Fixed-price consumer unit upgrades with RCBO protection, surge protection, full testing, certification and Part P notification. Priced by board size — no surprises.
Fixed-price consumer unit upgrades with RCBO protection, surge protection, full testing, certification and Part P notification. All prices include supply and installation. VAT at 20% applies to consumer unit replacements.
The final price depends on the number of circuits, cable route lengths and access. We assess everything during the survey and provide a fixed price before any work begins — no surprises.
Ideal for smaller properties and simple installations.
Our most common upgrade package for standard homes.
Recommended for larger homes and higher circuit counts.
For larger homes, extensions, outbuildings and higher-load systems.
If your existing consumer unit has no RCD or RCBO protection — typically older boards with plain MCBs or rewireable fuses — we will require an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) to be carried out before the board replacement takes place.
This is not an upsell. Older unprotected installations are significantly more likely to have underlying faults — damaged wiring, inadequate earthing, overloaded circuits — that only become apparent during testing. If those faults are discovered on the day of your board change, the scope and cost of the job changes, the work may need to stop, and you are left without power.
An EICR carried out first identifies any issues in advance, so your board change can be priced accurately, booked with confidence and completed cleanly in a single visit.
| Property Size | Typical Circuits | Recommended Board Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bed flat/house | 6–8 circuits | 10-way board | Allows room for future circuits |
| 3 bed house | 8–12 circuits | 12–14 way board | Allows for EV charger and solar circuits |
| 4–5 bed house | 12–16 circuits | 16–18 way board | May require twin boards for large properties |
| Large/commercial | 16+ circuits | 20-way or twin boards | Quoted individually on survey |
The more circuits (ways) your property requires, the larger the board needed. We assess all circuits during the survey and recommend the right board size — with some spare ways for future additions.
All cables must be neatly routed and clipped within the consumer unit enclosure. Very long tails from the meter to the board, or cables requiring chasing or trunking, increase labour and materials cost.
Older boards in poor condition or with non-standard wiring may require additional remedial work before a new board can be installed. We identify and quote this during the survey — no surprises.
A board in a standard hallway cupboard is straightforward. Boards located in lofts, under stairs with difficult access, or in outbuildings may require additional time and materials.
If your consumer unit is more than 25 years old, has a wooden back, uses rewireable fuses rather than MCBs, does not have RCDs, or has a persistent fault, replacement is usually the right solution. Modern 18th Edition boards are significantly safer and provide the correct protection for today's electrical loads. If you are unsure, we will assess your existing board honestly during a survey or fault-finding visit and recommend only what is necessary.
A standard domestic consumer unit replacement typically takes four to six hours. This includes isolating the supply, removing the old board, installing the new board, connecting all circuits, carrying out full circuit testing and issuing certificates. We schedule replacement appointments for a full day to avoid being rushed. In most cases the power is off for three to five hours during the swap.
Part P of the Building Regulations requires that all domestic electrical installation work in England is either carried out by a competent registered electrician who self-certifies the work, or is notified to the local authority before work begins. As a NAPIT-registered contractor, we self-certify all consumer unit replacements under Part P. You receive a Part P certificate confirming compliance, which you will need if you sell your property.
We carry out circuit testing as part of every consumer unit replacement, which covers much of the same ground as a full EICR. However, a full EICR involves more detailed testing and inspects elements beyond the board. If your installation has not had an EICR in the last 10 years (or 5 years for a rental property), combining the two visits is sensible. We can discuss this during your enquiry.
Yes. AFDDs can be installed on consumer unit circuits where arc fault protection is desired — typically on bedroom and living room lighting and socket circuits. While not currently mandatory in domestic installations, AFDDs provide an additional level of fire protection and are increasingly specified on higher-end properties. We advise on AFDD options during the survey.
Tell us your property type and approximate number of circuits. We'll confirm a fixed price and book your installation at a convenient time.