
Stop touching it and keep everyone else away from it too. A tingle can mean a dangerous fault, so the first call is Powercor's faults line on 13 24 12, at any hour. Once Powercor has been, a licensed electrician needs to find the cause before the tap or appliance is used again.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.