How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House? Per m², Board, Plastering
A rewire quote splits into per-m² wiring, a new switchboard and making good. Here is what each part adds and how living in the house changes it.
Rewiring a typical 100 m² Australian house costs about $11,000, with most quotes landing between $8,550 – $14,300. A basic job comes in around $9,100 and a premium one around $14,000, all including 10% GST.
That headline number hides three decisions that move the price: the switchboard, how the walls are finished afterwards, and whether you stay in the house. This article splits a quote into those parts so you can see where your money goes. For the full breakdown by size and region, see our House rewiring guide.
How we build the figure
We calculate a rewire from labour hours multiplied by local electrician rates, plus materials, then check the result against market prices and real quotes. Cable, circuit breakers, switches and power points are the smaller part. Labour is the bigger part, because old wiring has to be traced, pulled out and replaced through roofs, floors and walls.
Price per m²
The tiers above are for the default 100 m² home, so divide by 100 for a rough per-m² rate. Treat that as a guide only. Cost does not scale neatly with floor area, because it depends on the number of circuits, points and how hard the cable runs are to reach.
- A single-storey home with open roof and sub-floor access is the cheapest to wire.
- A double-storey or heritage home takes longer, because cables must be fished through walls and between floors.
Here is how the construction option changes a typical rewire:
| Material | Typical | Usual range | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard construction | $11,000 | $8,550 – $14,300 | – |
| Double-storey or heritage home | $14,300 | $11,200 – $18,600 | – |
Part 1: the switchboard
Many older homes have a ceramic-fuse or early circuit-breaker board that no longer suits a modern load. You can either keep the existing board, if it is modern and passes testing, or replace it with a new switchboard fitted with RCBOs. RCBOs combine overcurrent and earth-leakage protection on each circuit, so one fault does not drop the whole house.
- Keep the board: $8,800 typical for a mid-range rewire.
- New switchboard with RCBOs: $11,000 typical for a mid-range rewire.
Ask the electrician to test the existing board before you decide. If you plan to add solar, an EV charger or a battery later, a new board is usually the sensible choice now, because it avoids paying for the board work twice. See our EV charger and Solar panels guides for what those add.
Part 2: making good
Running new cable means chasing walls and drilling timber. Someone then has to fix the damage, and quotes differ on how far they go.
- Chases and holes filled, ready for decorating: $11,000 typical. The electrician patches up, and you or a painter finish the surface.
- Replastering and redecorating: $12,500 typical. This covers replastering and repainting, and is the biggest single swing in the quote.
Check exactly what "making good" means before you sign. A quote that stops at filled holes can look cheap next to one that includes paint. If you expect to repaint anyway, our Interior painting guide shows what that costs separately.
Part 3: lived in or empty
Working around furniture, family and daily routines is slower. Electricians have to move and protect belongings, and cut the power in stages so you can still cook and sleep.
- Lived in during the work: $11,000 typical.
- Empty house: $9,300 typical.
If you are between tenants or have moved out during a larger renovation, an empty house is faster and often cheaper. For a lived-in job, ask how many days the power will be off and whether circuits will be restored each evening.
Licensing and paperwork
Electrical work must be done by licensed tradespeople under state licensing. In Victoria, for example, a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) is lodged with Energy Safe Victoria, and only registered licence holders can buy and lodge certificates. The electronic prescribed certificate is $39.70 in FY26-27. Confirm that your quote covers any certificates and compliance paperwork your state requires. Unlicensed work can cause problems with insurance and resale.
Checking your quote
Before accepting, line up each quote against the same three items:
- Is the switchboard kept or replaced, and are RCBOs included?
- Who does the plastering and painting afterwards?
- Is the price based on a lived-in or empty house?
Then run the numbers through our "is my quote fair" tool. It compares your figure with our live model for your size and region, and flags quotes that leave out board or finishing work. Always get at least three written quotes, and make sure each one lists the number of circuits and points.
For a state-by-state view, the table below ranks regions from most to least expensive.
| Region | Mid-range |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $11,600 |
| Western Australia | $11,300 |
| New South Wales | $11,100 |
| Northern Territory | $11,100 |
| Queensland | $10,900 |
| Victoria | $10,900 |
| South Australia | $10,500 |
| Tasmania | $10,100 |