Renovation Roadmap

Bonus content

Electrical plans

Power is the one thing you cannot easily change once the walls close up. Deciding where every point, switch, and outlet goes before 'rough-in' is the difference between a home that works around you and one you work around for a decade. This is how to plan it, room by room.

Save this

Settle the electrical plan before 'rough-in', you cannot move a point once the walls are lined
Aim for a double 'GPO' for roughly every metre of usable bench
Check the switchboard has capacity, and plan a 'dedicated circuit' for the oven and cooktop
Walk the site and sign off every point and switch before the plaster goes on

Plan power before the walls close

The cost of a change climbs fast

Moving a single point costs almost nothing on paper, a little at 'rough-in', and a lot once the walls are lined and painted. Decide early and you avoid the expensive end entirely.

At the plan

At rough-in

$$$$

After lining

Two kitchen musts

A double point per metre of bench
So the kettle, toaster, and charger are not competing for one outlet. The most common kitchen regret.
Dedicated circuits for big loads
An induction cooktop and oven each need a 'dedicated circuit', and an older switchboard may need an upgrade to carry them.

Go room by room

Stand in each room and picture the daily routine before you place a single outlet. Plan for how you will actually live in the space, not for an empty floor plan.

Kitchen

Bench and appliance points, an 'appliance garage', plus range hood and dishwasher connections.

Living

Points behind and beside the television and lounge, plus floor points if the sofa floats off the wall.

Bedrooms

A point each side of the bed at bedside height, plus USB or USB-C outlets so chargers do not take a socket.

Home office

Enough points for a full desk setup, plus a data outlet if you rely on a wired connection.

Laundry

Points for the washer, dryer, and iron, and a dedicated point if you are wall-mounting the dryer.

Outdoors

At least one weatherproof external point for tools, entertaining, and pumps.

Heights and positions

Typical mounting heights

Light switch1000–1100 mmfrom the floor
Bench pointAbove the splashback
Power point300 mmfrom the floor

Typical positions only. Most heights are not fixed by the wiring rules, so agree the final setout with your electrician and match any existing switches in the home.

Switching, data, and the future

Two-way switching

Control hallway and stair lights from both ends, so you are never walking through the dark.

Dimmers and sensors

Dimmers where you want to set a mood, and sensor lights for the pantry, robe, or entry.

Data, TV, and USB

Wired data and television points where you need them, and USB or USB-C outlets at key spots.

Plan for the future

Rough in a provision for an EV charger or a solar and battery setup now, far cheaper than retrofitting.

The switchboard

The switchboard is the heart of the plan, and older homes often cannot take what a renovation adds. A board with ceramic fuses or no spare ways needs an upgrade before new circuits can land, and your electrician will check the mains capacity if you are adding induction, air conditioning, or an EV circuit.

An upgrade swaps the board for circuit breakers with safety switches, usually done in a day with the power off. It is also the moment to have every circuit labelled properly, a small job you will thank yourself for at the first tripped breaker.

A modern boardMain switch, safety switches, and a labelled breaker for every circuit

What triggers an upgrade

FusesCeramic fuses instead of circuit breakers
CapacityNo spare ways left for new circuits
LoadsInduction, air conditioning, or an EV circuit arriving
SafetyNo safety switches protecting existing circuits

Safety switches and compliance

A safety switch (RCD) cuts the power in milliseconds when current leaks to earth, and every new or altered circuit in a renovation must be protected by one. They sit in the switchboard beside the breakers; press the built-in test button twice a year.

All of this is licensed work, no exceptions. At completion your electrician must give you a certificate of compliance for the electrical work; file it with your renovation records.

Remember

Insurers and future buyers ask for certificates of compliance. No paperwork, no proof the work was licensed.

The rough-in walk-through

Before the walls are lined, walk the site with your plan. This is your one chance to catch a missing bedside point or a switch that will end up behind an open door.

Check every power point, switch, and outlet is where the plan says it should be

Confirm the mounting heights, and that no switch will end up behind an open door

Verify the data, TV, and USB points, and the dedicated circuits for the oven and cooktop

Sign off the rough-in in writing, and ask the electrician to photograph it before the plaster goes on

Electrical in an apartment

Strata / OC / CTS

In an apartment the switchboard may sit inside your lot while the mains and risers are common property, so adding capacity is not always within your control. New circuits, air conditioning, and anything that penetrates a wall or the slab usually needs scheme approval before work starts.

Book the building manager early if power to the floor must be isolated, and confirm any after-hours work rules before the electrician prices the job.

Remember

Get the scheme approval in writing before the electrician is booked; an unapproved circuit is an expensive argument to lose.

Brief your electrician

Put the plan in writing before the quote, so you are comparing prices on the same scope:

Every point, switch, and data run marked on a plan, room by room
Dedicated circuits listed: oven, induction, air conditioning, and the EV provision
Switchboard capacity confirmed in the quote, with any upgrade priced as a line item
The rough-in walk-through booked before plaster, and the certificate of compliance at handover

Common mistakes

Too few power points, especially in the kitchen and beside the bed

Points and switches at the wrong height, or a switch hidden behind a door swing

No weatherproof external point, so leads run through windows

Forgetting data, television, and USB outlets, then retrofitting them

No provision for future loads like an EV charger, solar, or air conditioning

Upgrade to unlock everything

Upgrade to the full Renovation Roadmap membership for the complete guide and full toolkit.

Complete renovation guide

Nine stage-by-stage chapters that carry you through the whole build, from first plans to final handover.

Explore the renovation guide →

Full toolkit

Every checklist, template, and tracker you need to stay on top of cost, compliance, and trades.

See what is in the toolkit →

See pricing and upgrade →

Important notice: This content provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal, financial, structural, or building advice. Requirements, regulations, approval processes, and building standards vary significantly between Australian states and territories and change over time. Verify all requirements with your state authority and engage licensed professionals for all certified works.

@renovation_roadmap @renovation_roadmap Facebook Pinterest