Straight answers to the questions we hear most from homeowners and businesses across the NSW South Coast. Can't find yours? Give us a call — we're happy to help.
Safety switches — Residual Current Devices (RCDs) — detect the loss of current that occurs when someone receives an electric shock, and cut power in as little as 30 milliseconds. They’ve been required on the power circuits of new NSW homes since the early 1990s, and on lighting and power circuits since around 2000. Many older South Coast homes still have no safety switches on circuits like air conditioning, hot water or the stove. If your switchboard has no visible “test” buttons, your home is likely non-compliant — and BayCoast can fit safety switches to your board.
If your home is more than 20 years old, there’s a good chance the switchboard still uses ceramic wire-type fuses. These react slowly to faults and offer no protection from electric shock. While upgrading isn’t always mandatory, we strongly recommend replacing an old fuse board with a modern enclosure fitted with circuit breakers and RCDs — especially before adding high-load devices like an EV charger, ducted air conditioning or solar.
In NSW, the law forbids any residential or commercial electrical work being carried out by an unlicensed person — no matter how small the job. DIY electrical work is illegal, dangerous, and can void your home insurance. BayCoast is a fully licensed contractor (Licence No. 331413C) and an Essential Energy approved Level 2 ASP.
A general electrician handles internal property work — wiring, power points and lighting. A Level 2 ASP (Accredited Service Provider) is additionally accredited to work on the connection between the network and your property: connecting and disconnecting power, overhead and underground service lines, metering and private power poles. BayCoast holds Level 2 ASP Class 2b & 2c accreditation, so we can handle both the internal work and the network connection in a single job.
The most common cause is an overloaded circuit, where too many appliances draw power at once — heating appliances like kettles, toasters and heaters are frequent culprits. It can also point to a faulty appliance or a wiring fault. The long-term fix is usually to run an additional circuit to spread the load, or to upgrade an ageing switchboard. If your power trips more than once a month, it’s worth having us investigate.
Yes. We provide upfront, obligation-free quotes once we understand the scope of your job, so you know the price before work begins — with no hidden extras. For larger jobs we carry out an on-site inspection first. Some services, such as air conditioning, are quoted individually so the price reflects your home and requirements.
We offer 24/7 emergency response across the NSW South Coast. Urgent work during normal trading hours is handled without extra callout fees where an electrician is available. Genuine after-hours and emergency callouts outside normal hours may attract a callout fee — which we’ll always make clear upfront, before any work begins.
Don’t touch the affected system, such as loose or exposed wires. If you can safely reach your switchboard, turn off the power. Keep yourself and others at a safe distance — and if you notice a burning smell or heat around the switchboard, shut off power immediately. Then call our emergency line for immediate help. Never attempt to investigate live electrical faults yourself.
Yes. Licensed electrical workers in NSW are required to issue a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) for fixed wiring work. It’s your assurance the work meets Australian safety standards and Essential Energy network requirements. Keep it somewhere safe — it protects you for insurance and resale purposes if a question about the work ever arises.
Book an inspection if your home is over 20–25 years old and hasn’t been checked in some time, after a renovation or room addition, before adding high-load devices like an EV charger or solar, or if you notice warning signs — power points hot to the touch, a burning smell, frequent tripping or flickering lights. A BayCoast inspection covers everything from the street connection through to your switchboard, outlets and appliances.
