Switchboard & meter box upgrades on Brisbane’s northside

Your switchboard is the heart of your home’s electrics. If it’s still running ceramic fuses, keeps tripping, or there’s no room left for that new aircon or EV charger, it’s probably time for an upgrade. We’re licensed electricians based in Brendale, upgrading switchboards across Brisbane’s northside and Moreton Bay.

Get a quote – takes about 2 minutes

Burning smell, scorch marks, sparking or a hot switchboard? Don’t wait for a quote. Call us on 1800 230 400.

Signs your switchboard needs an upgrade

• It still has ceramic (pull-out) fuses
• There are no safety switches, or only one covering part of the house
• Safety switches or breakers trip often, especially when the aircon or oven is on
• Lights dim or flicker when big appliances start up
• The board feels warm, buzzes, or there’s a burning smell
• There’s no spare room for new circuits
• Your insurer, a building inspection or a buyer’s report has flagged it

Ceramic fuses with a single add-on safety switch. A board like this is due for an upgrade.

Adding aircon, a pool, an EV charger or solar?

This is the most common reason we upgrade boards. A lot of northside homes built before the 1990s were wired for a fridge, a TV and a kettle, not ducted aircon, a pool pump and an EV charging overnight. Each new appliance needs its own circuit and proper protection, and older boards often don’t have the room or the capacity. Sorting the switchboard first means the new gear goes in properly. See our EV charger, split system aircon and pool wiring pages.

Meter box & mains upgrades

Your mains are the cables that bring power from the street to your meter box. In a lot of older northside homes they were sized for a much smaller load than a modern house runs. If you’re adding ducted air con, a pool or spa, an EV charger, or power to a shed or granny flat, the mains and meter box often need upgrading along with the switchboard. We can also run a sub-main to a shed, granny flat or second building.

Old meter panels. Many homes built before the 1990s still have the original dark brown or grey meter panel. Some of these contain asbestos. It’s low risk while it’s in good condition and left alone, but it can’t be drilled or cut, and it has to be handled and disposed of properly when the board is replaced. That changes how the job is done, so we’ll tell you up front if your panel looks like one of them.

Overhead to underground. If your power comes in from a pole, we can usually convert it to an underground supply where Energex’s network allows it: we trench from the boundary, run new mains to the meter box and look after the connection paperwork. It tidies up the front of the house and gets the service line out of the trees.

The Energex process. Any change to your mains or meter goes through Energex. We lodge the application and book the disconnection and reconnection, and your electricity retailer’s metering provider fits a new meter if one’s needed. Only Energex or the metering provider can move or replace the meter itself.

Need more power? Consider 3 phase

Running ducted air con, a workshop, a pool with a heat pump or faster EV charging? A 3 phase upgrade can sort the supply, meter box and switchboard in one job. See our 3 phase power upgrades page.

Selling, buying or leasing?

Queensland has rules about safety switches in homes that are sold or leased. If you’re a landlord, property manager, buyer or seller, tell us your settlement or lease date in the form and we’ll let you know exactly what’s needed and get it done in time.

What’s included

• New switchboard with circuit breakers and safety switches (RCDs) to current Australian Standards (AS/NZS 3000)
• Circuits labelled so you know what’s what
• Spare space for future circuits where possible
• Testing of every circuit before we leave
• Certificate of testing and safety for the work
• Tidy-up, so the only sign we were there is a better switchboard

Surge protection is available as an add-on. Ask us about it when we quote.

What affects the price

• What’s there now. Swapping a modern board is simpler than replacing an old ceramic fuse board.
• How many circuits need protecting.
• The meter panel. Some older meter panels contain asbestos, which changes how the job has to be done.
• Single or three phase. Need more power? See our 3 phase power upgrades page.
• Anything the upgrade uncovers, like faulty wiring on a circuit. If we find something, we’ll show you and talk it through before doing anything extra.

A clear photo of your switchboard (door open) and the whole meter box usually lets us give you an accurate quote without a site visit.

Why Armitage Electrical

• Licensed electricians, Licence No. 88297
• Master Electricians member
• All-inclusive upfront pricing
• No call-out fee
• Local to Brendale and Aspley, servicing Brisbane’s northside and Moreton Bay

Before and after

Residential upgrade. One safety switch covering part of the house, old meters and wiring run across the timber. Replaced with a new enclosure and switchboard, with every circuit on its own labelled safety switch.

Commercial site. An old board with mixed breakers, handwritten labels and a tangle of cabling. Replaced with a new main switchboard and meter enclosure, laid out and labelled.

More recent upgrades

Get your switchboard quote

About 2 minutes. Photos are optional, but they help us quote accurately.

What our customers say

No power Monday morning. Armitage did respond quickly and fixed the problem. Staff very sufficient and polite. Thank you!

Werner K. · Google review · Oct 2026

The Armitage team consistently provide a great service. The team members I have met are super friendly and professional, assessing the job they are completing very thoroughly before starting and providing immediate updates if they need to deviate from the initial plan. …

Leala M. · Google review · Oct 2026

Read our 300+ Google reviews →

Switchboard FAQs

How much does a switchboard upgrade cost?
It depends on what’s there now, how many circuits you have and the condition of the meter panel. Send us a couple of photos through the form and we’ll give you a firm price.

How long does it take?
It depends on the size of the board and what we find, and we’ll give you a time frame with the quote. The power will be off while we work. We’ll tell you how long beforehand so you can plan around it.

What’s the difference between a safety switch and a circuit breaker?
A circuit breaker protects the wiring from overloads. A safety switch (RCD) protects people. It cuts the power in a fraction of a second if current is leaking, for example through someone touching a faulty appliance.

My safety switch keeps tripping. Do I need a new board?
Not always. A tripping safety switch is often doing its job and pointing to a faulty appliance or circuit. We’ll find the cause first and only recommend an upgrade if the board is the problem.

I’m a landlord. Can you deal with my tenant?
Yes. Pop the tenant’s details in the notes and we’ll arrange access directly.

Do I need a new meter box when I upgrade my switchboard?
Not always. If the meter panel is old, damaged, too small for the new board or may contain asbestos, we’ll recommend replacing it at the same time. A photo of the whole meter box usually tells us.

How do I know if my meter panel contains asbestos?
You can’t tell just by looking, but dark brown or grey panels in homes built before the 1990s are the usual suspects. Don’t drill, cut or sand it. We’ll assess it, and if it needs to come out it’s handled and disposed of safely as part of the job.

Can you move my power underground?
Usually, yes, where Energex’s network allows it. We trench from the boundary, run new mains to the meter box and lodge the Energex paperwork. The trenching distance is the biggest factor in the price.