Electrician Lara
Power points, safety switches, switchboards and lighting for Lara homes, by CabledIN
CabledIN is the licensed electrician Lara households have booked more than 40 times, more than any other suburb we work in. We are a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC 30925) based in North Geelong, and we cover all of postcode 3212.
Most Lara jobs are power points, safety switches, switchboards, lighting and smoke alarms. A power point or light is usually one short visit, and a switchboard upgrade takes longer. Each job is quoted once we have seen it.
- Our busiest suburb
- More than 40 jobs in Lara
- Most common job
- Power points
- Licence
- REC 30925
- Emergencies
- 24/7 call-outs on 1300 025 555
Electrician Lara: the work we do most
Lara tops our job records. We have done more than 40 jobs there, more than in any other suburb, and the mix is different from the rest of Geelong.
- Power points. More than half of our Lara jobs have included power point work: extra double power points, weatherproof ones outside, and 15 amp outlets for larger appliances. No other suburb comes close for this.
- Safety switches. Safety switch (RCD) work comes next, usually a combined circuit breaker and safety switch fitted to one circuit at a time.
- Switchboards. Switchboard upgrades and repairs, often found during one of the two jobs above.
- Lighting and smoke alarms. New switches and LED downlights, and smoke alarms replaced or added.
- Fault finding. Circuits that trip, power points that have stopped working and lights that flicker.
- Outdoor power, ceiling fans and data. Lara is also where we do the most outdoor electrical work and fit the most ceiling fans, along with a steady run of data points.
Why Lara homes need what they need
Lara is a township between Melbourne and Geelong with 19,014 residents and 6,843 private dwellings at the 2021 Census. Its population more than doubled between 1954 and 1966 and it is still growing, with a council growth area at Lara West planned for about 11,000 more people. So the town has homes that are around 60 years old and homes that are nearly new, often a few streets apart.
Older Lara homes were wired for a handful of appliances. That is why we add so many power points there, and why adding one often leads to the switchboard. We fit safety switch protection to every new circuit, and an old board may have no room for it. Energy Safe Victoria's advice is to have any house over 30 years old checked by a licensed electrician, and an old board with no safety switch is on its list of warning signs.
Newer Lara homes have sound wiring and a modern board. The calls are for more: extra power points in the garage or outside, ceiling fans, data points for a home office and an EV charger.
Nine in ten Lara homes are separate houses (89.5 per cent), which usually means a roof space we can cable through and a yard that needs outdoor power.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
How booking an electrician in Lara works
- Ring 1300 025 555 or send the contact form. Tell us the job, or the fault and what you have tried.
- We book the visit. Planned work goes in for a day that suits you. Unsafe faults are handled as emergencies, day or night.
- The electrician checks the job on site. That includes the switchboard, because that is where most surprises are.
- You get a quote before any work starts. If the board needs work to take the new circuit, the quote says so.
- We do the work, then test it. Every new or altered circuit is tested before it is switched on.
- You receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety. For lights, power points and safety switches, your copy is due within 30 days.
Electrical services available in Lara
Everything we do in Geelong, we do in Lara. The services Lara households ask for most:
- Power point installation, safety switches and circuit breaker repairs
- Switchboard upgrades and house rewiring
- Lighting, downlights and outdoor lighting
- Smoke alarms and electrical safety inspections
- Ceiling fans and exhaust fans
- Ovens and cooktops, appliance connections and electric hot water repairs
- Data cabling, TV mounting and antenna points and CCTV
- EV charger installation
For the complete list, see all electrical services. Small businesses can book commercial work too.
Smoke alarms and rental checks in Lara
Smoke alarms come up in about one in five of our Lara jobs. The rules depend on when the house was built:
- Homes built after 1 August 1997 must have 240 V mains-powered alarms.
- Homes built or substantially renovated after 1 May 2014 that need more than one alarm must have them interconnected, so they all sound together.
- Every alarm, of any type, should be replaced every 10 years.
- Hard-wired alarms must be installed and replaced by a licensed electrician.
About one in five Lara homes is rented (21.6 per cent), and owners and property managers often book an electrical safety check and a smoke alarm check together, so the home is visited once.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Emergency electrician in Lara, and what to do first
We take emergency call-outs 24/7 in Lara. Before you ring, three safe checks tell you who to call:
- Is the whole street out? Then it is a network fault. Call Powercor, the electricity distributor for the Geelong region, on 13 24 12.
- Is it only your house? Look at the switchboard. If a safety switch has tripped, unplug appliances and reset it. If it will not reset or trips again, call us. Our guide explains why a safety switch keeps tripping.
- Is anything hot, sparking or giving a tingle? Keep away from it. For a tingle from a tap or appliance, call Powercor on 13 24 12 straight away. For fire, call 000.
Do not open the switchboard beyond its switches, and never try a repair yourself.
How to check your electrician is licensed
Anyone can look up a contractor on Energy Safe Victoria's public register. Search for REC 30925 and you will find us. A Registered Electrical Contractor must show that number wherever it advertises, so an advertisement or quote without one is worth a second look.
CabledIN has more than 20 years' experience, a lifetime workmanship warranty and 2,000+ five-star Google reviews, which you can read on our reviews page.
Nearby suburbs we also cover
We work right through Geelong's northern suburbs as well: Corio, Norlane, North Shore and North Geelong, where we are based. We also work in Lovely Banks. For everywhere else, see our residential electrician Geelong page or the full service area.
Recent electrical jobs around Lara and northern Geelong
Frequently asked questions
Is there an emergency electrician Lara residents can call after hours?
Yes. Lara is the suburb we work in most, and CabledIN takes emergency call-outs here 24/7 on 1300 025 555. If the whole street is out, call Powercor on 13 24 12 first. If there is fire or someone is in danger, call 000.
How do I find out if an electrician is licensed in Victoria?
Search Energy Safe Victoria's public register for the contractor's REC number or the electrician's licence. Energy Safe Victoria also advises asking to see the electrician's licence. Our registration is REC 30925.
Can I install a power point myself in Victoria?
No. In Victoria a power point has to be installed by a licensed electrician, and that covers swapping an old one for a new one as well as adding one. You then receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work.
The power is out in Lara. Do I call Powercor or an electrician?
If neighbours are out too, call Powercor on 13 24 12. If the street has power and your home does not, check for a tripped safety switch. If it will not reset, call a licensed electrician.
Is my Lara house on Powercor?
Powercor is the electricity distributor for the Geelong region. To confirm the network for your own address, check the distributor named on your electricity bill or use Powercor's online distributor finder. Your retailer, the company that sends the bill, is a separate business.
Can you add a power point in a Lara garage?
Yes. More than half of our Lara jobs have included power point work, and that includes 15 amp outlets for equipment that needs one. We check the switchboard has room for the circuit first, and the new outlet goes on a circuit with safety switch protection.
Does a safety switch protect the whole house?
Only the circuits it is connected to. Many older boards have one safety switch on the power points and none on the lights. When a switchboard is replaced, every final circuit must have safety switch protection.
My Lara house was built in the 1960s. Should the wiring be checked?
Yes. Energy Safe Victoria says a house over 30 years old should have its wiring checked by a licensed electrician. An inspection tests the circuits and the switchboard and tells you what needs attention and what does not.
Do smoke alarms have to be hard-wired?
It depends on when the home was built. Homes built after 1 August 1997 must have mains-powered alarms. All alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
Do you come out to Lara for small jobs like one power point?
Yes. Lara is the suburb we work in most, and a large share of that work is small jobs such as a single power point, a light or a smoke alarm.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.