As electricians who have worked on countless renovation projects across Adelaide over the past two decades, we always stress to homeowners how important it is to plan for electrical work during any remodelling. Whether you’re expanding rooms, reconfiguring layouts, finishing basements or undertaking major additions, your home’s electrical system will undoubtedly need to be updated and integrated into the new design. Failure to properly assess and accommodate electrical needs can lead to safety hazards, code violations and costly mistakes.
From our experience on the job site, here are the key electrical considerations Adelaide homeowners need to make when renovating, along with our professional advice as a licensed electrician on properly planning these work elements.
Service entrance assessment
Before any renovation work starts, we recommend having your home’s electrical service inspected by an electrician. This evaluation will determine if the incoming electrical service from the utility (typically 100-200A) has sufficient capacity to handle the increased power needs after your expansion or remodel is complete.
If service capacity is inadequate, electricians can work with you and the utility provider to upgrade the main service conductors, metre base and distribution panels to a higher amperage rating (300A+). This avoids overloaded circuits and ensures code compliance.
New circuit requirements
Along with assessing overall service capacity, we always verify if the renovation plans require me to extend new branch circuits into proposed additions or reconfigured spaces. Common circuits typically needed include:
- General lighting and outlet circuits
- Dedicated appliance circuits (dishwasher, refrigerator, etc.)
- HVAC equipment circuits
- Bathroom fan/vent circuits
- Exterior lighting/outlet circuits
You’ll need an electrician to run new wiring from your electrical panel to these added circuits and install the proper wiring devices like switches, outlets and fixtures. Careful planning prevents overloaded circuits.
Smart home/AV wiring
For clients investing in smart home automation, whole-home audio/video systems or structured wiring solutions as part of their renovation, this low-voltage wiring should be accounted for during initial construction. As electricians, we collaborate with the AV installers to have the proper conduits, boxes and pathways included during framing to enable seamless smart system integration.
Lighting design and electrical
Lighting is another major electrical consideration for renovations. As electricians, we try to consult with homeowners and their designers/architects early about lighting plans. This allows me to:
- Configure lighting control systems smarter than simple switches
- Layout precisely-placed recessed lights and ambient lighting
- Install energy-efficient LED fixtures on dedicated circuits
- Integrate natural lighting sensors and daylight harvesting
- Accommodate smart/app controlled lighting scenarios
Electrical service planning for additions
If your renovation includes new room additions, garages, or ancillary structures, you’ll likely need electrical sub panels or subfeeds installed in those separate areas. An electrician can map out feeders from the main panel, install subpanels or metre sockets, and properly size and pull conductors to code.
Safety coding and permitting
Of course, any electrical work for renovations must be performed by licensed electricians and installed per current Australian Standards and local Adelaide codes. Having an electrician plan the electrical scope ensures proper permitting, approvals, and code-inspected work that will pass any regulatory requirements.
Conclusion
From upgrading the service entrance to configuring new lighting plans to accommodating smart home systems, there are a lot of intricate electrical facets involved with home renovations that shouldn’t be overlooked. As electricians, we always advise renovating Adelaide homeowners to fully assess their new electrical needs from a blank slate and incorporate a professional electrical contractor early in their project planning. It prevents costly mistakes, safety issues and future headaches by designing an integrated, code-compliant electrical system seamlessly from the start.
