What does a switchboard upgrade cost in Melbourne? (2026)

Short answer for Melbourne in 2026: most single-home switchboard upgrades land between $1,500 and $4,000. Where yours falls inside that band comes down to four things — and none of them is a mystery once you know what to look for.

What moves the price

Circuit count. A two-bedroom unit with eight circuits is a smaller job than a five-bedroom home with ducted air, a pool and a shed. More circuits means more breakers, more safety switches and more testing time.

Mains and metering. If your consumer mains are old or undersized — common in Melton and Bacchus Marsh homes built before the 90s — replacing them adds real cost but removes the biggest hidden constraint on everything you add later, including EV chargers.

Asbestos panels. Some older boards are mounted on asbestos backing. Safe handling is regulated and priced in — anyone quoting suspiciously low on an old board hasn’t looked or isn’t telling you.

What’s behind the board. Occasionally an upgrade uncovers degraded wiring that must be fixed to certify the job. A proper quote includes a look first, which is exactly why Flowsmart quotes on-site rather than over the phone.

Signs your board is due

Ceramic fuses. No safety switches. Breakers that trip weekly. Flickering lights when the kettle or dryer starts. Any warmth or buzzing at the board. A house built before 1990 that’s never had the board touched. Two or more of these — book an inspection this month, not this year.

Why it’s the first upgrade, not the last

Everything else electrical you ever add — induction cooktop, air conditioning, EV charger, solar — draws through this one box. Upgrading it first means every later job is smaller, safer and cheaper.

Flowsmart replaces boards across Melton, Caroline Springs, Werribee, Sunshine and Melbourne’s west with fixed written quotes and a Certificate of Electrical Safety issued the same day.