2K Electrical ServicesLondon

NICEIC registered electricians · Hammersmith & all of London

Consumer unit upgrades

The consumer unit, still called the fuse box by most people, is the heart of your electrics. An old board with rewirable fuses or no RCD protection cannot cut the power fast enough to stop a fatal shock or a fire. A new board does, and it makes every other job in the house safer.

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Hand with a screwdriver at a consumer unit with RCDs, circuit breakers and neatly dressed cables

What's included

Consumer unit upgrades: what you get

  • A metal consumer unit to BS EN 61439-3 with RCBO protection on every circuit, so one fault does not black out the whole property
  • A surge protection device (SPD) as required by the 18th Edition for most homes
  • Arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) on socket circuits where BS 7671 requires them, for example in HMOs, and on request elsewhere
  • Checks on the main earthing and bonding, which are often missing in older West London houses
  • Full testing of every circuit before the new board goes live
  • An Electrical Installation Certificate and notification to Building Control under Part P

How it works

Consumer unit upgrades in three steps

  1. 1SurveyWe look at the existing board, the earthing and the circuits, and give you a fixed price. If a circuit has a fault that would trip the new RCD, we tell you before we start.
  2. 2FittingMost upgrades take a day. The power is off for most of that time, so plan for no kettle until mid-afternoon.
  3. 3Test and certifyEvery circuit is tested, the board is labelled and you get an Electrical Installation Certificate plus the Building Control notification.

In detail

Inside a modern consumer unit A metal consumer unit fed from the electricity meter. From left to right: a 100 amp main switch, a surge protection device, and one RCBO per circuit, so a fault on one circuit only switches off that circuit. Two spare ways are left for future circuits. A MODERN CONSUMER UNIT Metal enclosure, one RCBO per circuit, surge protection, spare ways for the future (e.g. an EV charger). tails from the meter 100 A MAIN SPD LightsSocketsKitchenCooker ShowerLights 2Sockets 2Boiler sparespare Main switch isolates the whole house Surge protection SPD · Section 443 One RCBO per circuit overload, short-circuit and earth-leakage protection in one device a fault in the kitchen does not black out the lights yellow dot = test button, press it every six months Spare ways for an EV charger or extension
What is inside a modern consumer unit.Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.

Why 2K for a consumer unit upgrade

A board change is the one job where the quality of the work is obvious the moment the cover comes off. Our boards are dressed neatly, labelled properly and tested circuit by circuit, which is why so much of our work in Hammersmith comes from recommendations.

We fit an RCBO on every circuit rather than shared RCDs, because a single tripping appliance should not leave you in the dark.

Questions

Questions about a consumer unit upgrade

How do I know if my fuse box needs replacing?

Rewirable fuses, a wooden back board, no test button marked T, buzzing, scorch marks or a board that trips for no obvious reason are all signs. If the board predates 2008 it almost certainly has no RCD protection on every circuit.

Is a consumer unit upgrade a legal requirement?

Not on its own, but new work must meet BS 7671 and an EICR will record a board without RCD protection as a C3 or, depending on the circuits and the bonding, a C2. A C2 makes a landlord's report unsatisfactory, so a new board is often the practical fix.

Why does it have to be a metal box?

Since 2016 the Wiring Regulations require consumer units in homes to be made of non-combustible material, which in practice means steel, to contain a fire starting at a loose connection.

Will my old wiring work with a new board?

Usually yes. Occasionally an RCD reveals an existing earth fault on a circuit. We test the circuits first and tell you if anything needs repairing.

What customers say

“I had an old fuse box upgraded to a new consumer unit and was very impressed with how professional and efficient 2K Electrical were. I had shopped around and compared quotes and competence levels across other electricians but 2K Electrical stood out on both criteria. I highly recommend them.”

Sarah · Hammersmith

“2K Electrical were really friendly when he came over to give a quote. We decided that 2K Electrical Services would be good for the work and was available almost immediately. We wanted our fuse box moving and subsequently he replaced some wiring for the kitchen and plugs by lifting up the floorboards. He seemed to be really attentive with taking the floorboards up with minimal damage. Thanks 2K.”

Anna · Notting Hill

Related guides

What is an RCD?The life-saving device in your consumer unit, and why older boards often lack one.EICR codes explainedWhat C1, C2, C3 and FI mean on your report, and which ones you must fix.

Need help with a consumer unit upgrade?

Call for a free quote, or send a message with a few photos and we will get back to you quickly.

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