Consumer Unit Upgrade
Barnet
Old fuse box, repeated tripping or not enough modern protection in Barnet? We test the existing circuits first and tailor the board design to period terraces & conversion homes and inter-war family houses, explaining any faults before replacement.
NICEIC Registered Electrician · 15+ Years Experience · Full BS 7671 Certification · 5-Star Rated on Google
Your Fuse Box Upgrade Worries Answered in Barnet
Worried about mess, losing power, how the new unit will look or unexpected extras? Here is what we check and agree before installation.
Will replacing my fuse box make a mess in my home?
We protect the area around the existing fuse box and keep the work centred there wherever possible. If new cables, casing or access work is needed, we show you where it will go and agree it before starting, so you know what will be visible and what making-good is included.
Will I be left without power for days?
The electricity must be switched off while the old board is removed and the new one is connected and tested. We usually aim to complete the main replacement work and restore power within 3–4 hours. If testing finds a fault that prevents safe reconnection, we explain it before carrying out any additional work.
What will the new fuse box look like?
Before work starts, we explain the likely size and position of the new metal consumer unit. The circuits are clearly labelled, and if a larger enclosure, cupboard alteration or visible cable casing may be needed, we agree the appearance with you first.
What happens if testing finds an existing fault?
Pre-change testing can reveal a fault that the old fuse box did not show. If that happens, we explain the problem and its effect before carrying out extra work. The quotation keeps any additional repair separate and states the testing, certification and Building Control notification included where applicable.
Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Replacement Across the Borough of Barnet
Barnet properties do not all present the same electrical layout. The survey separates Edwardian & 1930s Semis from 1950s–1970s Detached & Semi before the work is specified.
That distinction guides access, circuit testing and the written consumer unit replacement scope without relying on unsupported assumptions about the address.
Boards we typically install across Barnet: FuseBox 12-way RCBO for a standard 3-bed semi, Wylex / Hager 16+ way for larger detached homes with future high-load equipment-prep, and per-flat AFDD-protected boards for HMO conversions. SPD as standard on every install, no exceptions.
What Our Customers Say About Us
Real reviews from homeowners and landlords across Barnet and the wider London Borough of Barnet. Live Google reviews below — for all reviews across platforms, see our testimonials page →
Our Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Installations
Installation examples from across North London — FuseBox & Wylex RCBO boards, fully certified.
Book Your Free Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Survey
Tell us about your Barnet property and we’ll arrange a free no-obligation survey — fixed price quotation after the scope is confirmed.
NICEIC Registered
Consumer-unit replacements are designed, installed and tested to the current requirements of BS 7671, with the applicable electrical certificate and Building Regulations documentation.
Fixed Price Quote
Free site survey, written quotation after the survey — no hourly billing, no surprise extras. From £800 standard, £950 premium, £1,200 large boards.
Planned Installation
Many standard consumer-unit replacements can be completed in one planned visit. Circuit faults, access or remedial work can extend the timescale and isolation period.
From £800
Standard 5–7 way RCBO board from £800. Premium 8–12 way from £950. 16+ way large-property boards from £1,200. HMO compliance pack quoted bespoke.
Signs Your Barnet Property Needs a New Fuse Box / Consumer Unit
Six tells we look for in Barnet fuse-box surveys. If two or more apply, a board replacement is usually the right call — not a repair.
Tripping that won’t reset
If your RCD trips and resets briefly then drops again the same evening, that’s a fault on a circuit — not a fuse box that just “needs a swap”. We isolate it during the install so the new board doesn’t inherit the same fault.
Burning smell or scorch marks
Brown discolouration around the main switch or burning plastic smell from the meter cupboard means heat damage at the consumer unit. Stop using high-load appliances and call us — this is a same-day priority job.
Wirewound or rewireable fuses
Old porcelain fuse holders with rewireable wire, or cartridge fuses with no MCBs at all, mean the board is from before 1980 and has zero RCD protection. EICR will fail it on C2; insurers may refuse claims.
Failed EICR or insurer refusal
C1 or C2 codes for “no RCD on socket circuits”, “outdated consumer unit”, or “non-compliant with current standards” are all board-level fixes. Send us the EICR and we’ll quote remedial work without a survey.
HMO licensing inspection
AFDD requirements depend on the installation, the current requirements of BS 7671 and any property-specific HMO licence conditions. An HMO inspection may identify additional circuit protection required by the installation design or licence conditions. The board and protective devices must be selected for the individual property.
Frequent appliance damage
If your TV, fridge, or boiler PCB has died more than once in the last few years, that’s typically a Type 2 SPD problem — older boards have no surge protection. New install adds SPD as standard.
How We Replace Your Fuse Box / Consumer Unit
Professional install from start to finish. Many standard consumer-unit replacements can be completed in one planned visit; circuit condition, access and remedial work can extend the timescale.
Initial Assessment
We check your incoming supply, earthing arrangement (TT vs TN-C-S), circuit count, RCD/SPD status, EICR history if any, and confirm whether AFDDs are required (HMO sleeping rooms). The survey is free with no obligation and you get a written written quotation after the survey.
Isolation & Removal
DNO main fuse pulled with permission, existing tails isolated, old board removed cleanly. We cap and label every circuit before disconnecting so reconnection is methodical, not guesswork. No live working at any stage.
New Unit Installation
Modern consumer unit (FuseBox, Wylex, Hager or Schneider) fitted with new 25mm meter tails, 100A main switch, full RCBO protection per circuit, Type 2 SPD on the main bus, and AFDDs where required. Cables labelled and torque-checked.
Testing & Verification
Full BS 7671 testing: insulation resistance (every circuit), Zs / Ze loop impedance, RCD trip times, SPD verification, polarity checks, and earth fault path. Any pre-existing fault is logged and discussed before we re-energise.
Fault Finding (If Needed)
If a circuit fails testing on the new board (typically a hidden borrowed neutral or insulation breakdown on an existing run), we find and fix it the same day where possible. Most fixes add £80–£180; major issues are quoted before any extra work starts.
Certification & Handover
Electrical Installation Certificate issued, photographed install record, written labels inside the board, Building Control notification through our NICEIC registration, and a verbal walkthrough of the new RCBOs and SPD test buttons. 12-month workmanship guarantee starts on handover.
Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Replacement Pricing
Quick reference for Barnet homeowners. Fixed quotes given after a free site survey.
- ✓ New RCBO / Dual RCD consumer unit
- ✓ 100A main switch & 25mm meter tails
- ✓ Type 2 SPD surge protection
- ✓ Full BS 7671 testing & certification
- ✓ 12-month workmanship guarantee
- ★ 8–12 way full RCBO board
- ★ Individual circuit protection
- ★ Type 2 SPD & 100A main switch
- ★ FuseBox / Wylex / Hager premium unit
- ★ Priority install scheduling
- ✓ 16+ way full RCBO board
- ✓ Individual circuit protection
- ✓ Type 2 SPD & 100A main switch
- ✓ Full circuit schedule documentation
- ✓ 12-month workmanship guarantee
Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Replacement Across Barnet — Areas We Cover
Same-week site surveys across the London Borough of Barnet. Select your nearest area for local service guidance, or call 07932 772050.
Consumer Unit Upgrade Questions for Barnet
Property-specific questions for Barnet, followed by practical answers about consumer unit replacement.
Do you cover the full London Borough of Barnet for fuse box replacement?
Yes — we cover the whole borough including Finchley, North Finchley, East Finchley, Friern Barnet, New Southgate, Arnos Grove, Highgate, Whetstone, Totteridge, Hendon, Mill Hill and Edgware. EN4 / EN5 / N2 / N3 / N10 / N11 / N12 / N20 / NW7 / NW9 / NW11 postcodes all served from our Edmonton base, typically with same-week survey availability.
My EICR failed in Finchley with C2 codes for ‘no RCD protection’ — is that a fuse box issue?
Yes — that’s the most common failure we fix in N3 / N12 / N2 postcodes. C2 “no RCD on circuits feeding sockets” is a board-level issue: replace with a modern RCBO consumer unit and the failure is resolved. Typical scope £800–£1,200 depending on circuit count, completed in one day, EICR re-test included.
Send us the EICR report and we’ll give you a fixed quote without needing a site visit if the codes are clear.
I’m running an HMO in Friern Barnet / East Finchley — what does Barnet Council require for the consumer unit?
Barnet has Article 4 mandatory HMO licensing across most of the borough. The electrical requirement is full BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2 compliance, which means: AFDDs on all sleeping-accommodation circuits, RCBO protection per circuit (not shared RCDs), 5-yearly EICR, and a per-unit consumer unit if there are multiple separately-let units.
We do the full HMO compliance pack as a package: per-flat boards, AFDDs, BS 5839-6 alarm interface, EI4 emergency lighting, and an EICR at handover suitable for licensing submission.
How fast can you respond for an emergency fuse box failure in Barnet?
For total power loss or a board on fire, we’re typically on site in 2–4 hours across Barnet daytime, longer in evenings. We carry FuseBox and Wylex consumer units in stock so a Planned Installation is realistic if the existing board is beyond repair.
For non-emergency tripping or burning-smell complaints, next-day appointments are standard. Call 07932 772050 and we’ll confirm timing within 30 minutes.
How long does a fuse box replacement actually take?
For a standard domestic install, plan for 3–4 hours on site from arrival to handover, with a single power-off window of about 90 minutes during the swap itself. Larger 16+ way boards or HMO installs with AFDDs run closer to 5–6 hours.
Same-day completion is standard. We don’t leave a job overnight without a working board.
Do I really need to replace my fuse box, or can you just fix the tripping?
Honest answer: it depends on the board. If you have a rewireable or wirewound fuse box (no MCBs or RCDs), or a board with no RCD protection on socket circuits — that’s a replacement, not a repair. BS 7671 18th Edition requires RCD on every circuit feeding sockets and now AFDDs on HMO bedroom circuits.
If you have a modern board with RCBOs and a single circuit is tripping, that’s usually one faulty circuit or appliance — we fault-find and fix that, no replacement needed. The free survey will tell you which it is.
Will my install need a full rewire too, or is it just the board?
Most installs we do are board-only — the existing wiring is sound, just the board is past its life. We test every circuit during installation; if one fails (usually a hidden borrowed neutral or insulation breakdown), we either fix it the same day or quote it separately.
If multiple circuits fail testing, that’s when a partial or full rewire conversation happens. We tell you straight, with the failure data in front of you. No upselling.
Will my new board pass an EICR or insurance inspection?
Yes — every install is to BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2, notified to Building Control through our NICEIC registration (D609991), and certified with a full Electrical Installation the applicable certificate within the timescale confirmed for the job.
The certificate is accepted by mortgage lenders, home insurers, landlord licensing schemes, and any future EICR will treat the board itself as satisfactory — only existing-circuit issues from before our work would code on a future inspection.
Need a Fuse Box / Consumer Unit Replacement in Barnet?
Professional fuse box replacement and consumer unit installation across the London Borough of Barnet including Finchley, North Finchley, East Finchley, Friern Barnet, New Southgate, Arnos Grove and surrounding areas. Free site survey, fixed prices, fully certified the current edition of BS 7671.
