If you’ve been told your fuseboard needs replacing — or you’ve noticed tripping breakers, no RCD protection, or an old-style rewirable fuse box — you’re probably wondering what it’s going to cost.
Here’s an honest breakdown, straight from a local electrician based in Sutton.
What Does a Consumer Unit Replacement Cost?
A consumer unit replacement in Sutton typically costs from £450, depending on the size of your property and the specification of board required.
The reason there isn’t one fixed price for every job is straightforward — not every home needs the same board. What you actually pay depends on a few key factors, which we’ll explain below. What won’t change is this: at Wesparx, you get a fixed price agreed before we start. No surprises on the day, no extras on the invoice.
What Affects the Price?
Number of Circuits
Every circuit in your home — lighting, sockets, cooker, shower, garage — needs its own breaker. A typical 3-bedroom house might have 8–12 circuits. A larger property with more circuits needs a bigger board, which affects the cost of materials.
RCBOs vs MCBs
This is the biggest factor in board cost.
- MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers) protect against overload and short circuit. They’re the older, cheaper option.
- RCBOs (Residual Current Breaker with Overload) do everything an MCB does, plus provide individual RCD protection on every single circuit. More expensive per device — but significantly better protection.
A full RCBO board means that if one circuit develops a fault, only that circuit trips. Not half your house going dark. It’s the right way to do it, and it’s what we install at Wesparx.
AFDDs — Arc Fault Detection Devices
The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (Amendment 2) now recommends AFDDs for certain installations. These devices detect dangerous arc faults — electrical faults inside walls that standard breakers can miss, and that can cause fires.
Not every property requires them, but where they’re needed we’ll always tell you upfront and explain why. They add to the cost of the board, and that’s reflected in your fixed price quote.
What’s Included?
Every consumer unit replacement from Wesparx includes:
- Full removal and disposal of the old unit
- Supply and installation of your new consumer unit and all required breakers.
- Testing of all circuits
- Electrical Installation Certificate — the official document you need for your records, your insurer, and when you sell your home
- Part P registration — your council is formally notified and the work goes on record
That last point matters more than most people realise. Consumer unit replacement is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations — it has to be registered with your local authority. As a registered competent electrician, we handle that for you. You get your Electrical Installation Certificate and Building Regulations compliance paperwork as standard. No chasing, no gaps in your records.
Always ask for your certificate. If an electrician can’t provide one, walk away.
How Long Does It Take?
A consumer unit replacement is a full day’s work — and it should be. The job involves isolating the supply, removing the old board, installing and wiring the new unit, and testing every single circuit before signing it off.
The power will be off for part of the day. We’ll always let you know roughly when so you can plan around it, and we won’t leave until everything is tested, certificated, and back on.
If someone is quoting you a consumer unit replacement that will be done before lunch, ask questions.
Why Get a Fixed Price?
Hourly rate electricians aren’t necessarily more expensive — but you don’t know what you’ll pay until the job is done. With Wesparx, you get a price before we start. That’s the price on the invoice. No rate-per-hour, no materials markup surprises, no on-the-day additions.
Ready for a Quote?
If you’re in Sutton, Cheam, Carshalton, Wallington, or anywhere across Surrey and South London, get in touch for a free, no-obligation fixed price quote. No call-out charge.
Wesparx is a qualified domestic electrician based in Sutton, Surrey. All work is Part P registered and fully certificated.
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