What’s involved
Power off, isolate at the cutout, the old board comes off the wall. We label every existing cable, install the new board with main switch, RCBOs, and SPD, terminate each circuit into its dedicated protective device, then test every circuit (insulation resistance, polarity, RCD timing, earth fault loop) and energise. You sign off, we hand over the certificate and notify building control under Part P.
How long it takes
Most domestic upgrades are 4 to 6 hours from arrival to certified. A larger installation, or a house with poor existing earthing and bonding that needs upgrading too, can be a full day. We’ll let you know up front which yours is.
How we quote
The quote depends on the size of the board needed (10-way, 16-way, etc.), whether your earthing or bonding needs upgrading, and any access difficulties. Send a photo of your existing board (WhatsApp is fastest) and we’ll quote a fixed price in writing within 24 hours.
What you get
- 18th Edition compliant metal consumer unit with RCBO protection on every circuit.
- Type 2 surge protection device included as standard.
- Full test results on every existing circuit (insulation, polarity, RCD timing).
- Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) on completion.
- Part P notification to building control.
- 5-year labour guarantee from a NICEIC Registered installer.
- Old board removed and disposed of responsibly.
- A walk-through of which RCBO is which, so you know exactly what to flip when something needs isolating.
Equipment we install
We use brands we trust: Hager, MK, Wylex, Schneider, Crabtree. We’ll recommend what fits the space and your circuit count.
Frequently asked
Is a fuse box the same as a consumer unit?
Near enough, yes. Fuse box, fuse board and consumer unit all describe the same thing: the box where your electricity supply splits into circuits. Modern consumer units use RCBOs (resettable circuit breakers) instead of rewirable fuses. If yours still takes fuse wire, it’s worth a conversation about upgrading.
Do I need a new consumer unit?
If your existing unit has wire fuses, no RCD protection, or a plastic case that pre-dates 2016, probably yes. We’ll come round, take a look, and tell you honestly whether it needs replacing now, soon, or not yet. No pressure either way.
How long does a consumer unit upgrade take?
Most installs are 4 to 6 hours, including testing. Power is off for most of that. We’ll let you know in advance so you can plan around the home office and the freezer. You’ll have a fully working board, certified and notified to building control, by the end of the day.
RCD or RCBO, what's the difference?
An RCD protects a group of circuits, if one trips, the whole group goes off. An RCBO protects a single circuit individually, so if your dishwasher faults, only the kitchen socket circuit goes off. RCBO boards are the more involved option but make day-to-day faults much less disruptive. We’ll recommend based on your house and circuit count.
Will my house pass an EICR after?
The new board itself will be fully compliant. We also test every existing circuit as part of the install. If any of them fail, we’ll tell you and quote separately. The new board doesn’t fix a knackered circuit somewhere else in the house, but it’ll show up what needs attention.
What about surge protection?
Modern boards include a Type 2 SPD (surge protection device) as standard on our installs. It protects connected electronics from lightning-induced surges and DNO-side switching events.