Two very different kinds of work
On the beach side of the river, almost everything is strata: residential towers, holiday letting buildings and hotels, with shops and bars at street level along Cavill Avenue, Orchid Avenue and the light rail corridor. Across the water on the canal islands, it is mostly detached homes and low-rise units, many with pools and pontoons. Each needs a different approach, so we have split this page the same way.
High-rise and holiday apartments
Surfers Paradise apartments see heavy use. Holiday units in particular go through lamps, downlights, power points and appliances much faster than an owner-occupied home. Common calls include tripped circuits, failed lighting, balcony fittings damaged by salt and weather, and air conditioning isolators that have corroded through.
Older towers from the 1970s and 1980s often have original unit boards with rewireable fuses and little or no safety switch protection. Upgrading those boards, adding RCBOs and replacing tired wiring in kitchens and bathrooms is a big part of what we do. For letting managers and owners, we also install compliant smoke alarms and keep records.
Working inside a tower
- We book lifts and loading dock access through building management
- We follow the building’s rules on noise and working hours
- We isolate only what we need to, so neighbouring units are not affected
- We protect floors and common areas and leave the unit clean
Body corporate, hotels and hospitality
For committees and building managers, we provide strata electrical maintenance, common area lighting upgrades, emergency and exit lighting testing, and repairs to pool, spa and car park equipment. Where a building has plenty of old fluorescent fittings running around the clock in corridors and car parks, an energy efficiency upgrade to LED can make a noticeable difference to common area power costs.
Bars, restaurants and hotel operators need work done without affecting trade. We plan outside service hours where possible and keep venues compliant with emergency lighting and test and tag requirements.
Chevron Island, Isle of Capri and Paradise Waters
The canal islands hold a mix of original 1960s and 1970s homes, many since renovated, and large modern rebuilds. The older houses frequently need switchboard upgrades and new wiring during renovation. Waterfront living adds pontoon power, garden and jetty lighting and pool equipment, all of which suffer in the damp, salty air.
We use weatherproof enclosures and marine-suitable fittings outdoors, and we check that outdoor circuits have proper RCD protection. On a knock-down rebuild, we can handle the full new home electrical fit-off from rough-in to final.
Storm season on the strip
Summer storms regularly drive rain onto balconies and into exposed fittings. After a big storm we see a spike in calls for circuits that will not reset. If yours trips and will not stay on, leave it off and call a licensed electrician rather than resetting it repeatedly.