If your home still has ceramic fuses, no safety switches or a board that trips whenever the air-con kicks in, you’ve probably wondered what a new switchboard will cost. Here’s a plain-English guide to switchboard upgrade costs in Perth, what drives the price, and how to get an accurate quote.
Typical switchboard upgrade costs in Perth
An independent Perth cost guide puts a typical residential switchboard upgrade at roughly $945 to $2,950, with many jobs landing around $1,900 (What’s The Damage, 2026). That’s a useful ballpark, but your price depends on your home and what needs to be done.
- Smaller or simpler upgrade: replacing fuses with circuit breakers and adding RCDs in a home with a small number of circuits and a sound enclosure.
- Typical full replacement: a new enclosure, circuit breakers, RCDs on every circuit, labelling and testing.
- Larger or more complex jobs: asbestos backing boards, extra circuits, three-phase supply, sub-boards for sheds, or capacity for solar, batteries and EV chargers.
What affects the price?
- Number of circuits: more circuits means more breakers and RCDs.
- Asbestos: older boards with asbestos backing panels need to be handled safely, which usually means full replacement.
- Condition of the wiring: faulty or deteriorated circuits found during testing may need repairs before they can be connected to a new board.
- Single-phase or three-phase: three-phase boards cost more.
- Future plans: adding room now for solar, a battery, an EV charger or air-conditioning can save a second upgrade later.
- Access and location: boards in awkward spots, or that need moving, take more time.
Signs you need a switchboard upgrade
- Ceramic (rewireable) fuses instead of circuit breakers
- No safety switches (RCDs), or only one
- Breakers that trip often or fuses that keep blowing
- Buzzing, burning smells, heat or scorch marks around the board
- You’re selling or renting out the home and it doesn’t meet WA’s RCD requirements
- You’re adding air-conditioning, solar, a battery or an EV charger
Do I have to upgrade my switchboard?
Not always. But WA homes must have at least two RCDs protecting all power and lighting circuits before they are sold or rented out, and new or altered circuits must be RCD protected. If your board can’t meet those rules, or can’t safely take new circuits, an upgrade is usually the most practical fix. Read more in our guide to RCD rules for selling and renting in WA.
How to get an accurate quote
The only way to get a reliable price is to have an electrician look at your board, wiring and earthing. At Daly & Co Electrical we inspect your switchboard, explain the options in plain English and give you a fixed, upfront quote, so there are no surprises on the day. Most homes are completed in a single day.
Learn more about our switchboard upgrade service, or see if we cover your area: Armadale, Kelmscott, Gosnells, Thornlie, Mount Nasura and Roleystone.
Frequently asked questions
Is a switchboard upgrade worth it?
For homes with old fuses or no RCDs, yes. It’s one of the most effective electrical safety upgrades you can make, and it prepares your home for modern appliances.
How long does a switchboard upgrade take?
Most standard homes are done in one day, with the power off for a few hours.
Can I just add RCDs to my old switchboard?
Sometimes, if there’s room and the board is in good condition. Many older boards don’t have space or contain asbestos, in which case replacement is the safer option.
Want a fixed price for your switchboard upgrade? Call David on 0404 241 051 or request a free, no-obligation quote. All our work is carried out by a licensed electrical contractor (EC 15388) and comes with a 3 year warranty.
