Numbers don’t lie. Across New Zealand, electrical faults cause approximately one in four house fires. Those statistics aren’t just numbers—they represent real homes, real families, and real losses. Faulty wiring doesn’t announce itself with loud warnings. It hides behind walls, above ceilings, and under floors, often revealing its presence only after causing significant damage.
The safety of your home’s electrical system shouldn’t be left to chance. At Alert Building Inspections, we believe electrical safety deserves the same attention as structural integrity when buying or maintaining a property. The few hundred dollars spent on a professional electrical inspection could save you thousands in repair costs—not to mention protecting what’s truly irreplaceable: your family’s safety.
New Zealand’s housing stock spans several decades of construction, each era bringing its own electrical standards and potential issues. From older homes with their original wiring to newer builds with modern electrical systems, every property has its own electrical fingerprint—and potential hazards.
Older homes often have outdated wiring that was never designed to handle today’s electrical demands. When these systems get overloaded with modern appliances and electronics, they become fire risks. Even in newer properties, we’ve discovered installation shortcuts and non-standard work that escaped detection during construction.
The most common electrical issues we find during inspections include outdated and degraded wiring insulation, overloaded circuits without appropriate protection, improperly installed electrical fixtures and outlets, missing or damaged safety switches, insufficient earthing systems, amateur DIY electrical modifications, and water ingress near electrical components.
Recently, our inspector examined a 1970s home that appeared to be in excellent condition. The current owners had updated the kitchen and bathrooms, giving the property a modern appeal. However, our electrical inspection revealed that the original wiring remained unchanged throughout most of the house. We identified numerous points where insulation had degraded, creating potential short-circuit conditions.
The prospective buyers used our detailed findings to negotiate a $15,000 reduction in purchase price to cover necessary electrical upgrades. Without this inspection, they would have inherited serious safety issues along with their dream home.
Our electrical inspections go far beyond checking if the lights turn on. We conduct thorough examinations of switchboard condition and capacity, circuit breaker and fuse systems, wiring age and condition, safety switch presence and functionality, socket outlets and switches, the effectiveness of the earthing system, and signs of DIY electrical work.
New Zealand follows strict electrical safety standards set out in the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, administered by WorkSafe New Zealand. These regulations establish the requirements for electrical safety in all properties to protect occupants from electrical hazards.
According to WorkSafe New Zealand, all electrical installations must comply with fundamental safety requirements and applicable standards. However, many homeowners aren’t aware that older electrical systems are often “grandfathered in”—meaning they don’t need to meet current standards until major renovations occur.
This creates a significant safety gap that only professional inspection can identify. Our inspectors are thoroughly familiar with both current and historical electrical standards, allowing them to spot non-compliant installations regardless of when they were installed.
New Zealand’s climate and environmental factors create unique electrical challenges for homeowners. High humidity levels and seasonal temperature fluctuations can accelerate the degradation of electrical components, especially in older homes.
Additionally, homes in coastal areas or near waterways may experience higher moisture levels, which can affect electrical systems over time. Our inspections take these local factors into account, identifying vulnerabilities that generic inspections might miss.
We’ve also observed regional patterns in electrical installation practices across different areas and construction eras. Pre-1960s homes often have outdated rubber-insulated wiring that deteriorates over time, houses built in the 1970s-80s may have aluminium wiring, which requires special attention, and properties in newer developments might have modern wiring but sometimes lack adequate circuit protection.
Unlike dedicated electrical contractors, our building inspectors approach electrical systems as part of the overall property assessment. This integrated approach allows us to identify issues that might be missed in isolation—such as where building structure changes have impacted electrical installations or where water ingress from roofing issues affects electrical safety.
Electrical inspections include visual inspection of all accessible electrical components, testing of safety switches and circuit protection, identification of potential fire hazards, assessment of electrical capacity for current and future needs, recommendations for necessary upgrades or repairs, and plain-language explanation of findings.
Whilst pre-purchase inspections are the most common time for electrical assessment, there are several other key moments when homeowners should consider scheduling an electrical inspection.
Before major renovations – Understand your electrical system’s capacity before adding new demands. After purchasing an older home, even if you didn’t get a pre-purchase inspection, it’s never too late to check for safety. When breakers trip frequently or fuses blow, it’s a warning sign of underlying issues. If you notice flickering lights, warm switches, or burning smells, these indicate potentially serious problems. Before installing major appliances, ensure your electrical system can handle new additions.
Local councils note that building owners are responsible for maintaining the safety of their electrical systems. Whilst routine council inspections focus on new installations and significant renovations, the ongoing safety of existing electrical systems falls to property owners. Our inspections help you meet this responsibility with confidence.
How long does an electrical inspection take? For an average home, our electrical inspection takes approximately 45-60 minutes as part of our overall building inspection. Larger homes or properties with complex electrical systems may require additional time.
Can I do an electrical inspection myself? No. Electrical systems are complex and potentially dangerous. Professional inspectors have the training, equipment, and knowledge to safely assess electrical components without creating hazards. DIY electrical assessment is not only risky but may also miss critical safety issues.
Will the inspection disrupt my electricity supply? Our visual inspections generally don’t require a power interruption. However, safety switch testing may cause momentary power loss to those circuits. We coordinate with occupants to minimise any disruption.
Many homebuyers focus solely on visible aspects of a property—the layout, the aesthetics, the location. But ignoring what’s behind the walls can lead to high unexpected costs.
Consider this real scenario: A family purchased a home without an electrical inspection. Six months later, an electrical fire caused by outdated wiring damaged much of the house. Beyond the emotional toll, they faced $45,000 in repair costs, three months of temporary accommodation expenses, insurance complications due to the pre-existing condition, and complete rewiring costs on top of the fire-damage repairs.
All of this could have been prevented with a $300-$500 electrical inspection that would have identified the wiring issues before purchase.
Protecting your investment and family starts with understanding what you’re dealing with. Our inspectors provide thorough electrical assessments as part of our comprehensive building inspection services.
When you book with Alert Building Inspections, you benefit from inspectors who understand New Zealand’s housing stock, same-week availability in most cases, transparent, detailed reporting delivered within 24 hours, inspectors who explain findings in plain language, and follow-up support if questions arise after your inspection.
Our electrical inspection reports are designed to be practical tools, not just documents that identify problems. Each report includes a precise categorisation of issues by severity and urgency, recommendations for addressing each issue, and estimated cost ranges for necessary repairs.
For homebuyers, this information becomes a powerful negotiation tool. For current homeowners, it serves as a prioritised action plan for maintaining and upgrading your electrical system.
Our inspectors can also help you understand which electrical issues you might legally need to address before selling your property under local council compliance requirements.
Electrical systems are the nervous system of your home—invisible but absolutely essential. In New Zealand’s varied housing market, from heritage homes to new builds, electrical inspection provides crucial insight into this hidden infrastructure.
The cost of an inspection is minimal compared to the potential costs of electrical failures or fires. More importantly, no property, regardless of its aesthetic appeal or investment potential, is worth risking your family’s safety.
Contact Alert Building Inspections today to schedule your comprehensive inspection, including a thorough assessment of your property’s electrical systems. It’s an investment in safety, security, and peace of mind that every homeowner deserves.
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Alert Building Inspections provides professional building reports throughout New Zealand, delivered within 24-48 hours. Ready to protect your property investment? Call 0800 4 ALERT (425 378).
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