Home Car Charging Point: Where Your EV Home Charger Should Go
The spot you choose decides the cable run, the weatherproofing and how easily the cable reaches the car. Most of the cost difference between two installs comes down to this.
The St Albans Villa With a Charger Spot 30m From the Board
A St Albans owner wanted the charging point on the front fence, right where the car parks. The switchboard was at the back of the villa. That spot meant a 30m cable run under the house and a trench across the lawn, which would have added more than the charger cost.
We went over the section with his photos and found a second option: the side wall of the house, 6m from the board, with the car nosed in along the driveway. The tethered cable reached the charge port with room to spare. Same charger, same convenience, and most of the extra cost gone. That is what a good charging point decision looks like.
Garage, Outside Wall or Pedestal
| Location | Good for | Watch out for | Typical extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside an attached garage | Short runs, a dry cable, a charger out of the weather | Cars that park nose-out may need a longer cable | Usually none |
| Outside wall of the house | Driveway parking, carports and homes without a garage | Needs a weatherproof charger and conduit for the cable | Usually none within 10m of the board |
| Detached garage or shed | Lifestyle blocks and older sections with a separate garage | A trench or an overhead run between buildings | $600 to $1,500 for trenching |
| Free-standing pedestal | Parking with no wall close by | A trench to reach it and a concrete footing | $350 to $650, plus any trenching |
Cable past 10m is $25 to $45 per metre, measured along the real route.
What Makes a Charging Point Spot Work
- A few metres from where the charge port sits when the car is parked
- As close to the switchboard as the parking allows
- Out of the way of car doors, wheelie bins and the lawnmower
- Inside Wi-Fi range, or close enough for a cheap extender
Spots That Cost More Than They Should
- The far side of a concrete-block garage from the board, which means core drilling
- Across a driveway, where the cable becomes a trip hazard
- Behind a gate that the parked car blocks
Check Where Your Charge Port Is
Charge ports move around between models: front centre on a Leaf, rear left on a Tesla, and somewhere else again on plenty of European cars. Park the car the way you normally would, then look at where the port sits relative to the wall. Most tethered cables are 5 to 7.5m long, and the cable should reach without being pulled tight.
Add that photo to the four we ask for and we can tell you the best spot before anyone drills a hole.
Send Photos of Your Charging Point Spot
Four photos are all we need: your switchboard with the door open, the spot where the charger will go, the path between them and your meter board. One written number comes back, usually the same day.
More on Charging Point Placement
Place It Before You Buy It
A home charging point is worth placing before it is worth buying. Decide where the car parks and where its port sits, and the right charger, cable length and cost usually follow.
On an Outside Wall
A home charge point on an outside wall needs a little more care than one in a garage: conduit for the cable, sealed entries and a charger rated for the weather. None of that adds much to the price within the standard 10m run.
In a Detached Garage
A charging point at home in a detached garage is common on older Christchurch sections. The cable either goes underground in a trench or overhead between buildings, and we price both from your photos.
Away From Any Wall
If your home EV charging point has to sit away from any wall, a free-standing pedestal does the job. It adds $350 to $650 plus any trenching, and suits open driveways and carports.