What does a Level 2 electrician actually do?

Work that requires Level 2 authorisation

If the job touches the service line, the meter or the connection point, it needs a Level 2. There is no workaround, and a general electrician cannot legally do it.

• Connecting or disconnecting supply to a property
• Overhead and underground service line repairs, replacement and upgrades
• Installing, replacing or relocating the point of attachment
• Installing and replacing private power poles
• Upgrading a single phase supply to three phase
• Metering work, including meter relocation
• Temporary builder's supply for a site

The point of attachment

This is where the overhead service line from the street physically attaches to your house or pole. It takes constant load from wind and cable tension, and on older homes the bracket, the fixing or the timber behind it eventually gives out.

If your service line looks low, the bracket is pulling away from the fascia, or you are re-roofing or adding a second storey, the point of attachment usually needs to be replaced or relocated. It is one of the most common Level 2 jobs we do.

Private power poles

If supply crosses your property to reach the house, the pole carrying it is usually yours, not the network's. That means maintenance and replacement are the owner's responsibility, and a lot of people only find that out when they are told the pole is unsafe.

Timber poles rot at ground level where you cannot see it. Signs are a visible lean, cracking, soft or crumbling timber at the base, or exposed hardware. Private power pole installation and replacement is Level 2 work, and it is worth dealing with before a storm does it for you.

Overhead, underground and disconnect or reconnect

Overhead services are quicker and cheaper to maintain. Underground services look better and are not exposed to trees and weather, which matters on a renovation or a new build. Converting between them, or repairing either, is overhead and underground wiring work.

Then there is disconnect and reconnect. Demolition, major renovation, a house move, re-roofing near the service line, or tree work close to the mains all need the supply made safe and then restored. Booking it in advance keeps the site running instead of having trades stand around.

If you are adding significant load, such as ducted air conditioning, a workshop, a pool, or commercial equipment, a three phase upgrade spreads it properly instead of stressing a single phase supply.

When a homeowner or business actually needs one

Most people do not go looking for a Level 2 electrician. They find out they need one when something else happens.

• A storm brings down or damages the service line to the property
• The meter box needs relocating for a renovation or extension
• A new build, granny flat or subdivision needs supply connected
• The private pole on the property has been flagged as unsafe
• Power needs disconnecting for demolition, roofing or tree work
• Load is being increased beyond what the current supply can carry

Why it matters who you call

If you book a general electrician for supply side work, they have to bring in a Level 2 anyway. You end up paying for coordination and a second attendance, and the job takes longer.

It matters more in an emergency. A fallen service line has to be made safe before anything inside the house can be restored, and a team that can do both sides gets your power back in one visit. That is what our emergency Level 2 electrician service is for.