What does a consumer unit upgrade usually include?

Removal of the old fusebox or board, fitting a suitable consumer unit with the protective devices agreed, testing and commissioning, the installation certificate, and Building Regulations notification where Approved Document P requires it for that work in England. Extra faults found on testing should be quoted separately.

Is a consumer unit upgrade the same as an EICR?

No. An EICR is an inspection and test of the existing installation. A consumer unit upgrade is installation work. An EICR may recommend a board change, but the report and the upgrade are separate jobs with separate prices.

Is this for emergency electrical work?

No. Tradehand /quote is for planned consumer unit upgrades and other bookable electrical work. If you smell burning, see sparks, or the board is unsafe to leave energised, stop using the circuit and get urgent help from a competent electrician or the emergency services as the situation needs; do not wait on an online quote.

Find an electrician near me for a consumer unit upgrade and get a quote

Blake FolgadoCo-founder, Tradehand

Published 15 September 2026

Find an electrician near you for a consumer unit upgrade and get a quote on Tradehand: open /quote, describe the fusebox job and your area, then contact a claimed local listing. Confirm NICEIC or NAPIT yourself. This path is for planned board work, not an emergency call-out.

Tradehand is the UK marketplace for finding and booking local tradespeople.

Describe the consumer unit upgrade once on /quote
Book a claimed local electrician direct
Check NICEIC or NAPIT before the visit

Get a consumer unit quote

Find an electrician near me for a consumer unit upgrade and get a quote

What a consumer unit upgrade covers

In scope	Often separate
New consumer unit to the agreed ways and protective devices	Earthing, bonding or cable faults found during testing
Removal of the old fusebox or board	Moving the board, meter tails work, or DNO appointments
Testing, commissioning and the installation certificate	Wider rewires or new circuits beyond the board change
Building Regulations notification where Approved Document P requires it for that work in England	Decorative making good beyond the board area

Replacing or upgrading a consumer unit is domestic electrical work that Approved Document P treats as work that may need notification in England. Many homeowners book an electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as Certsure (NICEIC) or NAPIT so the installer can self-certify. Building control routes and rules differ across the UK; ask the electrician which path they will use for your property.

EICR and the board upgrade

An Electrical Installation Condition Report inspects and tests what is already installed. It can recommend a consumer unit change; it does not replace the board. If you need the inspection itself, use find and book an electrician for a landlord EICR. If the report already says upgrade the board, bring that report to /quote so the electrician prices the installation against the coded observations.

Steps to find an electrician and get a quote

Describe a consumer unit upgrade on /quote

Open /quote and say you need a consumer unit (fusebox) upgrade. Add circuit count if you know it, photos of the existing board, property type and your area.

Compare claimed local electrician listings

Tradehand shows local electricians with claimed, bookable profiles. Read services and reviews where shown. You contact or book each business direct.

Confirm what the quote covers

Ask for board type and ways, protective devices (RCD or RCBO), testing, certificate, Building Regulations notification where required, and whether earthing or bonding faults found on the day are priced separately.

Check NICEIC or NAPIT before you book

Confirm the electrician on NICEIC Find a Contractor or NAPIT Find an Installer. Scheme registration is how many domestic electricians self-certify notifiable work under a competent person scheme.

Tradehand connects you with local electricians on claimed listings. Searching and contacting is free for homeowners. Trades pay no lead fee; collected, Free includes manual tools: 5% of each payment Tradehand takes, card fees included. Paid plans from £25 a month add the Assistant. Basic payment fees on your own jobs: From 1.25% + 20p, deducted automatically when the customer pays. Grow and Advanced have lower Tradehand payment fees. For several prices on the same brief see quotes from multiple local electricians.

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