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    Adding Plug Points to a Room: Cost, Safety and Why It's Not a DIY Job

    Run out of sockets? Adding plug points to a Johannesburg room means a compliant spur or new circuit — not an octopus of extension leads. What's involved and what it costs.

    1 May 2026 5 min read
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    If a room has become a nest of extension leads and multi-plug adapters, you do not have enough sockets — and you have a fire risk. Adding proper plug points is the safe fix. Here is what's involved.

    How sockets get added

    An electrician adds plug points either by spurring off a nearby existing circuit (for normal loads) or by running a new dedicated circuit from the DB board (for high-draw appliances like aircon or heaters). Either way it is wired to SANS 10142 with the correct cable and protection, and certified.

    What it costs

    A socket near an existing circuit is relatively inexpensive; a longer cable run or a new dedicated circuit costs more. We quote after seeing the room and checking the DB board's spare capacity.

    Why not just use extension leads?

    Permanently relying on extension leads and multi-plugs overloads circuits and is one of the leading causes of electrical fires — especially with heaters. Proper, compliant sockets remove that risk (and the trip-hazard cables).

    Done to standard

    Adding to your fixed wiring is exactly what an Electrical COC inspection checks, so it must be done by a registered electrician to standard. See our electrical services or get a quote to add sockets safely.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Yes — an electrician can add sockets by spurring off an existing circuit or running a new dedicated circuit from the DB board, depending on the load. It must be done to SANS 10142 with correct cabling and protection, and certified, rather than relying on a tangle of extension leads which are a fire risk.

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