Redwood was drained swamp and farmland until the late 1950s, when rural sections began to be subdivided for houses, and the suburb grew rapidly from the 1970s. More subdivisions followed in the 2000s, with Regent's Park in the north-west and Redwood Springs in the north-east.
That gives Redwood two main ages of home. The 1970s houses often need the switchboard brought up to date before new circuits go on, while the 2000s homes are usually ready for EV chargers, extra power points and outdoor lighting.
Common Home Types in Redwood
Redwood's 1970s homes were wired in plastic-sheathed cable, but their original boards often have limited space and RCD protection on only some circuits. The Regent's Park and Redwood Springs homes from the 2000s have modern boards, which suits EV charger installs as long as there is capacity for a dedicated circuit. The earliest homes from the late 1950s subdivisions need more testing before new work.
What Redwood Conditions Mean for Your Wiring
Redwood was low-lying raupō swamp and marshland before settlers drained it, so on lower sections we mount outdoor sockets and garden lights clear of damp ground, on RCD-protected circuits. Winter frosts and Clean Air Zone burner rules mean heat pumps do much of the heating. Redwood was part of Waimairi County until 1989 and is now part of Christchurch City, on the Orion network.
Electrical Services in Redwood
- Emergency Electrician: Power out, sparks, a burning smell or a breaker that will not reset?
- Electrical Repairs: Tripping RCDs, dead power points, flickering lights and faulty switches traced to the cause and repaired, not just reset.
- Switchboard Upgrades: Old fuse boards replaced with a modern switchboard, circuit breakers and RCD protection, inspected and certified.
- Rewiring: Full and partial rewires for villas, bungalows and older homes, replacing tired rubber-insulated or overloaded wiring.
- Power Points: Extra power points, USB sockets, outdoor weatherproof outlets and new circuits for heat pumps, spa pools and workshops.
- Extractor Fans: Bathroom extractor fans and kitchen rangehoods wired and ducted outside, to move steam and damp out of the house.
- Security Cameras: Home and business security cameras and CCTV, wired or wifi, with recorder setup, outdoor cabling and phone viewing.
- Oven and Cooktop Installation: Ovens, induction cooktops and new kitchen circuits connected safely, including upgrades from gas or older electric hobs.
- Electrical Inspections: Electrical safety inspections and pre-purchase checks with a written report, covering the switchboard, wiring, RCDs and earthing.
- Smoke Alarm Installation: Hard-wired and long-life photoelectric smoke alarms installed in the right places, including rentals that must comply.
- LED Lighting: LED downlights, pendant and feature lighting, dimmers and smart switches, planned around how each room is used.
- Outdoor Lighting: Garden, deck, driveway and security lighting, with sensors and timers, wired safely for the outdoors.
- EV Charger Installation: Home EV chargers installed on a dedicated, properly protected circuit, with a switchboard check and certificate.
- Solar Installation: Solar panel systems and home batteries sized to your power use, installed and connected by licensed electricians.
- Commercial Electrician: Maintenance, fit-outs, lighting upgrades and fault finding for offices, shops, clinics and light industrial sites.
- Test and Tag: Portable appliance testing and tagging for workplaces, with a full register of results for your records.
- Data Cabling: Network and data cabling for homes and offices: Cat6 points, comms cabinets, wifi access points and TV outlets.
Not sure what you need? Read the electrician prices guide or book an electrician in Redwood.
Working in Redwood
The Styx River forms the suburb's northern boundary, and the Christchurch Northern Line Cycleway runs beside the railway to the central city.
The area was low-lying raupō swamp and marshland with tōtara and kahikatea forest before settlers drained it for farming.
Our electricians are in and around Prestons Road redwood tree and Main North Road and the rest of Redwood most weeks.
Electrician Redwood FAQs
Does my 1970s Redwood house need a switchboard upgrade?
Not always. We test the board and look for missing RCD protection, rewireable fuses and lack of space. An upgrade makes sense before adding big loads like a heat pump or EV charger.
Is my Redwood Springs home ready for an EV charger?
Probably, but we still check board capacity. The charger needs a dedicated circuit with Type B RCD protection or an accepted alternative.
Can you add outdoor lighting to my Redwood section?
Yes. We install garden, path and security lighting on RCD-protected circuits with weatherproof fittings, plus timers or sensors if you want them.
Who runs the power network in Redwood?
Orion runs the lines network across Christchurch. If your job needs a supply upgrade, we handle the paperwork and give you a Certificate of Compliance.