Consumer unit and fuse board upgrades.
Replace an old fuse box with a modern consumer unit, with the RCD and surge protection current regulations expect. Usually done in a day.
The heart of your electrics.
Your consumer unit, often still called the fuse box or fuse board, protects every circuit in your home. Older boards with rewireable fuses or no RCD protection do not give the same protection against electric shock and fire as a modern unit.
Since 2016, new consumer units in homes have had to be housed in non-combustible enclosures, and modern boards can include surge protection and individual protection for each circuit. We will look at what you have and tell you honestly whether it needs replacing.
When to think about a new consumer unit
- Rewireable fuses with fuse wire
- No RCD, or a single RCD covering every circuit
- A plastic board and a need for new circuits
- Breakers that trip with no obvious cause
- You are adding an EV charger, kitchen or extension
- An EICR has recommended an upgrade
What's included.
New consumer unit
A non-combustible unit sized for your home with room to grow.
RCBO protection
Individual protection on each circuit, so one fault does not cut everything.
Surge protection
Protection against voltage spikes for your electronics and appliances.
Full testing first
Every circuit tested before connection, so hidden faults are found and fixed.
Labelled and explained
A clearly labelled board and a walk through of how it works.
Certified and notified
Electrical Installation Certificate and building control notification.
What happens on the day.
Most consumer unit changes take a day. The power will be off for much of it, so we agree a time that suits you and check what needs to stay running, such as freezers or medical equipment.
Before we connect anything we test every existing circuit. Old wiring sometimes has faults that an old fuse box never noticed but a modern RCD will. If we find one, we explain it and fix it, so you are not left with a new board that keeps tripping.
Accredited and approved.
NICEIC Approved Contractor, SafeContractor approved, and ECS-carded electricians on every job.
How it works.
Get in touch
Tell us what you need by phone, email or the form. A few details is plenty.
Survey and quote
We see the job before we price it, then put a clear quote in writing.
Tidy installation
Work planned around your home or site, with everything left clean.
Test and certify
Every circuit and cable tested, with the certificates handed over.
Questions about consumer units.
How long does it take to replace a consumer unit?
Usually one day for a typical home, including testing. Larger homes or ones with faults to fix can take longer.
Will my power be off all day?
For most of the change, yes. We agree the timing with you in advance and keep the off period as short as we can.
What is the difference between an RCD and an RCBO?
An RCD protects a group of circuits against electric shock. An RCBO does the same job for a single circuit and also protects it against overload, so a fault only affects that one circuit.
Do I need a new consumer unit for an EV charger?
Not always. We check whether your board has a spare way and suitable protection at the EV survey and tell you if an upgrade is needed.
Is a consumer unit change notifiable?
Yes. We notify building control for you and you receive a compliance certificate along with your Electrical Installation Certificate.
Related services.
House rewiring
Full and partial rewires for older homes, extensions and renovations across Kent and South East London. Clear quotes, tidy work and full certification.
EV charger installation
A smart charge point on your drive or wall, installed safely, notified to the network operator and ready to charge the same day.
Electrical fault finding
Breakers that keep tripping, sockets that have stopped working, lights that flicker. We find the cause, not just the symptom, and fix it properly.
Tell us about the job.
A few details is plenty. We will come back to you to arrange a visit and a written quote.