Four Reasons To Upgrade Your Consumer Unit
If your property has an out-dated fuse board, it’s certainly a smart decision to have a new one professionally installed. Indeed, there are a number of reasons to upgrade your domestic consumer unit.
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Comply with electrical wiring regulations
Many homes around the country contain consumer units that are no longer compliant with current BS7671 electrical regulations. Having a new fuse board installed will ensure that you adhere to electrical wiring regulation requirements.
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Improve safety
Old fuse boards and non-compliant consumer units can jeopardise the electrical safety of your home. By upgrading your fuse board, everyone who comes into your property will benefit from increased safety standards and be safe from the risk of electric shock or fire risk.
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Peace of mind
In complying with electrical regulations and improving the safety standards of your property, you’ll ease your conscience, and benefit from better peace of mind – safe in the knowledge that things are working as they should. Ensuring your electrical system is running efficiently and safely is essential.
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Cost effective home upgrade
If you are worried that upgrading your consumer unit will be expensive, it’s not. Headstorm will change your old fuse board or out-dated consumer unit from £450 +VAT. This includes the installation of a compliant 18th edition consumer unit and we will provide you with the electrical certificate to state it complies with building regulations for no additional cost. One price for a complete solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is involved in a consumer unit upgrade
Step 1: We have to determine the current condition of the installation, this would typically be done by undertaking a EICR (Electrical installation condition report) or for more modern basic/smaller installation this could be done via a number of individual checks, tests and inspections. This would either be done on the morning of the works or a separate booking may be made for the EICR.
Once the checks have been undertaken our engineers will notify you if the installation is safe to undertake the upgrade. If the installation is deemed unsafe our engineers will notify you of the issues and a quotation would be issued to rectify the defects.
Step 2: Isolation of the power supply so that our engineers can safely remove the existing consumer unit or fuse box. Great care is taken to identify and label each cable
Step 3: Installation of the new consumer RCD protected consumer unit. It’s often the case that the existing cables are not long enough to reach the new consumer unit connections as the modern consumer units are considerably larger than most of the old types, if this is the case the existing cables would be extended within cable trunking that will surround your consumer unit and provide easy access for any future wiring installations.
Step 4: Check connections in all lighting, sockets and switching accessories throughout the property. This would typically be undertaken by the Electricians assistant whilst the consumer unit is being exchanged.
Step 5: Re-energise the new consumer unit & final electrical test undertaken and issue of EIC & Building compliance certificate.
How much does it cost to upgrade my consumer unit?
Prices range from £450-£600 depending on the condition of the installation. You may also add additional items to your consumer unit upgrade such as smoke detection or additional sockets and switches.
How long does it take to upgrade my consumer unit?
We would typically schedule 1-2 Days depending on the condition of the installation whilst upgrading the consumer unit this is also a great time to add additional safety items such as mains powered smoke detectors or additional lighting or sockets
How much mess or disruption is caused when upgrading my consumer unit?
Upgrading a consumer unit typically would not cause too much mess as the majority of the mess is contained to one area. Any work that will cause disruption or mess to any plastering or fabric of the building will be notified before work commences. Consumer unit upgrades can start to get more disruptive if the unit needs locating to a new position within the property.