Gas to electric conversions in Traralgon homes

Converting a Traralgon home from gas to electric means replacing gas hot water, heating and cooking with a heat pump water heater, reverse cycle air conditioning and an induction cooktop, and the electrician’s part is making sure the switchboard and circuits can carry the extra load. From 1 March 2027, a gas water heater in an existing Victorian home that reaches end of life and cannot be repaired must be replaced with an electric one. Existing gas cooktops and heaters can still be repaired or replaced with gas.

Independent licensed electricians who receive your enquiry through this site assess the board, quote the electrical work and carry it out. The plumbing and refrigeration parts of a conversion are done by licensed plumbers and air conditioning technicians.

What are Victoria’s 2027 gas and electric rules?

The Victorian Government’s electrification and efficiency standards page and AusNet’s summary of the new rules set out the dates.

Rule	Starts	Who it affects	Instrument
New homes and most new commercial buildings must be all-electric	1 January 2027	Builders and buyers of new homes; a permit approved before 31 December 2026 may still allow a gas connection	Building Regulations 2018
End-of-life gas water heater replaced with electric	1 March 2027	Owner-occupiers of existing homes; not apartment buildings with centralised hot water	Plumbing Regulations 2018
Rental minimum efficiency standards	Phased in from 1 March 2027	Rental providers and renters	Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021

The government page also says exemptions exist where electrification or the standards are impractical or too costly. Nothing in the existing-home rule forces you to remove a working gas cooktop or heater. AusNet confirms those appliances can keep being repaired, and replaced with gas models if you choose.

Rental homes have their own rules on failed hot water and heating; the rental electrical safety checklist sets out what landlords need to do.

Which appliances change, and what does each need electrically?

Gas appliance	Usual electric replacement	Typical electrical work
Gas storage or instantaneous hot water	Heat pump hot water system	New or upgraded circuit and an isolator at the unit; ask whether a timer suits your tariff
Gas cooktop	Induction cooktop	Dedicated high-current circuit from the switchboard
Gas wall furnace or ducted heating	Reverse cycle split systems or ducted reverse cycle	One circuit per larger unit, plus outdoor isolators
Gas oven	Electric wall oven	Dedicated circuit, sometimes shared with the cooktop if sized for both
Gas log fire	Reverse cycle unit or electric heater	Circuit depends on the unit chosen

The plumber disconnects and caps gas lines, and installs the heat pump tank and its water connections. A refrigeration technician installs the air conditioning units and pipework. The electrician runs the circuits, fits isolators and connects each appliance.

Will the switchboard cope?

That is the first question an electrician will answer. Swapping several gas appliances for electric ones adds a lot of load that the board was never set up for. Common findings:

• No spare positions for new circuit breakers.
• An old fuse board, or a board without safety switches on every circuit.
• A main switch or consumer mains that may need checking against the new total load.
• A single phase supply, which suits most homes, but with large ducted systems plus an EV charger the electrician may discuss whether three phase is worth asking the distributor about.

If the board needs replacing, the Melbourne guide range for a single phase switchboard upgrade is $945 to $2,950. The switchboard upgrades page covers that job. Switchboard and consumer mains work is prescribed work in Victoria, so an independent inspector checks it before it is turned on.

When you are ready to plan the circuits, you can ask for an all-electric conversion quote and list the appliances you are swapping.

Can the work be staged?

Yes, and most households do it that way. A practical order is:

1. Get the switchboard assessed and, if needed, upgraded first, with spare capacity for what comes next.
2. Replace hot water when the gas unit fails or before it does, since the 2027 rule bites at end of life.
3. Add reverse cycle heating and cooling, which also covers hot summers.
4. Swap the cooktop and oven during a kitchen renovation.
5. Once nothing gas is left, talk to your gas retailer about the meter and supply charges.

Planning the circuits for all stages in step 1 avoids paying for a second board change later.

Are there discounts on the appliances?

Victorian Energy Upgrades offers discounts on efficient reverse cycle air conditioners and heat pump hot water systems, and every Victorian household is eligible, according to the Victorian Energy Upgrades household page. The discount is applied to the quote by an accredited provider, or by your own installer if they work with an accredited provider. You usually need to be replacing an older appliance with an approved model. Renters need landlord approval for some upgrades. Check the discount on the appliance quote itself; the electrical circuit work is a separate item.

What does it cost?

Item	Melbourne guide range
Single phase switchboard upgrade, if needed	$945 to $2,950
New power point, per point, for appliances that plug in	$160 to $315

These are Melbourne metro guide figures from October 2026, not Traralgon prices. Dedicated circuits for cooktops and heat pumps are quoted per circuit because cable length and breaker size vary. The appliances, plumbing and refrigeration work are priced by those trades.

What will a careful electrician check first?

Before quoting circuits, a careful electrician will:

• Add up the expected load of every new appliance, not only the first one being installed.
• Look at the main switch rating and the consumer mains as well as the spare breaker positions.
• Ask where the heat pump unit and air conditioner outdoor units will sit, since that sets the cable runs.
• Confirm the induction cooktop’s rated current from its installation manual before choosing the cable and breaker.
• Refuse to connect a new heavy load to a board with no safety switch protection.

Having the appliance model numbers ready at the first visit saves a second trip.

What should you know about power cuts?

Solar Victoria’s power outage guidance points out that an all-electric home is more affected by an outage than a dual-fuel home, because cooking, heating and hot water all stop at once. Backup options it lists are a solar battery set up for backup, or a generator. The power outage or electrical fault guide covers what to check when the power goes out. If backup matters to you, raise it with the electrician before the board is changed, so the circuits for essentials can be grouped.

Is Rosedale any different?

Rosedale sits in Wellington Shire rather than Latrobe City, but the 2027 rules are state-wide, so they apply the same way there. Owners in Rosedale with a farmhouse or a large shed can mention the outbuilding loads in the enquiry so the board is sized for them too.

Next step: what to include in a gas to electric enquiry

List every gas appliance in the house, its rough age and which ones you want to replace first. Add a photo of the switchboard with the cover closed and of the meter box, and say whether you know if the supply is single or three phase. Mention any solar panels or battery, and whether an EV charger is planned. Send it as a gas to electric enquiry with your suburb, and the electrician can plan the circuits for the whole conversion.

Send a job enquiry