The honest answer is that a consumer unit replacement doesn't have one number attached to it. What you pay follows what the job actually involves once the old board comes off the wall, not a flat fee for "a new fuse box". Our current rates are on the charges page — what follows is what pushes them up or down.
What is actually in the job
- The new board itself, sized and specified for the number of circuits in the property.
- Individual protection on each circuit — RCBOs rather than one shared RCD covering several circuits, on most jobs now.
- A surge protection device, where the installation calls for one.
- Testing every circuit the new board feeds, not just the board itself.
- Certification for the new work, which you should keep with the property.
- Making good the wall and cupboard around the new board.
What actually moves the price
The number of circuits is usually the biggest single factor — a one-bedroom flat with six circuits is a shorter job than a four-bedroom house with eighteen. Access matters too: a board that is easy to get at costs less to swap than one buried behind boxed-in pipework. And what gets found once the old board comes off can change the price on the day — old cabling that needs attention, bonding that turns out to be missing or undersized, or earlier work that has to be corrected before the new board can be certified against it.
Why the cheapest quote on paper isn't always the cheapest job
A quote that covers only the board and the labour to hang it, with no testing and no certificate at the end, is not the same job as one that includes them — and replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work, so it is not legally finished without the paperwork either way. Ask what is actually included before putting two numbers side by side.
We replace and upgrade consumer units across London, Essex and north Kent. Tell us the number of circuits the property has and we'll give you a straight price rather than a guess.
If you are unsure, it is always cheaper to ask than to guess. Give us a call and we will tell you straight.