The Hutt Valley has a long state housing history. The Heretaunga Settlement in Petone, built in 1906, was New Zealand's first state housing, Naenae gained 1,000 state houses in 1944, and new state housing suburbs spread from Waiwhetū to Taitā in the late 1940s. Upper Hutt filled with post-war subdivisions from 1947 into the 1980s, Wainuiomata was nicknamed Nappy Valley in the 1950s, and Stokes Valley and Eastbourne grew in their own valley and bays.
Many of those homes still run on switchboards from decades ago, extended as kitchens, garages and heat pumps were added. A switchboard upgrade adds RCD protection and room for new circuits, and is often needed before an EV charger installation. The valley also has busy industrial and commercial areas, where our commercial electrician team handles maintenance and fault finding. Every job starts with a written, fixed price.
Electrical Services in the Hutt Valley
More electrical services in the Hutt Valley:
We also handle emergency electrician, electrical repairs, switchboard upgrades, house rewiring, power points, extractor fans, oven and cooktop installation, electrical inspections, smoke alarm installation, led lighting, outdoor lighting, ev charger installation, commercial electrician, test and tag, data cabling and every other electrical service in the Hutt Valley.
Common Home Types in the Hutt Valley
State houses from the 1940s and 1950s make up a large share of Lower Hutt, Naenae and parts of Petone, and many Naenae homes were put up in a day or two from prefabricated sections. Houses of that age may still have rubber-insulated wiring in places, which should be replaced rather than extended, and their boards often have little spare space. Upper Hutt's suburbs from the 1950s to the 1980s and Stokes Valley's Holborn subdivision from the late 1960s are generally wired in plastic-sheathed cable, but many still have their original board. Wainuiomata has seen new townhouses go up since about 2020, and these come with modern boards. Petone also has 1960s Star Flats apartment blocks and an industrial area around Cornish Street, where we look after workshop and commercial circuits.
What the Hutt Valley Conditions Mean for Your Wiring
Much of the valley floor is flood plain. Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River burst its banks in 1985, and on 20 December 1976 the Korokoro Stream flooded the Cornish Street industrial area in Petone almost a metre deep while Stokes Valley was declared a disaster zone after hundreds of slips. Any wiring, socket or appliance that has been under water should be checked by an electrician before it is used again. The Wellington Fault forms the western edge of the valley, and a 1993 study placed Petone, Seaview and Gracefield among areas with liquefaction potential, so securing heavy items near the switchboard is sensible. Eastbourne's bays sit right on the harbour, inside the sea spray zone BRANZ applies to harbours, so outdoor fittings there need coastal ratings. Wellington Electricity runs the lines network across the whole valley.
Suburbs We Cover in the Hutt Valley
Electrician Hutt Valley FAQs
My switchboard got wet in a flood. Is it safe to turn the power back on?
No, not until it has been checked. Water and silt can damage the board, wiring, sockets and appliances in ways you cannot see. Leave the main switch off, and we will test the installation and tell you what needs replacing before it is livened again.
Does my Naenae or Lower Hutt state house need a new switchboard?
Often, but not always. Boards from the 1940s and 1950s commonly have rewireable fuses, no RCD protection and no room for new circuits. We test the board and wiring, then tell you whether an upgrade is needed now or can wait.
Do you work on workshops and industrial units in Petone?
Yes. Our commercial electricians handle maintenance, fault finding, lighting upgrades and test and tag for workshops, factories and offices around Petone and the rest of the valley.
Who do I call when the power is out across my whole street?
That is usually a fault on the Wellington Electricity network, and your power retailer can tell you more. If your neighbours have power and you do not, check for a tripped RCD or breaker, then call us to find the fault.