Consumer Unit Upgrade Cost After an EICR Failure or EV Charging
North London Electrician changing a fuseboard
If you already know the fuse board has to go, the useful questions are narrower: what the job costs, how long it takes, and what the electrician actually does while the power is off. Here is a plain English breakdown of consumer unit upgrade costs around High Barnet, North London and Hertfordshire, covering both routes people arrive by, an unsatisfactory EICR or a planned EV charger installation.
Why an EICR failure usually points at the consumer unit
An EICR is a report on the condition of the installation, not a repair job. When it comes back unsatisfactory, the consumer unit is very often named, because it is the one part of the system that ties every circuit together.
The reasons a board gets picked up tend to fall into a few groups:
Protection. Circuits without RCD or RCBO protection are a frequent observation, and modern boards are built to include it.
Age and condition. Older enclosures, especially those showing heat damage, arcing or scorching, are flagged on physical condition alone.
Surge protection. A Type 2 SPD is now a normal part of a new board, and current pricing examples for new units include one.
Capacity. Boards that are full, with circuits doubled up or no spare ways, cannot safely take new loads.
Where the report lists an observation needing urgent attention, that is what turns a satisfactory result into an unsatisfactory one. A new consumer unit is usually the cheapest and most reliable answer, rather than a series of patch repairs to an ageing board.
Why an EV charger often needs a new board as well
A home charge point needs its own dedicated circuit and modern protective devices, and it needs somewhere to land in the consumer unit. If every way on the board is already taken, or the existing unit has no room and no appropriate protection, the charger cannot be added safely as things stand.
That is why a quote for a charge point and a quote for a consumer unit upgrade so often arrive together. The board change gives the installer a clean, labelled unit to work from, and gives the charger the dedicated protection it needs rather than sharing a circuit with something else.
What the electrician actually does during a consumer unit upgrade
A consumer unit change should never be priced as a simple box swap. Testing is part of the job, and it has to happen before the new unit goes on the wall.
Safe isolation of the supply, and a check of the earthing and supply arrangements.
Testing the existing circuits first, so faults are identified while the old board is still in place and can be planned for.
Removal of the old unit and fitting of the new enclosure.
Installation of protective devices for each circuit, typically individual RCBOs, with a Type 2 surge protection device where the specification calls for one.
Reconnection, identification and labelling of every circuit, including a schedule of what each way controls.
Testing after the change, and issue of the certificate for the work.
Tidy up, and a walk through of the new board so you know which switch does what.
EICR in north london
What you are paying for
The headline price covers more than the box. It covers the enclosure and protective devices, the labour of an electrician and often a second pair of hands, the testing before and after, the certification, and the time spent making the installation legible. Altrics is 18th Edition qualified and insured, so the board you end up with is one that should pass inspection at the next EICR rather than simply get you through this one.
Consumer unit upgrade cost: the guide prices
Published UK guidance gives a broad spread rather than a single number, because the price scales with the number of circuits and the state of the existing wiring. The table below collects the figures that appear most often in trade and price guides.
Scenario | Broad market guide |
Small installation, few circuits | from roughly £350 |
Straightforward consumer unit change | around £399 |
Larger home with 12 or more circuits | £800 or more |
Board change plus minor circuit additions | typically £400 to £1,500 |
Six way upgrade option | about £130 |
Eight way upgrade option | about £170 |
Materials example: 21 way single phase board, 19 RCBOs, Type 2 SPD | about £510 including VAT |
Reported high end for a single job | £1,500 |
The option lines for six and eight way upgrades sit below the price of a full change, which tells you something useful: much of the cost is in the labour, testing and certification rather than the components. One homeowner on a trade forum worked out that a 21 way single phase consumer unit with 19 RCBOs and a Type 2 SPD comes to about £510 including VAT, and suggested a fitted job nearer £750 once the work was added. At the other end, a post in a local community group describes paying £1,500 for a fuse box upgrade, which sits at the very top of the range and is a good reason to compare more than one quote before you commit.
What pushes a quote up or down
Number of circuits. A small flat and a four bedroom house with outbuildings are not the same job.
Protective device choice. A board full of individual RCBOs costs more in materials than a simpler arrangement, and gives better circuit separation.
Surge protection. A Type 2 SPD adds to the materials and is normally part of a modern specification.
Condition of the existing wiring. Faults found during testing turn a one part job into a two part job, which is exactly why testing is not optional.
Access and making good. A board in a tight cupboard, or one that needs a chase and plaster repair, takes longer.
Added work. New sockets, outdoor supplies or lighting taken from the new board change the quote, and it is better to price them into the same visit.
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels
Costs when the board is part of EICR remedial work
If the EICR flagged more than the consumer unit, the quote will include the rest of the remedial list. Circuit faults, damaged accessories and earthing issues all appear on reports, and dealing with them at the same time as the board is almost always cheaper than a second visit later. Published guidance puts consumer unit replacements and minor circuit additions in the £400 to £1,500 bracket for exactly this reason: the range is wide because the extra work is what moves the figure.
EV charger and consumer unit, priced together
Where a charge point is the reason for the upgrade, the two are usually quoted as one job with two parts. The board change handles capacity and protection; the charger installation covers the dedicated circuit, the cable route and the unit itself. Treat the two lines separately when you compare quotes so you can see what each installer is charging for, and ask whether the existing supply has been assessed for the additional load before anything is ordered.
How long the work takes
Timing is agreed in the quote and depends on what the pre work testing finds. A straightforward domestic board change is normally planned as a single visit, with the supply off while the unit is swapped and the circuits reconnected and tested. If testing reveals circuit faults, the supply may need to be off for longer or a return visit may be needed, and those cases should be discussed with you before work starts rather than discovered on the day. Ask for the expected schedule in writing when you accept the quote.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels
Getting an accurate quote the first time
Send the following and most installers can price the job without a second visit:
Photographs of the existing consumer unit with the cover on, and of the surrounding area.
The EICR, or at least the observations listed on it.
The number of circuits, if you know it, and any circuits that trip regularly.
For EV charging, the charger model, where you want it fitted, and how far that is from the board.
Practical details: parking, access to the board, and whether the property is tenanted or being sold.
Altrics covers High Barnet, North London and Hertfordshire, and can quote for a consumer unit upgrade, an EICR remedial list, or a combined charger and board job. A written quote based on your photographs is the quickest way to know where you stand.
After the board is changed
The certificate for the work is the document a future buyer, tenant or inspector will ask for, so file it with the EICR. The schedule inside the board tells you and any future electrician what each way controls, which saves time on every visit afterwards. If you are a landlord, the EICR cycle runs on a five year basis, so the date of the next one is worth noting now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell my house with an old fuse box?
A sale is not automatically blocked by an older consumer unit, but an unsatisfactory EICR in the paperwork often becomes a negotiating point, and buyers frequently ask for the board to be replaced before completion. The practical approach is to get the report and the remedial quote ready early, and to speak to your conveyancer about what your buyer is asking for before you agree to anything.
How much does it cost to have a consumer unit moved?
Moving a board adds labour and cable to a standard replacement, because the circuits have to reach the new position and that location needs to be suitable. Published guides do not separate out a move, so ask for it as its own line on the quote. Expect the figure to sit above a straight swap of similar size.
How long does it take an electrician to change a fuse board?
Timing depends on the number of circuits and what the pre work testing finds. A simple domestic change is usually planned as a single visit, with the supply off while the board is swapped, the circuits reconnected and the testing completed. If faults appear on the existing wiring, a second visit may be needed, so ask for the schedule in writing.
Do I always need a new consumer unit for an EV charger?
Not always. It depends on whether there is spare capacity in the board, whether the right protective devices are present, and whether a dedicated circuit can be run from it. Where the unit is full, old or unsuitable, a replacement is the sensible route. An assessment before you order the charger will confirm which applies to your home.
What happens if the EICR flagged more than the consumer unit?
Then the quote should cover the whole remedial list, not just the board. Circuit faults, damaged accessories and earthing issues are common additions, and they are cheaper to fix in the same visit. Ask for the remedial items to be priced individually so you can see which parts are urgent and which can reasonably wait.
