Your consumer unit (fuse box or fuse board) is the heart of your electrical installation. Older boards with rewireable fuses, plastic enclosures or no RCD protection don't offer the level of safety expected today, and a damaged or overheating board needs attention quickly.
We'll assess your existing installation first. A new consumer unit is only as good as the circuits connected to it, so we test before we start and tell you about anything that needs addressing. Once installed, the board is fully tested and certified, and the work is notified under Building Regulations where required.
When to call us
- You still have an old rewireable fuse box
- There's no RCD protection, or only partial protection
- The consumer unit is damaged, scorched or making noise
- An EICR has recommended replacement
- You're adding circuits (e.g. EV charger, extension, kitchen) and the board is full
- Nuisance tripping is affecting several circuits at once
What's involved
- 1Pre-installation inspection and test of existing circuits
- 2Supply and installation of a new consumer unit with RCD/RCBO protection
- 3Surge protection where appropriate
- 4Main protective bonding check and upgrade if needed
- 5Full testing and Electrical Installation Certificate
- 6Building Regulations notification where required
- 7Clear circuit labelling and a walkthrough of how it works
Good to know
Why test before replacing?
Modern RCDs will detect existing earth faults on old circuits that the previous board couldn't. Testing first means any hidden issues are found and discussed before the day of the change, avoiding surprises.
Building Regulations
In England, replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. It must either be carried out by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control.
How much does a consumer unit replacement cost?
Every job is different, so we price it once we understand what's needed. The main factors are:
- Number of circuits and type of protection (RCD, RCBO, AFDD, surge protection)
- Faults found on existing circuits during pre-installation testing
- Earthing and main bonding upgrades
- Location and access of the existing board
- Building Regulations notification
We explain charges before we attend and agree the price of any work with you before it starts. Sending photos in advance helps us quote more accurately.
Consumer Unit & Fuse Board Replacement: FAQs
How long does a consumer unit replacement take?
A typical domestic replacement is usually completed in a day, with power off for much of that time. We'll confirm timings after the pre-installation check.
What's the difference between an RCD and an RCBO?
An RCD protects a group of circuits against earth leakage. An RCBO combines RCD and circuit-breaker protection for a single circuit, so a fault on one circuit doesn't switch off others.
Do I need a metal consumer unit?
Current regulations require consumer units in domestic premises to have a non-combustible enclosure (typically metal) or be installed within a non-combustible cabinet.
Consumer Unit & Fuse Board Replacement — areas covered
Available across Surrey, Reigate, Crawley & Mid Sussex, South West London, Richmond, Twickenham & Staines, Sutton & Morden, South East London, Bromley, Croydon & North Surrey, Berkshire, West Kent, Sussex.
- Brighton
- Hove
- Portslade
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Worthing
- Lewes
- Kingston upon Thames
- Surbiton
- Epsom
- Leatherhead
- Esher
- Walton-on-Thames
- Weybridge
- Guildford
- Woking
- Farnham
- Camberley
- Godalming
- Wimbledon
- Putney
- Wandsworth
- Clapham
- Dulwich
- Crystal Palace
- Lewisham
- Greenwich
- Croydon
- Purley
- Coulsdon
- Reading
- Bracknell
- Tunbridge Wells
- Tonbridge
- Sevenoaks
- Redhill
- Reigate
- Horley
- Crawley
- Horsham
- Dorking
- East Grinstead
- Haywards Heath
- Burgess Hill
- Richmond
- Twickenham
- Teddington
- Hounslow
- Feltham
- Staines-upon-Thames
- Sunbury-on-Thames
- Egham
- Sutton
- Carshalton
- Wallington
- Morden
- Bromley
- Beckenham
- Orpington
- Chislehurst
- Eastbourne
- Hastings
- Bexhill-on-Sea
