If you are preparing to sell a house or unit in Brisbane, a few electrical items can hold up contracts, trigger buyer renegotiation or show up in a building and pest inspection. Queensland law also sets minimum safety requirements that apply when a home is sold, so it pays to sort them out before the first open home rather than after a buyer raises them.
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What Queensland requires when you sell
Two electrical safety requirements apply to the sale of a residential property in Queensland:
- Safety switches (RCDs): since 2017 a home being sold must have safety switches protecting all power point and lighting circuits. See our guide on whether you need a safety switch in Queensland.
- Smoke alarms: the home must have compliant, interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in the required locations, under the phased requirements covered in our Queensland smoke alarm laws article.
The seller is responsible for disclosing the position to the buyer, and a buyer’s solicitor will usually ask for confirmation. If the work has not been done, it is far easier to fix before listing than to chase it during a short settlement period.
Common issues found in pre-sale inspections
Buyers increasingly commission a building inspection that includes an electrical visual check. The items that come up most often in Brisbane homes are:
- Old ceramic fuse boards or switchboards with no safety switches
- Smoke alarms that are expired, battery-only or not interconnected
- Exposed or damaged wiring in roof spaces, subfloors and under houses
- Unlicensed or DIY additions such as extra power points or lighting with no sign of compliance
- Cracked or loose power points, and missing blanking plates in the switchboard
- Ceiling fans and downlights installed poorly or covered by insulation
Switchboard upgrades before sale
An outdated switchboard is the single item most likely to cost you at negotiation. A buyer who sees a ceramic fuse board will often discount the price by more than the cost of the upgrade, because they assume the worst. Replacing it with a modern board fitted with RCBOs or RCDs removes the doubt and usually lifts buyer confidence. Our page on switchboard upgrade costs and warning signs explains what is involved. Most upgrades are completed in a single day, with the power off for several hours.
Smoke alarm compliance
Hardwired, interconnected photoelectric alarms are required in each bedroom, in hallways connecting bedrooms and on every level. If the existing alarms are more than ten years old or are not interconnected, replacing them as part of the sale preparation is a low-cost fix that removes a common contract condition.
What it typically costs
Pricing depends on the age of the home and the existing wiring, but as a guide:
- Safety switch installation on an existing board: from a few hundred dollars
- Smoke alarm replacement and interconnection: from around $100 to $150 per alarm installed
- Full switchboard upgrade: from around $1,500 to $3,500 depending on circuits and board size
- Making good unsafe wiring: quoted after inspection
These are indicative ranges only. A site inspection gives a firm price and shows whether anything else is likely to be flagged.
Air conditioning and the sale
Buyers also test the air conditioning. A unit that is leaking, noisy or not cooling will be noted on inspection reports. If a system is past repair, it can be better to replace it than to offer a price discount. See why air conditioners stop cooling for the usual causes, or view our air conditioning services.
Why compliance work lifts buyer confidence
Documented, licensed work tells a buyer the home has been looked after. It shortens the conditions list on the contract, reduces the chance of a last-minute price renegotiation after inspection, and gives your agent something concrete to point to in the listing.
Timing it right
Book electrical work four to six weeks before listing. That leaves time to fix anything uncovered, and gives you paperwork to hand to the buyer’s solicitor. Use a licensed electrician who can supply a Certificate of Compliance for the work, since a receipt from an unlicensed contractor will not satisfy a cautious buyer.
Get your home sale-ready
Integrated Trade Services is a licensed electrical and air conditioning contractor servicing Brisbane and Moreton Bay. We can inspect the property, quote the compliance work and complete it on a timeline that suits your listing date. Request a free quote or see our full range of electrical services.
Planning a new or replacement system? See our air conditioning installation page for typical prices, or our full range of air conditioning services.