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How much does it cost to replace a consumer unit?

The average cost to replace a consumer unit (you might know it as a fuse box) is between £450 and £800.

The price normally includes the replacement of the consumer unit, a test of your electrical installation and the issuing of an Electrical Installation Certificate and Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

However the cost of replacing a fuse box with a consumer unit, or installing a new one will vary depending on several factors.

In this guide we:

  1. List the average costs for replacing a consumer unit based on the number of circuits
  2. Explain the factors that affect the overall cost of the job
  3. Provide you with the knowledge to calculate a rough price based on your needs

Average costs to replace a consumer unit

The table below gives you a rough idea of what to expect when replacing a consumer unit in terms of the cost of the consumer unit and the labour required to install it.

Unit Cost of Materials Cost of Labour Time
6 circuits £150 £300 – 400 4 – 5 hours
10 circuits £180 £400 – 500 5 – 6 hours
12 circuits £200 £500 – 600 6 – 7 hours

What factors influence the cost of replacing a consumer unit?

  1. Standard: Costs that apply to the trade as a whole
  2. Job specific: Costs that are unique to the installation and replacement of consumer units
  3. Person specific: Costs that are influenced by personal needs and preferences

Cost to replace a consumer unit

Standard costs to replace consumer unit

Standard costs include:

  • Your location
  • The size of your property
  • The age of your property
  • The necessary materials
  • The complexity of the job

The bigger a property is, the more materials, effort and time it requires – all of which increase the cost. Similarly, an older property or complex job will require more time and labour and therefore cost more.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the rate of labour varies across the country, so where you live (i.e. London vs the north-east) always plays a role.

Job-specific costs

Before an electrician can replace a consumer unit, they have to run a series of tests to make sure the replacement can go ahead. These tests are job specific costs.

  1. Visual inspection: The first thing an electrician will do is conduct a visual inspection of your house. This is a basic check to establish the overall condition of your existing installation and identify any visible signs of damage, deterioration or defects.
  2. Bonding and earthing inspection: Next, an electrician will check your earthing and bonding arrangements, as well as your meter tails. The safety of any new work depends on the condition of these, so if they don’t comply with regulations or aren’t in good working order, the work can’t go ahead until the issue is fixed.
  3. Electrical Installation Condition Report: As well as the above, an electrician should ideally conduct an EICR. This will highlight any issues that could not be identified during a visual check and establish the urgency of any problems. An EICR must be carried out by a registered electrician.
  4. Remedial work: If the inspections turn up any faults that will impact the functioning of the consumer unit, these must be fixed before the replacement can go ahead. These could be minor or major tasks and an electrician will discuss the cost and process with you.
  5. Removing the old fuse box/consumer unit and installing a new consumer unit: Removing the old fuse box or consumer unit and fitting a new consumer unit will typically take a few hours (more for larger properties with more circuits), it is this time that accounts for the bulk of the cost of installing the new consumer unit.

Person-specific costs

Person-specific costs of replacing a consumer unit are the factors that are influenced by you and your property.

They include:

  • The type of consumer unit
  • The number of circuits
  • The amp rating
  • If you require additional protection
  • If you want to relocate the consumer unit
  • If you want any additional sockets, switches etc

Before providing a quote, an electrician should ask you about your property, future electrical requirements and budget. This will enable them to recommend the most suitable options.

That said, no one knows your home better than you. So if you can, try to do some research. This will help you communicate your needs as clearly as possible and make sure you are getting the right unit.

Average cost based on a high integrity dual RCD consumer unit at 100A, including certification.

For more information on what the job involves, read our guide on replacing a consumer unit where we cover the process in more depth.

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