Start with what you will run
The single biggest decision is what the shed needs to power. Write a list before you get quotes:
- Lights and a few power points for a garden shed
- A fridge, freezer or bar setup
- Power tools, a compressor or a welder
- Three-phase machinery
- An EV charger or a future granny flat
It is far cheaper to lay a bigger cable once than to dig the trench twice.
How the power gets there
- Underground cable is the usual way. It runs in conduit at a depth set by the wiring standard (AS/NZS 3000), with marker tape above it. Trench length, ground conditions and obstacles like driveways and pools drive the cost.
- A sub-board in the shed makes sense for anything beyond a couple of circuits. It gives the shed its own breakers and safety switches, so a fault out there does not trip the house.
- The house switchboard has to supply the new circuit. If it is old or full, it may need work first.
Outlets and lighting
- 15 amp outlets for larger compressors, welders and some heaters
- Three-phase outlets for three-phase machinery, if your property has a three-phase supply
- LED battens or high-bay lights for good working light without heat
- Emergency lighting for sheds used as workplaces or with people working late
Safety and the rules
All new circuits need safety switch protection. Electrical work in Queensland, including running cable to a shed, must be done by a licensed electrician, and we provide a certificate of testing and safety when it is finished. You can dig the trench yourself if you want to save money, but talk to us first about depth, route and conduit so it is done to standard.
From our job sheets
Recent shed and workshop jobs include high-bay and emergency lighting in a large shed, trenching and conduit to a new pit for outdoor lighting, a dedicated 15 amp outlet in a garage, and a three-phase cable run with a new three-phase outlet. Workshop jobs often lead to test and tag for the tools as well.
What it costs with us
Shed power is quoted in writing after a site visit, because distance, ground and what you are running decide the price. See shed and workshop electrical.