Tangled and twitching tails – emergency electrical callouts

What would you do if you woke in the middle of the night to the faint smell of burning but couldn’t find out where it was coming from? Or perhaps you're preparing dinner when suddenly your entire power supply fails? If you detect any unusual burning odours, experience...

Sleek interiors – how to hide wires for that finished look

You've just completed your dream renovation. The kitchen has a beautiful bespoke granite benchtop, the living room features architectural lighting that would grace the pages of a design magazine, and your entertainment area rivals a boutique cinema. Then you notice...

When success demands unconventional thinking

During the devastating 2004 Manawatu floods, rising waters engulfed homes and businesses, trapping people on the upper floors of buildings. A nursing home faced a critical situation – the floodwaters were quickly approaching the building’s electrical switchboard,...

From celebrity dreams to smart reality – creating your ultimate living space

Imagine a home where imagination and luxury know no bounds. A place where everyday constraints disappear, and dreams take physical form. While most of us work within the limits of conventional budgets and practical considerations, for Johnny Depp, aka Jack Sparrow –...

Wrapping up an electric year: Merry Christmas!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my Sparky said to me: Twelve vans a-parking, Eleven conduits laying, Ten tools a-turning, Nine drills a-drilling, Eight switches switching, Seven fuses blowing, Six wires a-winding, FIVE SAFETY VESTS! Four LED lights, Three circuit...

Summertime and the livin’ is easy…

The sizzle of meat on the barbeque mingles with laughter drifting across the lawn. Someone uncorks a bottle of wine with a satisfying pop, while ice clinks against glass and the balmy breeze carries the sweet smoke of manuka wood. As the sun dips lower into late...

Old vs. new – a glimpse back in time

When Richard French opened the doors of French Electrical fifty years ago in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe (then in the countryside!), electrical equipment was very different to what it is now. In those early days, the tools of the trade were heavy and...

Catching a snooping neighbour whilst on holiday

It's a warm summer evening, and you're at the beach gazing peacefully at the view. You deserve it; after a hard year at work, you're finally taking it easy for a couple of weeks. Suddenly, your phone buzzes with a notification, and your heart skips a beat when you see...

A building excellence hat trick – House of the Year 2024

The prestigious Master Builders House of the Year competition celebrates outstanding construction in New Zealand, awarding the best homes and builders and the craftsmanship behind them. French Electrical is proud to have worked on three award-winning properties,...

Need a Sparky? You’re in for a shock if you don’t do your research!

Picture this: You've just moved into your dream home. You’ve unpacked the boxes and arranged the furniture and photographs, so the house is starting to feel like yours. You look around and decide to install that stylish light fitting you bought just that morning. It...