What we do on a new build
Whether you're an owner-builder putting up a house on acreage outside Wagga, a builder needing a sparky for a project in one of the new estates, or adding a granny flat or a big extension, the electrical work runs in the same stages:
- Planning. Going through the plans with you: where every power point, light, switch, fan, data point and appliance goes, and what size supply the house needs.
- Temporary power for the site if it's needed, so the trades can work.
- Rough-in. Cables, conduits and boxes installed in the frame before insulation and plaster.
- Fit-off. Power points, switches, lights, smoke alarms, the switchboard and appliances connected once the walls are finished.
- Testing and certification. Every circuit tested, then the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) lodged.
Get the plan right first
Changing a light position on paper costs nothing. Changing it after plaster costs a hole in the wall. Things worth thinking through with Nelson before rough-in:
- Power points. More than you think, and at bench height where you'll use appliances. Double rather than single. Think about the bedside, the desk, the garage bench and the outdoor area.
- Heating and cooling. Wagga's average January top is close to 32 °C and July nights average under 3 °C, so most homes run air-conditioning hard in summer and heating in winter. Plan the circuits and isolator positions for split systems or ducted units now. See heating and cooling.
- An EV charger circuit. Even if you don't have an electric car yet, a cable run from the switchboard to the garage now makes a future EV charger installation much simpler.
- Data and TV points in every room where a screen or desk might go. See data and TV points.
- Outdoor power and lighting for the alfresco, the clothesline, the shed and the garden.
- Single or three-phase. For a larger home on acreage with a big shed, pumps or workshop machinery, three-phase may be worth it. Our three-phase power guide explains the trade-offs.
The rules for new homes
New homes are built to the current rules, not the ones that applied when older houses went up.
- Safety switches on every circuit. AS/NZS 3000:2018 (the Wiring Rules, mandatory in NSW since 1 January 2019) requires 30 mA RCD protection on all final subcircuits in a home, with the RCDs at the switchboard. A home needs at least two RCDs, with no more than three circuits on any one, and lighting split across them. We usually build the board from RCBOs, one per circuit, so a fault on one circuit doesn't knock out others.
- No Type AC RCDs. They have been banned in new electrical work in NSW since 1 May 2023 (NSW Government).
- Smoke alarms. Under NCC 2022 Housing Provisions Part 9.5, smoke alarms in a new house must comply with AS 3786, be connected to mains power, and be interconnected where there is more than one. NCC 2022 still applies in NSW; the state adopts NCC 2025 on 1 May 2027. More in our smoke alarm rules guide.
- Heat pump hot water. NSW Advisory Note 1/2025 says a new circuit for a heat pump hot water system must use a Type A RCD.
- Building sites. Electrical work on construction sites falls under AS/NZS 3012:2019, which section 163 of the NSW WHS Regulation 2025 makes mandatory. Tools, leads and portable RCDs on site are tested every 3 months, and construction wiring and switchboards must be tested by a licensed electrician. See test and tag for construction sites.
Getting connected to the network
In Wagga and the Riverina, the network is Essential Energy. Connecting a new home involves work we don't do ourselves:
- The service line (overhead or underground), the service fuse and the meter are installed by a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider (ASP). Under the Electricity Supply Act 1995 only ASPs can do this work in NSW. You choose and pay the ASP directly, and NSW suggests getting at least three quotes.
- The ASP lodges a Notification of Service Work with Essential Energy, which references the CCEW for the installation.
Nelson does the house side: the consumer installation, main switchboard and everything after it. We can coordinate timing with your ASP and builder so the house is ready to energise when they arrive.
Certificates
Every new installation gets a CCEW. Since 1 July 2026 it is lodged through the Building Commission NSW eCert portal no later than 7 days after testing. For a new installation, Essential Energy receives a copy automatically, and you get one by email.
Cost
New builds are quoted from the plans. Send them through with any notes on what you want, and you'll get a written quote before any work starts. Our licence number is 374694C if your builder or lender asks.
Common questions
When should I bring the electrician in on a new build?
Before the frame goes up, ideally while the plans are still being finalised. That's when switchboard location, supply size, appliance circuits and the number of power points are cheapest to change.
Do new homes in NSW need hardwired smoke alarms?
Yes. Under NCC 2022 Part 9.5, smoke alarms in a new house must be connected to mains power and interconnected where there's more than one. Mains alarms made to AS 3786 have a battery backup.
Who connects my new house to the power?
A Level 2 Accredited Service Provider installs the service line, service fuse and meter and connects you to Essential Energy's network. Your electrician wires the house and switchboard, tests it and lodges the CCEW. We can line up the timing with the ASP.
Do I need three-phase power for a new house?
Most houses don't. It's worth considering for large homes, acreage with sheds, pumps or workshop machinery, or if you want big ducted air-conditioning and EV charging together. Supplies over 100 A per phase must be three-phase under the NSW Service and Installation Rules.
Can an owner-builder do their own electrical?
No. In NSW you need an electrical licence for any electrical wiring work, whether or not you hold an owner-builder permit. Unlicensed work can attract fines of $22,000 for an individual.