What electrical work costs in Carrum Downs
October 2026 Melbourne price ranges for switchboards, power points, downlights, EV chargers and fault finding, what drives the price and how to compare quotes.
Most household electrical jobs in Carrum Downs are priced either per item (a power point, a downlight, a smoke alarm) or per job (a switchboard, an EV charger), with a call-out or service fee and an hourly rate for anything that is not standard. Using one published Melbourne source for every figure, a new power point runs $160 to $315 per point, an LED downlight $63 to $160 per light, a single-phase switchboard upgrade $945 to $2,950 and a home EV charger installation $1,050 to $3,150. The quote you receive will depend on your house, the access and what the provider finds on site.
Where these figures come from
Every range on this page comes from the What’s The Damage? Melbourne electrician cost guide, published by Focus Search Pty Ltd, prices verified October 2026 and quoted including GST. It is an independent published guide, not a rate card from any electrician, and its figures cover metropolitan Melbourne, with a note that outer suburbs may vary. Use them to sense-check a quote, not to replace one. We have not adjusted them for Carrum Downs, and no provider is bound by them.
Published price ranges
| Job | Unit | Published Melbourne range | Guide page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician hourly rate, business hours | hour | $84 to $160 per hour | All services |
| Call-out or service fee, business hours | visit | $52 to $160 per visit | All services |
| New power point, supplied and installed | point | $160 to $315 per point | Power points and circuits |
| USB power point replacing an existing outlet | point | $115 to $295 per point | Power points and circuits |
| LED downlight, supplied and installed | light | $63 to $160 per light | Lighting and downlights |
| Outdoor light, supplied and installed | light | $160 to $525 per light | Lighting and downlights |
| Ceiling fan installation | fan | $160 to $420 per fan | Lighting and downlights |
| Smoke alarm, supplied and installed | alarm | $105 to $260 per alarm | Lighting and downlights |
| Safety switch added to an existing board | switch | $160 to $370 per switch | Switchboard upgrades |
| Switchboard upgrade, single phase | job | $945 to $2,950 | Switchboard upgrades |
| Switchboard upgrade, three phase | job | $2,625 to $5,800 | Switchboard upgrades |
| Rewiring | room | $1,050 to $3,150 per room | Switchboard upgrades |
| Full rewire, three-bedroom house | job | $8,400 to $21,000 | Switchboard upgrades |
| Home EV charger installation | job | $1,050 to $3,150 | EV charger installation |
| Fault finding and diagnostics | visit | $160 to $420 per visit | Fault finding |
| After-hours visit, call-out plus first hour | visit | $210 to $735 per visit | Fault finding |
What pushes an electrician’s price up or down?
Access. Cable has to get from the switchboard or an existing circuit to the new point. A single-storey house with a pitched roof and room to move in the ceiling is the cheapest case. Double-storey homes, flat roofs, raked ceilings, concrete slabs and brick walls all add time.
The switchboard. A board with spare space and RCD protection takes a new circuit easily. A full board, an old fuse board or one with a suspect asbestos panel turns a small job into a bigger one, because the board may need to change first.
Age of the wiring. In older homes, such as those in Frankston North and Seaford, testing can show degraded cable that has to be replaced before anything new is connected to it.
Asbestos. If a backing board, meter panel or wall lining might contain asbestos, testing and licensed removal are separate costs, carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist rather than the electrician.
Quantity. One call-out spread over six downlights and two power points costs less per item than separate visits. Make a full list before asking for prices.
Timing. The published guide gives an after-hours visit at $210 to $735 per visit including the call-out and the first hour, against a business-hours call-out of $52 to $160 per visit. If the fault can wait safely, waiting saves money.
Supply changes. Moving to three phase, or anything that alters the connection, involves the distributor and its own charges, which appear on your electricity bill rather than the electrician’s invoice, according to United Energy’s connections page.
What should a quote include, and what does it often leave out?
A clear quote names the work, the parts and their brand or model where it matters, the labour, testing, and the Certificate of Electrical Safety. Energy Safe Victoria’s certificate guide for consumers says contractors can charge you the purchase cost of the certificate, which is GST exempt, plus a handling fee that they set and should explain. For prescribed work such as a switchboard, the independent inspection is part of the job.
Items that are often excluded unless stated:
- the charger unit itself on an EV quote, or the fittings on a lighting quote if you are supplying them
- patching and painting after cable runs or a board change
- asbestos testing and removal
- distributor charges for supply changes
- extra work found once walls or the board are opened
Ask how variations will be priced and agreed before the work starts.
How should you compare electrical quotes?
- Check that each quote covers the same scope: the same number of points, the same fittings, the same board and the same exclusions.
- Check the licence and contractor registration on Energy Safe Victoria’s public registers. A registered electrical contractor should be named on the quote.
- Ask whether the price is fixed for the stated scope or an estimate based on hours.
- Confirm the certificate is included and who arranges the inspection for prescribed work.
- Compare the timeframe and how long the power will be off, especially for a switchboard.
Red flags
- The person will not show a licence. Energy Safe Victoria says to contact it straight away if a contractor will not show a licence or issue a certificate.
- No mention of a Certificate of Electrical Safety, or an offer to skip it for a lower price.
- A suggestion that you do part of the electrical work yourself to save money. Doing your own electrical work is illegal in Victoria.
- A switchboard quote that does not mention the inspection.
- Pressure to approve extra work on the spot without a written price.
- A quote far below the published ranges with no explanation of what is excluded.
Getting a price for your job
The Carrum Downs area page explains which jobs suit which era of local housing. When your list is ready, request a priced quote. Quotes come from independent licensed providers, not from this website, and each provider sets their own prices; the about page explains how referrals work.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do the ranges on this page differ from my quote?
They are Melbourne-wide ranges from one published cost guide. A real quote reflects your access, your switchboard, the fittings chosen and what the provider finds on site, so it can sit above or below the band.
- Is the Certificate of Electrical Safety an extra charge?
It can be. Energy Safe Victoria allows contractors to pass on the purchase cost of the certificate, which is GST exempt, plus a handling fee they set. Ask whether it is included in the quoted price.
- Do electricians charge a call-out fee in Carrum Downs?
Many do, as a flat fee for the visit before hourly time or fixed item prices. Ask whether it includes any time on site and whether it is waived if you go ahead with the work.
- Is an hourly quote or a fixed price better?
For well-defined jobs such as a set number of downlights, a fixed price per item is easier to compare. For fault finding, where the cause is unknown, an hourly rate with an agreed limit before checking in with you is more common.
- Do prices include GST?
The published ranges on this page include GST. Check each quote you receive states clearly whether GST is included.