Consumer Unit Changes · Liverpool & the North West

Modern metal-clad,
Consumer Unit Replacement in Liverpool.
RCBO-per-circuit, tested, certified, done in a day.

Old rewireable fuses, plastic boards or dual-RCD units replaced with a fully compliant metal-clad RCBO consumer unit. Fixed price after a free on-site survey. Certificate emailed the same day.

Request A Free Estimate Call 07351 982452

15+ years in the trade · NAPIT approved · £2m insured · 24/7 emergency line

15+ years

In the trade

NAPIT approved

Registered contractor

£2m insured

Public liability

Certified

JIB Gold Card · C&G 2391

Service Overview

Consumer Unit Changes in Liverpool, the full picture.

Everything below is what an honest, NAPIT-approved contractor will actually do for you, not what a marketing agency thinks sounds good on a website.

What it covers

A consumer unit change replaces your existing fuse board with a modern metal-clad unit fitted with an RCBO on every circuit. That gives you individual overcurrent and residual-current protection per circuit, instead of a single RCD taking out half the house whenever anything trips. Work includes bonding checks, earthing verification, main switch and meter-tail replacement where required, and a full initial verification to BS 7671.

Who it's for

Anyone with a plastic consumer unit still in place (regulations now require metal-clad for domestic installs), anyone with an original rewireable-fuse box, landlords facing C2 codes on an EICR, and homeowners preparing for a rewire, extension, EV charger or solar installation that needs a modern board to hang off.

When you need it

When your board is plastic, rewireable-fuse, or a dual-RCD unit that trips nuisance-frequently. When an EICR flags it. When you're adding an EV charger, solar PV, battery storage or heat pump. When you're moving in and want peace of mind before running new circuits.

Why professional matters

Old boards don't just fail to protect you properly, they fail in dangerous ways. Rewireable fuses can be over-fused with wire of the wrong gauge; dual-RCD units routinely lose half the house on a single fault. A per-circuit RCBO board is safer, more diagnosable, and required for most modern add-ons (EV chargers, solar, EV-ready garages).

What Happens If You Leave It

The cost of putting it off.

Every one of these is something we see weekly. None of them get better on their own.

Plastic boards were withdrawn for a reason

Amendment 3 of BS 7671 required domestic consumer units to be non-combustible (metal-clad) after fires traced back to loose terminations in plastic enclosures. If yours is still plastic, that's a documented risk on your file.

One fault, half the house dark

Dual-RCD boards trip both RCDs, or the wrong one, meaning a fridge on a socket circuit can be knocked out by a fault on lighting. RCBO-per-circuit isolates the exact faulty circuit.

Blocks EV charger, solar, heat pump installs

Most modern smart chargers and inverters can't legally hang off a rewireable-fuse or non-compliant board. You'll be told 'not without a board upgrade first' by any competent installer.

Fails EICR, invalidates lettings

Old boards routinely pull C2 codes on landlord EICRs. Until upgraded, the property fails and is unlettable.

Our Process

How the job actually runs, start to finish.

Step 1

Free on-site survey

We check bonding, earthing, meter tails, main switch position and existing circuit condition, so the quote covers the real job, not a guess.
Step 2

Fixed written quote

Priced against your actual installation, including any bonding remedials, tails replacement, or earthing upgrades needed.
Step 3

Isolate & make safe

Power isolated with your DNO if required. We coordinate the outage so you're not left without power longer than necessary.
Step 4

Install & test

New metal-clad RCBO board fitted, circuits terminated to torque, full initial verification carried out (insulation resistance, earth loop, RCD ramp / trip time, polarity).
Step 5

Certify & hand over

Electrical Installation Certificate issued the same day, walk-through with you before we leave.

Benefits

Why customers stick with us.

RCBO-per-circuit protection

Individual overcurrent AND residual-current protection on every circuit. A fault trips one circuit, not half the house.

Metal-clad, current-standard

Fully compliant with the latest amendment of BS 7671, the same standard your insurer expects.

Faster fault diagnosis

Nuisance tripping becomes a two-minute diagnosis instead of a half-day fault find.

EV / solar / heat pump ready

A modern board is a prerequisite for most low-carbon installs.

Done in a day, most jobs

Straightforward swaps are typically completed within a single working day.

Full initial verification

Not a token 'RCD press-the-test-button', actual insulation resistance, earth loop and trip-time testing, all logged on your certificate.

In Detail

Everything else worth knowing.

The specific materials, methods and situations that make this job go well, or badly, depending on who's doing it.

Request A Free Estimate

What a consumer unit change actually involves

It isn't just swapping the box. A compliant change includes verifying and, if needed, upgrading main earthing conductors and main bonding to gas and water services, checking meter tails are the right CSA and length, replacing the main switch, terminating every circuit to torque with a calibrated screwdriver, and carrying out full initial verification testing before the board is energised. Any of those checks failing means additional work, priced transparently before we start.

RCBO vs RCD vs MCB, why per-circuit matters

An MCB protects against overcurrent (overload / short circuit). An RCD protects against earth-fault current (shock). An RCBO combines both in a single device per circuit. Older dual-RCD boards group circuits under just two RCDs, meaning a single fault can knock out multiple circuits. RCBO-per-circuit is now standard best-practice on new domestic installs.

Common upgrade situations

Adding an EV charger, most installers require a dedicated RCBO or Type A/B RCD; a rewireable-fuse board simply can't accommodate this. Adding solar PV with battery storage, inverter installers routinely require a modern board with correct earthing and surge protection. Preparing a rental property for EICR compliance, a modern board resolves multiple observations at once.

Surge protection & AFDDs

Current BS 7671 recommends Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) on domestic consumer units for most installations, and increasingly Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) on higher-risk circuits (bedrooms, HMOs, timber-frame construction). We'll price these transparently as part of your quote and explain where they're required rather than just recommended.

Recent Work

Recent consumer unit changes projects.

A snapshot of recent installations from our own vans across Liverpool and the North West, no stock photography.

Consumer unit change with RCBO protection, cleanly terminated, Fox Electrical

Common Questions

Consumer Unit Changes, answered.

Straight answers to the questions we get on the phone every week. If yours isn't here, call 07351 982452 and ask.

How much does a consumer unit change cost in Liverpool?

Priced after a free on-site survey, it depends on whether bonding, tails and earthing also need attention. Most straightforward swaps fall in a predictable range; you'll get a fixed written quote before any work starts.

How long does it take?

Most jobs are completed in a single working day, including full testing and certification.

Will I be without power for long?

We plan the outage to be as short as possible, usually a few hours during install. Fridges and freezers are fine over that window.

Do I need Surge Protection Devices?

Current BS 7671 recommends SPDs on most domestic boards. We'll price them as part of the quote and explain whether they're strictly required or best-practice for your property.

Will bonding and earthing need upgrading too?

Sometimes. We check on the survey and price any remedial bonding / earthing transparently, never sprung on you after the board is off the wall.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, Electrical Installation Certificate, emailed the same day, satisfying insurance, mortgage and landlord requirements.

Do I need to change my board before I can have an EV charger?

Often yes, if you're on a rewireable-fuse or older non-compliant board. We can package the two jobs together if so.

Are the new boards guaranteed?

Workmanship is backed by our NAPIT registration; the board itself carries the manufacturer guarantee (typically multiple years, brand-dependent).

Related Services

Next Step

Get a straight quote on your consumer unit changes.

Free on-site survey. Fixed price in writing before any work starts. NAPIT-approved, £2m insured, certified and self-notified where required.