Temporary Power Poles for New Home Builds in Brisbane & SEQ

Every new home build in Brisbane and South East Queensland needs temporary power. From the moment your slab is poured through to the final fit-out, your trades rely on a metered electrical connection to work safely and efficiently. A temporary power pole — officially called a Temporary Builder's Supply (TBS) — provides this connection for the entire duration of your build.

Whether you're building through a volume builder, a custom builder, or as an owner builder, understanding how temporary power works will help you avoid delays and budget accurately. Here's what you need to know.

When Do You Need Temporary Power?

Your temporary power pole should ideally be installed and connected before any electrical trades arrive on site. For most new home builds, this means having the pole in place by slab stage or early frame stage. Concreters can usually work without site power (they bring their own generators), but once your framer, electrician, and plumber start, they'll need reliable power from the pole.

The key is lead time. Energex Form 2 processing takes 3-5 business days, and installation needs to be scheduled after approval. We recommend booking your temporary power pole 2-3 weeks before you need power on site.

Overhead vs Underground: Know Your Estate

This is the single most important factor for new home builds in SEQ, and it's determined by your estate — not by you. The power reticulation method is set by the developer and the distribution network:

Overhead Power Estates

Older established suburbs and some newer estates still use overhead power lines. If you can see power lines running along the street on wooden or concrete poles, you're in an overhead area. You'll need a standard stayed or stayless TBS pole that connects to the overhead network via a service line. This is the most common setup across Brisbane, particularly in established suburbs.

Underground Power Estates

Most new estates in SEQ's growth corridors — Springfield, Yarrabilba, Ripley, Pimpama, Caboolture South, and many Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast developments — use underground power reticulation. There are no overhead lines; power runs through cables buried in the street. You'll need an underground TBS pole that connects to the buried network via a cable pit. These cost more than overhead poles due to the additional connection hardware.

Important: If you're unsure whether your estate has overhead or underground power, check with your developer, your builder, or call us and we'll confirm based on your site address.

Typical New Build Timeline

Pre-slab (2-3 weeks before trades): Book your temporary power pole. We submit the Energex Form 2 and schedule installation.

Slab stage: Pole is installed and Energex connects the service line. Power is live.

Frame to lock-up (months 1-4): Trades use the temporary power pole for all electrical needs — power tools, temporary lighting, testing.

Fix-out to handover (months 4-6): Your permanent power connection is established. The temporary pole continues to serve until the permanent switchboard is live and the meter is transferred.

Post-handover: Once you have permanent power, call us and we'll collect the temporary pole. Your hire ends on the collection date.

What About Site Toilets?

Queensland WHS regulations require toilet facilities on any construction site where workers are present. For a new home build, this means you need a portable toilet from the first day trades are on site. Most builders hire a temporary power pole and portable toilet together — we offer package pricing that makes this the most cost-effective approach.

Many new-build clients also add a solar security camera to protect their investment during construction. Theft from building sites is common, particularly in newer estates where sites are left unattended overnight. Our 4G solar cameras need no power connection and provide 24/7 monitoring via an app on your phone.

Get Your New Build Powered

We've been powering new home builds across Brisbane and SEQ since 1960. Whether you're building in an established suburb with overhead power or a new estate with underground connections, we'll handle everything from Energex paperwork to installation. Get a quote for your new build or call (07) 3367 2237.