Consumer Unit and Fuse Box Replacement Costs: London Price Guide
Indicative London market ranges, what a replacement quote should include, and the checks that can reveal additional work.
By EICR Certificates London · Updated 1 November 2026
A straightforward domestic consumer unit or fuse box replacement in London typically costs around £450–£1,500, with VAT treatment varying between published prices and additional work potentially costing more. These indicative figures reflect published London market pricing researched on 1 November 2026. Sources differ; EICR Certificates London quotes its own replacement work individually, with company prices stated plus VAT.
The consumer unit is the distribution board commonly called a fuse box. Understanding what a consumer unit is helps you compare the equipment being offered. Your budget should cover the installed work, checks and documents, rather than just the enclosure.
London Replacement Prices at a Glance
Published London prices suggest around £450–£1,500 for a straightforward domestic swap; more extensive work can reach £2,000 or more.
| Scope | Indicative market cost | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward domestic replacement | Around £450–£1,500 | Board specification, installation, testing, documents, exclusions and VAT. |
| Replacement involving substantial additional work | Potentially £2,000+ | Which repairs, supply changes or relocation tasks are included. |
Fault finding, remedials, earthing or main protective bonding upgrades, moving the board, and larger or three-phase installations can take the job beyond the straightforward range. The higher figure indicates a possible cost: it is neither a separate fixed package nor an upper limit.
What Changes the Cost of Replacing a Consumer Unit?
The replacement cost changes with circuit numbers, protective devices, existing defects, supply arrangements and access.
| Factor | Why it affects the work | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit count and spare ways | More circuits mean more connections and verification. | How many circuits and spare positions are allowed? |
| Device specification | Protective arrangements change the equipment supplied. | Which devices are specified? |
| Existing circuit condition | Testing may identify faults requiring correction. | What checks and repairs are included? |
| Earthing, bonding and meter tails | Connections to the main earthing terminal and supply cables need assessment. | Are any upgrades required and priced? |
| Supply isolation | Safe disconnection may need separate arrangements, especially with shared supplies. | Who arranges isolation and associated charges? |
| Access or relocation | London flats may have restricted cupboard access; moving equipment adds work. | Does the price assume the existing position? |
| Larger or three-phase installations | Distribution equipment and verification scope differ. | Is the quote based on the actual supply? |
For assessment and an individual quotation, see our consumer unit and fuse box upgrades in London.
How the Board Specification Changes the Quote
Circuit capacity and the specified protective devices affect what is supplied and tested. A split-load arrangement shares residual-current protection across groups; individual RCBOs provide it circuit by circuit alongside overcurrent protection. An MCB handles overcurrent, while an RCCB detects residual current without integral overcurrent protection. Our explanation of RCD, RCBO, MCB and RCCB differences expands on these functions.
- What enclosure and board specification are proposed?
- Which protective device serves each circuit?
- How much spare capacity is provided?
- What surge protection device (SPD) or arc fault detection device (AFDD) provision is specified?
Selection depends on the installation and applicable BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 requirements; similar-looking boards need not have equivalent contents.
What Should a Consumer Unit Replacement Quote Include?
A usable replacement quote should identify the board, installation work, testing, certification, notification arrangements and exclusions. Published market packages commonly include the new board, testing, an Electrical Installation Certificate and Building Regulations notification. Confirm these in writing: typical market inclusions do not establish the contents of an individual company quotation.
- Equipment: the specified enclosure, circuit devices and spare positions.
- Installation labour: the work covered, including any agreed relocation.
- Assessment and testing: checks before replacement and verification afterwards.
- Identification: circuit tracing where needed, labels and the circuit chart.
- Certification: the EIC with inspection and test schedules.
- Notification: who arranges the applicable Building Regulations process.
- VAT: whether it is included or additional, and the resulting total.
- Exclusions: separately charged repairs, isolation arrangements, disposal and making good.
Buying the equipment alone leaves installation and completion responsibilities unresolved. Ask the contractor to clarify ambiguous entries before accepting.
Testing, Certification and Part P Notification
A consumer unit replacement needs appropriate inspection, testing and an Electrical Installation Certificate; domestic replacement in England is also notifiable work. An EIC records installation work; an EICR reports condition. A Minor Works certificate is not a substitute for the replacement EIC. See EICR, EIC and Minor Works certificates explained.
| Document | What it records | What to confirm in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| EIC and schedules | Design, construction, inspection and test results for the work. | Who issues the complete set and how you receive it. |
| EICR | Condition within the inspection’s agreed extent and limitations. | Whether a separate condition report is commissioned. |
| Building Regulations completion documentation | Completion through the applicable notification route. | Who handles notification and supplies the relevant evidence. |
GOV.UK’s Approved Document P explains England’s notification framework. A competent person scheme compliance certificate is distinct from the electrical installation certificate.
Why Checks Before Replacement Matter to the Budget
Checks before replacement help identify existing circuit or earthing problems that can add work to the quote. Examples include a borrowed neutral, where circuits share a neutral incorrectly; low insulation resistance, indicating possible insulation deterioration; and inadequate earthing or bonding. These are possibilities to investigate, not assumed defects in your property.
Checks needed for the proposed alteration are distinct from a separately commissioned EICR. An existing report can help define the scope, but the installer remains responsible for assessing suitability and verifying the work. If a separate inspection is proposed, establish its purpose and how much an EICR costs before booking.
- Which preliminary checks are included, and what access is needed?
- Can the installer review the existing report and its limitations?
- How will newly identified work be described and priced?
Additional Fault Finding and Remedial Work
Additional investigation and repairs should be identified separately so you can see what the board replacement price covers.
Known defects: observations already recorded on an EICR can inform a defined remedial quotation.
New findings: assessment or testing may reveal problems needing investigation before the repair scope is clear.
- Request a description of the extra work and charging basis.
- Establish how changes will be agreed.
- Confirm what retesting and written remedial confirmation will follow.
Changing the board does not repair defective wiring or resolve every observation automatically. Immediate danger requires prompt safe action; unsafe circuits should not be reconnected while costs are discussed.
Compare Replacement Quotes on the Same Basis
Compare the same installation scope and final payable total before deciding which quote offers better value.
- Supply any existing report and accessible board information. Take exterior photographs only where safe, without removing covers.
- Compare circuit numbers, spare ways and the proposed protective devices.
- Check installation tasks, verification and completion documents.
- Identify exclusions and work whose scope or price remains provisional.
- Confirm VAT treatment and the full amount payable. Our company prices are stated plus VAT.
- Agree access and supply-isolation arrangements, including any involvement needed from the electricity network operator.
Use this grid to record each contractor’s answers. An empty entry is a point to clarify before choosing.
| Comparison item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Circuits, devices and spare capacity | ||
| Labour, testing and documents | ||
| Exclusions and provisional work | ||
| VAT and payable total | ||
| Access and isolation responsibilities |
Get a Quote for a Consumer Unit Upgrade in London
EICR Certificates London provides free, no-obligation quotes for consumer unit upgrade work. Replacement work is individually quoted, and any company price is stated plus VAT. Qualified, insured electricians. Open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Have the property location, any existing EICR and safely accessible exterior board photographs ready to help explain the proposed job. Leave covers in place when taking pictures. The free quotation applies to upgrade work; inspection, testing and attendance are separate matters to confirm.
Consumer Unit Replacement Cost Questions
Timing, installer competence and the suitability of the existing installation are useful questions to settle before booking. Ask for answers that relate to your property and the proposed work.
How Long Does It Take an Electrician to Replace a Fuse Box?
A straightforward replacement commonly takes about a day, but testing, faults and supply arrangements can extend the work. Attendance includes assessment, safe isolation, installation and verification, with results recorded in the test schedules. For planning, ask the electrician to confirm both the expected visit duration and the actual power-off period: these are different, and neither should be assumed from the headline estimate.
Can You Replace a Consumer Unit Yourself?
Consumer unit replacement should be undertaken by a competent electrician because it requires safe isolation, installation, testing and certification. Domestic replacement is notifiable in England, so the Part P notification route must also be arranged. This may involve a suitably registered competent person or building control. Supply isolation needs proper arrangements; replacing the enclosure is only one part of completing the job safely.
Does an Old or Plastic Fuse Box Automatically Need Replacing?
Age or a plastic enclosure alone does not establish that an existing fuse box is unsafe or must be replaced. Requirements for new work differ from assessment of an existing installation. An inspector considers condition, protective measures and findings, including any missing residual-current protection or legacy rewireable fuses, before recommending action; a photograph or enclosure material alone cannot determine the outcome.
Can a New Consumer Unit Be Fitted to Old Wiring?
Existing wiring can remain if inspection and testing establish that it is suitable for the proposed replacement. Age alone does not settle the question. Damaged insulation, inadequate circuit protective conductors or problems with main bonding may require correction, and some circuits may need partial replacement. Neither a whole-property rewire nor retention of every circuit should be assumed before the installation has been assessed.
Should I Judge the Quote by the Electrician’s Hourly Rate?
An hourly rate alone cannot tell you the total cost of a consumer unit replacement. Equipment, assessment, installation, testing, documentation and separately agreed repairs all affect the bill. For an hourly quotation, ask: “What time allowance and tasks does your estimate cover?” Also ask: “Which materials, additional work or other charges fall outside that estimate?” Compare the resulting scope as well as the rate.
What Should I Check About the Electrician Before Booking?
Check who will carry out the work, their competence, the agreed scope and who will handle certification and notification.
1. Confirm the named installer’s competence for this replacement.
2. Verify any registration claim against the current public register; the named person or business and relevant work scope must match.
3. Obtain a written description of the agreed installation.
4. Establish responsibility for certification, notification and delivery of completion documents.