Do I need an electrician to install my new oven?

Yes, you almost always need a licensed electrician to install an electric oven, whether it's freestanding or a built-in wall oven. Generally, installing a new oven isn’t as simple as plugging it in and switching it on - although there are a few low power models that do allow you to do this.

When do you need a professional to install an oven?

Most ovens sold in Australia are electric, with gas ovens making up a very small fraction of all oven sales.

The majority of electric ovens have a ‘connected load’ requirement of at least 3kW. Connected load is the amount of energy used by the appliance when it’s in use. In Australia, the maximum power from the plug sockets in your home is 2.4kW. So, electric ovens need to be hardwired to the mains power, and in Australia you need a qualified electrician to do this.

The warranty on your new oven is also a consideration. If the oven’s instructions state the need for it to be installed by a professional, failure to do so may result in its warranty being voided in the event that it is damaged or has electrical problems at a later date.

To make life easier, you can usually add ‘electric oven installation’ to your shopping cart when ordering your new appliance.

Which ovens don’t need an electrician?

If you don’t want to use an electrician to install your oven, what are your options?

It really depends on how and what you like to cook - and how much space you have in your kitchen.

Plug socket ovens

If you want a full size ‘proper’ wall oven, it is possible to get one that doesn’t need electrical work - but your choice will be very limited.

Some built-in electric ovens don’t need to be hardwired because they have lower power requirements of 2.2kW and can be simply plugged into a regular power point, using a standard 10 amp plug. This doesn’t mean that these ‘plug and play’ ovens can only cook at lower temperatures though: they can still reach temperatures of 275°C, which is hotter than you will probably ever need for any recipe.

However, if you have an old oven that needs removing, and which is hardwired, you will still need an electrician to safely disconnect it. It is worth considering this if your reason for getting a plug-in oven is to avoid the oven installation cost.

Small appliances

If you don’t ever cook for more than one or two people, you can potentially do all of your cooking on the cooktop and by using a range of smaller kitchen appliances. Think microwaves (particularly convection microwaves), air fryers, toaster ovens, slow cookers and multi-cookers. Between them, these appliances can achieve much of what you’d be able to do with an oven (on a much smaller scale) - but the combined cost and benchtop space demands of choosing this option might not be any cheaper or more convenient than buying a new oven and getting it installed.

Gas ovens

If you buy a new gas oven, it will still require electricity to switch it on and provide ignition, even though it uses gas to do the cooking. Some gas ovens have lower electricity requirements that can be provided by a regular 10 amp plug, but many have electric grill and/or cooktop components that need to be hardwired.

For safety and warranty reasons, therefore, you will always need the services of a qualified gas fitter, and in many cases, an electrician as well.

How do I find an electrician to install my oven?

You can either organise your own electrician, or to make life easier you can book an oven installation through the same retailer that your order your new oven from.

If you’re replacing an existing oven, remember that you will probably need the old one to be removed as well. Built-in single ovens generally weigh between 30-40kg and double ovens up to 50kg, and they are wired into the mains within the wall cavity, so safely removing your old oven is definitely a job for the professionals.

Where can I find a qualified professional to install an oven?

To find a local electrician that can disconnect, remove and dispose of your old oven and install your new one, you can search an online trades directory and try to find someone willing to give you a free quote. If you choose to do this, you will need to try and coordinate it so that the electrician can arrive to do the job as soon as possible after receiving delivery of your new oven, so that you’re not tripping over a big heavy box in your hallway.

The other option is to book an electric oven installation when you place the order for your new oven. This way, you can guarantee that the appliance installation will happen at the same time it’s delivered.

How long does it take to install an oven?

Electric oven installation will usually take between 30 minutes and one hour, including the time taken to remove the old oven. Ovens are heavy appliances, so the greatest care needs to be taken when removing your old one and installing your new one, both for safety’s sake and to reduce the risk of damaging your kitchen floor and cabinetry. For these reasons, it’s a job best done by more than one person - which will also make it quicker.

How much does it cost to install an oven?

Depending on where you live in Australia, and the availability of electricians in your postcode, you can expect oven installation cost to be anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars up to $350 or more in some states. Most electricians, like all tradespeople, will have a callout fee of at least $100. Remember that you will probably want your old oven to be taken away as well, so if you do choose to arrange your own electrician, check if their quote includes full removal of the old appliance, because some charge extra for this.

If you book oven installation through a retailer like Appliances Online when buying your new oven, it should be a set price of around $300 (inclusive of GST) and include removal and recycling of your old oven, as well as any other old household appliances that you may need to get rid of, from cooktops to rangehoods.

What does the electrician need to do?

Before the sparky gets involved, you need your new oven to have been delivered. Sounds obvious, but if you’re making your own arrangements for separate delivery and installation then these things don’t always align!

If you book the installation through the same appliances retailer that you bought the oven from, this should be no problem because it should get delivered by the electrician that’s installing it, along with the delivery driver. When you book an Electric Built-In Oven Installation from Appliances Online, the team will arrive with your oven, ready to remove the old one and get the new one up and running.

  • First, the electrician needs to make sure the new appliance will fit into the existing space (see below for what to do when this isn’t the case).
  • Then, they need to isolate the power on the old oven and test to make sure it’s off, before carefully removing it from the wall cavity (without damaging your floor!) and disconnecting it.
  • Now, it’s time to install the new oven, including its internal racks and trays, and to secure it in place with fixing screws or tilt brackets.
  • Next comes a power reset and quick health check to make sure everything’s connected and working properly.
  • Once the electrician’s happy that everything’s in order, you’ll want them to give you a run through of how to use your new oven. Not every electrician will know the in’s and out’s of every oven, but if you book your installation through Appliances Online, this quick lesson is included.
  • All that’s left then, is for all of the boxes and rubbish to be tidied away and loaded onto the truck - along with your old oven - to be taken away for recycling.

What if you are getting a bigger oven or changing where it’s placed?

What if you accidentally ordered a new double oven and your old one was a single? It happens. It’s always worth measuring your old oven before ordering a new one (the width and height at least, because you’ll not be able to measure the depth while it’s embedded in the wall). If you do order an appliance from Appliances Online that turns out not to fit into its designated spot in your home, and you want to swap it for one that does, you can do so without penalty.

If you have chosen to upgrade to a larger built-in oven than you currently have, however, you will also need to arrange for a carpenter to adjust the size of the wall cavity, because that is not included in any standard installation service. Installations include all the work necessary to swap an old appliance for a new one of the same size. Because it will be holding an appliance that weighs up to 50kg, it’s not always as simple as just extending the hole in the wall: it may require additional load bearing support to be built.

If you know that you will need additional carpentry or stonemasonry work, such as making changes to benchtops and cabinetry, or other electrical services like cabling or relocating power points, it’s a lot easier to arrange this at the same time that you order your oven and installation. Trying to coordinate delivery as well as multiple trades on your own can be a headache. If you contact Appliances Online on 1300 000 500 before placing your order, you can request a quote for this additional work and place your order for the oven and installation at the same time. Additional costs for any of this extra work will be finalised and confirmed with you before the oven is installed.

Peace of mind

Adding installation to your order when buying your new oven is the simplest way to ensure a swift and smooth delivery and install, so you can get on with roasting that crispy duck or baking your first babka.

Arrange your new oven, installation and free delivery

If you’re looking for a new oven you can check out the full range here, or if you need some tips for choosing the best type or size for you, read our Built-in Oven Buying Guide. If you’re replacing your old oven with a new one of the same size, you can simply add installation to your order at checkout. If you think it might be a bit trickier than that, you can call us 24/7 to ask any questions or request a quote for additional work.

We deliver ovens, and the rest of our products, to 95% of Australia’s population with Appliances Online's legendary FREE delivery - and we can usually get it to you by the next day (Mon-Fri).