Blog · Renovations
Renovating in Sydney? Plan the Electrical Work Before the Walls Close
A practical electrical planning checklist for Sydney renovations, from appliance locations to your NSW compliance certificate.
Start with a room-by-room brief
Electrical planning works best when it starts alongside the floor plan. For a Sydney terrace, apartment or family home, list how each room will be used, where furniture will sit and which appliances need power. A laundry renovation, for example, may involve a dryer, washing machine, task lighting and new cabinetry competing for a small amount of space.
Resolve the details before rough-in
Share the actual appliance specifications and joinery drawings with your electrician. Mark proposed switches, lighting controls and power points on the plan. Ask which decisions must be final before wiring begins, and which can wait until fit-off. Keep one agreed version of the drawings so the builder, cabinetmaker and electrician are working from the same information.
Allow for the existing installation
A new kitchen does not automatically mean the existing circuits or switchboard can support every proposed change. Arrange an assessment early and ask for any necessary upgrades to be listed separately in the quote. In apartments, check strata requirements and access arrangements before booking work. Do not assume that a photograph of a switchboard is enough to confirm its capacity.
Keep the compliance paperwork
NSW Government requires electrical wiring work to be carried out by, or under the supervision of, an appropriately licensed electrician. Its current guidance says the electrical tester must submit the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work as soon as practical, and within seven days of the electrical test. Since 1 July 2026, ordinary electrical-work submissions use the BCNSW eCert portal. Eligible new or upgraded solar and battery systems have a separate NSW CER Installer Portal process rolling out in November 2026, which also covers their CCEW. If your renovation includes those systems, ask the installer which process applies to your network and connection application. Ask how you will receive your copy and retain it with the renovation records.
A useful brief gets a better conversation started
Send DTE your suburb, plans, appliance schedule and intended renovation dates. Include the things that frustrate you now: a dark bench, an awkward switch or too few accessible outlets. These everyday details help turn an attractive renovation into a space that works well. Agree the scope, exclusions and responsibility for supplying fittings before work begins.
Sources & further reading
NSW Government — Electrical compliance requirements
Information checked 2 November 2026; compliance-portal guidance updated. National figures are identified separately from NSW requirements.