Electrician Highton
Switchboards, lighting, security and renovation wiring for Highton homes, by CabledIN
CabledIN is the electrician Highton homes call most often about the switchboard: upgrades and safety switches first, then lighting and security cameras. We are a licensed Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925, with more than 20 years' experience and a lifetime workmanship warranty.
Small jobs are usually one visit. A switchboard upgrade or renovation wiring takes longer and is quoted after we have seen it.
- Jobs in Highton
- More than 25
- Most common jobs
- Switchboards and safety switches
- Licence
- REC 30925
- Emergencies
- 24/7 call-outs on 1300 025 555
What Highton homes typically need, and why
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. So one suburb holds homes from the 1950s and 60s, every decade after that, and estates finished recently. 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. This is why switchboards and safety switches are our two most common Highton jobs.
- Homes being renovated. A new kitchen or extension adds circuits the old board was never sized for, so the board and the renovation are often quoted together.
- Newer homes have sound wiring. Owners there add things: security cameras, data points, EV chargers and outdoor lighting.
Electrician Highton: the jobs we are booked for most
We have done more than 25 jobs in Highton, which puts it among the four suburbs where we work most. In order:
- Switchboard upgrades and repairs. The most common Highton job.
- Safety switches. Usually a combined circuit breaker and safety switch (RCD) fitted circuit by circuit.
- Lighting. New switches, dimmers and LED fittings.
- CCTV. Highton is where we install the most security cameras.
- Power points and data cabling. Highton shares the top spot for data points, and TV wall mounting comes up as well.
- Safety inspections and renovation wiring. Equal next, followed by fault finding, outdoor power and lighting, mains work, exhaust fans and EV chargers.
Compare that with Lara, where power points lead by a long way, or Newtown, where lighting does. Highton's list is headed by the switchboard, with more security camera work than any other suburb we go to.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Renovations, kitchens and older wiring in Highton
Renovation and new-build wiring features in about one Highton job in six. Three things are worth knowing before you start:
- 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. Every cooking appliance with an open cooking surface needs an isolating switch that is visible and easy to reach, and no switch or power point may sit within 150 mm of the edge of the cooking surface. 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 during the renovation is the cheapest time to do it.
If the renovation 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
Power and protection
- Switchboard upgrades, safety switches, circuit breakers and surge protection
- Power points and EV chargers
- Electrical safety inspections and smoke alarms
Lighting and comfort
- Lighting installation, downlights and outdoor lighting
- Ceiling fans, exhaust fans and bathroom heaters
Security, data and TV
Anything not listed here is on our electrical services page.
How booking works, from first call to certificate
Call 1300 025 555 or use the contact form and describe 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.
- Quote. You see what is included 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
We take emergency call-outs in Highton at any hour and answer the phone around the clock. Call if you have 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.
If lights are dim or only part of the house has power, do not touch the switchboard or anything metal. Turn off the power points you can reach and call Powercor on 13 24 12. For fire or immediate danger, call 000. More on our emergency electrician page.
Nearby suburbs we also cover
We also work in the suburbs around Highton: Wandana Heights, Newtown, Fyansford, Mount Duneed and Armstrong Creek, along with Belmont, Waurn Ponds and Grovedale. For the whole region, start at our residential electrician Geelong page.
Recent electrical jobs around Highton and Geelong
Frequently asked questions
Electrician Highton: is CabledIN licensed, and how do I check?
Yes. We are a Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925. You can confirm that on Energy Safe Victoria's public register, which lists every registered contractor and licensed electrician in Victoria.
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 when we renovate a Highton kitchen?
Yes. A renovation is the easiest time to add them, before the new walls and splashback go on. Most people want more double power points along the bench than an older kitchen had, and none may be within 150 mm of the edge of the cooktop. We also check the switchboard has room for any new circuits.
Can you install an EV charger at a Highton home?
Yes. The first step is checking that the switchboard and the supply to the house can carry the extra load, which depends 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 it is usually cheaper that way. Cameras and data points use similar cable and the same routes through the roof space, so we quote them together.
Should I get an electrical inspection before buying a house in Highton?
For an older house, yes. Energy Safe Victoria says homes built before the 1980s should be checked before you move in. An inspection covers the switchboard, wiring and fittings and lists anything that needs repair.
Do you do electrical safety checks on Highton rentals?
Yes. About one in five Highton homes is rented, and owners and property managers book us to check the switchboard, wiring and fittings. The written report goes to whoever booked the check.
What should I do if I get a tingle from a tap or appliance?
Do not touch it again and keep others away. Call Powercor on 13 24 12 immediately, then have a licensed electrician find the cause.
Which suburbs near Highton do you cover?
Wandana Heights, Belmont, Waurn Ponds, Grovedale, Newtown, Fyansford, Mount Duneed and Armstrong Creek, and the rest of Geelong, the Bellarine, the Surf Coast and Golden Plains.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.