The meter box is where your house meets the grid. On older Northern Beaches homes, particularly weatherboard cottages and 1980s solid brick stock, the original meter enclosures are often timber-backed, rusted, undersized, or holding wiring that pre-dates anything resembling current standards. They're also frequently in awkward spots (under eaves with rotting timber, on fence lines that have moved, behind plant growth that's been pulling at the cabling for a decade).
When we replace a meter box, we're usually doing three jobs at once: replacing the enclosure itself with a current-spec, weather-rated meter panel; coordinating with Ausgrid for the supply work and any meter change; and bringing the consumer mains, main switch and earthing arrangement up to AS/NZS 3000. Often the right time to replace the meter box is when you're also upgrading the switchboard inside the house, the two pieces of work talk to each other and doing them together saves an outage day.
What the job looks like: site visit to assess the existing enclosure, the supply (overhead or underground), the meter type, the earthing, and the cable runs. Fixed quote covering enclosure, mains, Ausgrid coordination and any conduit or weatherproofing work. On the day, we work with the network's outage window, pull the new enclosure into position, re-terminate the supply and the consumer mains, install the new meter or coordinate the network change, and test everything before the supply comes back on.
We've replaced meter boxes across Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Mona Vale and Palm Beach, including the ones where the timber backing has rotted through, the ones where a tree has grown around the enclosure, and the ones where every previous repair has added another piece of conduit until nothing routes neatly anymore. The new install is built clean, labelled clearly, and designed to last another 20+ years.
When to call us
- Original timber-backed meter enclosure showing rot, rust or weather damage
- Replacing the meter box at the same time as a switchboard upgrade
- Moving the meter position as part of a renovation, fence move or driveway change
- Upgrading from overhead supply to underground as part of a streetscape change
- Damaged enclosure after storm impact, tree fall or vehicle contact
- Ausgrid meter exchange requiring the existing enclosure to be brought up to spec
Our process
- Site visit: We look at the existing enclosure, the supply, the meter, the earthing and the surrounding conditions. Photos and notes.
- Fixed quote: New enclosure spec, mains scope, Ausgrid coordination, any conduit or weatherproofing work, all in writing.
- Utility coordination: We book the Ausgrid outage and meter exchange where needed, scheduled to minimise the time without power.
- Installation day: Old enclosure removed, new weather-rated panel installed, consumer mains re-terminated, earthing brought to current spec.
- Meter installation: New meter installed by us or the network as required, tested and energised.
- Certify and hand back: Compliance paperwork lodged, walk-through with you on where the main is and how the new arrangement is laid out.
Why choose Electrix all Blew
We're a family-run electrical business based in Bilgola Plateau. Over 38+ years on the Northern Beaches means we know the housing stock - weatherboard home, 1980s solid bricks, strata buildings - and what tends to fail in each.
We're licensed for electrical and air conditioning. We carry full public liability and contractor insurance. We turn up when we say we will, we call ahead when we're 20 minutes out, and we hold to 1-hour appointment windows.
Our 113 Google reviews sit at a 5.0 average. That's the result of doing the work properly the first time, not chasing reviews.
Frequently asked
How do I know if my meter box needs replacing?
Visible signs are rotted or rusted enclosure backing, exposed wiring inside, conduit cracking or pulling away, asbestos backing on older boxes, or an enclosure too small for a current-spec meter. Insurance assessors and selling agents will often flag it too.
Will the power be off all day?
A standalone meter box replacement is usually a single-day job with a power-off window of four to six hours. If we're combining it with a switchboard upgrade, which often makes sense, it's still typically a single day.
Do you handle the Ausgrid side?
Yes. We coordinate the network disconnect and reconnect, the meter exchange if it's needed, and the inspection paperwork. You don't need to chase the utility separately.
What about asbestos in older meter boxes?
Some pre-1990 meter enclosures used asbestos backing. Where we find it, we engage a licensed removalist to handle the asbestos safely before we install the new enclosure. It's not a job you DIY around.
Can the meter box be moved?
Sometimes, depends on the supply route, the cable length, and Ausgrid's requirements for the new position. We'll assess it at quote stage and tell you honestly whether it's a small job or a major one.