What we do in sheds
- Power to a new or existing shed, usually a cable run from the house switchboard, often underground.
- A sub-board in the shed with its own circuit breakers and safety switches, so you can isolate the shed and add circuits later.
- Power points at bench height, with enough of them that you're not running everything off one power board.
- Dedicated circuits for welders, compressors, a kiln, a beer fridge, a split system, or an EV charger in the garage.
- Lighting: LED battens or high bays inside, floodlights and sensor lights outside. See commercial lighting.
- Three-phase for workshop machinery, lathes, big compressors or a pump, where the supply allows.
Plan it around what you'll run
The question that sets the size of the job is: what will you plug in, and how much of it at once? A shed with lights and a battery charger is a small cable. A workshop with a MIG welder and a compressor running together needs a bigger one, and may need its own sub-board. Tell us your gear, and anything you might add in the next few years. Upsizing a cable later means digging the trench again.
Distance matters too. On a quarter-acre block in Wagga, the shed might be 15 m from the switchboard. On acreage out at Brucedale or Mangoplah it might be 150 m, and the cable has to be sized so the voltage at the far end is still good enough to run your tools.
Our power to a shed guide goes through the planning in more detail.
Single or three-phase?
Most backyard sheds run fine on single-phase from the house. Three-phase becomes worth it for:
- three-phase machinery (lathes, mills, saw benches, bigger compressors);
- larger welders;
- irrigation or bore pumps on the same property;
- a shed with a lot of load running together.
Under the NSW Service and Installation Rules (April 2026 edition), supplies up to 100 A per phase can be single, two or three-phase, and anything above 100 A per phase must be three-phase. Adding a big shed or pump may also need a connection application to Essential Energy if it would raise your maximum demand above your existing agreement. If your property doesn't have three-phase yet, the supply upgrade itself (service line and metering) is done by a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider; we can work out what you need and coordinate. More in our three-phase power guide.
Safety and the rules
- Safety switches. On a home, any circuit we add or alter needs 30 mA RCD protection at its switchboard under AS/NZS 3000:2018. New work can't use Type AC RCDs, which have been banned in NSW since 1 May 2023.
- Work sheds are workplaces. On a farm or a business property, the shed is a workplace and the NSW WHS Regulation 2025 applies. Portable tools used in dusty, wet or outdoor conditions count as hostile-environment equipment: under section 164 they need RCD protection, and under section 150 they must be regularly inspected and tested. SafeWork's general rule is every 12 months, and every 6 months for workshop equipment. We can test and tag your tools and leads while we're there.
- Overhead lines. Building a tall shed or moving machinery near powerlines needs care. Essential Energy flags machinery over 4.6 m as a higher risk, and its free Look Up and Live map shows where overhead lines are. Check it before the crane or the shed kit arrives.
- Licensed work only. Running a lead from the house and hard-wiring it into the shed is a common DIY job, and it's illegal in NSW. Any electrical wiring work needs a licence, and DIY work can void your insurance.
- Certificate. Every job gets a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work, lodged through the Building Commission NSW eCert portal within 7 days of testing.
Old sheds
Old sheds tend to collect electrical problems: brittle cable, fittings full of dust and mice, a power board feeding three more power boards, and a run of extension leads across the yard. If the shed has had its power switched off for 6 months or more, a qualified electrician must do a safety inspection before it's turned back on. If the wiring is past saving, we'll say so and quote a rewire.
Cost
Shed jobs depend on the distance, how the cable gets there (trench, conduit, overhead), the load and the fittings. Send us the distance from the house, a photo of your switchboard and a list of what you'll run, and you'll get a written quote before work starts. Travel is free close to Wagga and charged further out. Call Nelson or send the job through.
Common questions
Can I run an extension lead to my shed?
As a temporary measure for a few hours, a lead in good condition is plugged-in equipment, not wiring. As a permanent setup it's a trip, crush and overload hazard, and anything wired into the shed itself must be done by a licensed electrician.
Do I need a sub-board in my shed?
Not always. A small shed with a light and a couple of power points can run from a circuit at the house board. A workshop with several circuits, a welder or a split system usually works better with its own sub-board so you can isolate and extend it.
Can I get three-phase in my shed if the house is single-phase?
Possibly, but the property's supply has to be upgraded to three-phase first, which involves Essential Energy and a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider. We'll work out your load and whether it's worth it before you spend money on the supply.
Does my farm shed need test and tag?
If it's a working shed on a farm or business, it's a workplace. Portable tools used in dusty, wet or outdoor conditions are hostile-environment equipment and must be regularly inspected and tested. SafeWork's general rule is at least every 12 months, and every 6 months for workshop equipment.
How far can you run power to a shed?
There's no fixed limit, but longer runs need a larger cable to keep the voltage up, which adds cost. Tell us the distance and what you'll run, and we'll size it properly.