North Melbourne’s mix of Victorian-era terraces, renovated worker’s cottages, and warehouse-style conversions can hide outdated switchboards, DIY wiring changes, and missing safety switches—issues a focused electrical visual inspection is designed to flag early.
Answer a few quick questions to receive your personalised quote for North Melbourne
Complete this step to continue
Our comprehensive service includes everything you need to make an informed decision about your property.
We visually inspect the switchboard for obvious deterioration, scorching, missing blanks, unsecured openings, and poor or absent circuit labelling. Clear labels and intact covers matter because they reduce the chance of incorrect isolation during an emergency or maintenance.
We check for the visible presence of RCDs/safety switches and note how protection appears to be arranged across circuits. In North Melbourne homes that have been renovated room-by-room, it’s common to see partial upgrades, so we highlight where protection appears limited or unclear from a visual standpoint.
Where wiring is visible (such as subfloor, garage, storage areas, or ceiling access points where safely reachable), we look for unsupported cables, poor joins, damaged insulation, and signs of heat stress. These indicators can point to ageing materials, pest interference, or past DIY alterations.
We look for visual cues like discolouration, melted plastics, corrosion, or staining around electrical components. In tightly packed inner-city homes, ventilation can be limited in some spaces, and moisture-prone areas (laundries, older bathrooms, external meter locations) can contribute to visible degradation.
We visually scan accessible power points, light switches, and visible fittings for cracking, loose faces, missing cover plates, and unsafe mounting. These are common ‘tell’ signs in older North Melbourne homes where fittings may have been reused or replaced inconsistently during renovations.
We note the presence of smoke alarms where visible and flag obvious placement concerns or missing units in accessible areas. While a visual inspection can’t confirm interconnection or compliance via testing, it can highlight clear gaps that should be addressed promptly.
Discover why thousands of property buyers trust us with their most important investment.
Professional inspections with attention to every detail. Here's a glimpse of our work.
Inspection photo 1
Inspection photo 2
Inspection photo 3
Get Electrical Visual Inspection as part of a comprehensive inspection package
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our inspection service.
Yes. Many North Melbourne terraces and cottages have been updated over decades, and the electrical system can reflect that history. A visual inspection can flag issues like older-style switchboards, missing or unclear safety switch coverage, heat marks, and signs of DIY alterations in accessible areas. It won’t replace electrician testing, but it helps you identify visible safety risks early and plan the right next steps.
Visual only means we assess what is accessible and visible without dismantling electrical components or performing live testing. We don’t remove switchboard covers, open junctions, or test circuits with specialised equipment. Instead, we document visible condition, obvious damage, safety device presence, and clear red flags that should be referred to a licensed electrician. This approach suits pre-purchase and maintenance planning where non-invasive checks are needed.
No. A visual inspection can highlight visible indicators of potential non-compliance, such as missing safety switches, unsafe openings, or poor workmanship cues, but it cannot certify compliance. Electrical compliance and certification require a licensed electrician and, in many cases, testing and/or installation work. If we note items of concern, we’ll recommend the appropriate follow-up so you can obtain the right documentation and repairs.
They can. Conversions and apartments may have newer distribution equipment but still show issues like overloaded power usage from modern appliances, altered lighting layouts, or mixed-quality fit-outs across renovations. Shared services, limited access to some areas, and older building fabric can also affect what is visible during an inspection. We focus on accessible switchboard condition, visible cabling, fittings, and any signs of heat or moisture impact.
We’ll document what we can see, explain why it matters, and outline practical next steps. If we observe signs such as heat damage, unsafe openings, damaged insulation, or unclear safety switch protection, we’ll recommend engaging a licensed electrician for testing and repairs. If there’s an immediate visible safety concern, we’ll advise treating it as urgent and limiting use of affected circuits until it’s assessed professionally.
Still have questions?
Get in TouchChoose ACE Building and Pest Inspections for a careful, property-specific electrical visual assessment focused on switchboards, safety switches and visible wiring risks common in North Melbourne homes. Call 0413 163 187 to organise a booking.