The fuse board - properly the consumer unit - is the heart of your home's electrics, and an old one with rewireable fuses offers far less protection than a modern board with circuit breakers and RCDs. Replacing it is one of the most cost-effective safety upgrades a house can have, and the price is fairly predictable.
A standard consumer unit replacement is usually £450-£900. Done alongside a full safety inspection, or where extra remedial work is needed, expect £550-£1,100+.
Typical UK Prices
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Standard consumer unit replacement | £450-£900 |
| Replacement + full EICR | £550-£1,100 |
| High-integrity / larger board | £700-£1,200 |
| Garage or outbuilding unit | £250-£500 |
| EICR inspection only | £150-£350 |
Signs Yours Needs Upgrading
- Old-style rewireable fuses or a wooden backboard rather than breakers
- No RCD protection (the test button you should have on the board)
- Frequent tripping or a circuit you can no longer reset - see flickering lights
- Signs of overheating, scorching or a burning smell at the board
- An EICR has flagged the board as unsatisfactory
What’s In the Job
- The new unit
- A modern board with RCBOs or RCDs that cut the power fast if a fault or shock risk is detected.
- Testing the circuits
- Every circuit is tested before and after - a board change can expose existing faults that must be put right to certify it.
- Certification
- You should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate and the work notified under Part P. This is not optional.
- Earthing and bonding
- The engineer checks main earthing and bonding are up to standard, which sometimes adds remedial cost.
Why the Price Can Rise
A consumer unit swap occasionally turns up problems that were hidden until the circuits were tested - borrowed neutrals, poor earthing, or a circuit that will not pass. A reputable electrician will not certify a new board sitting on top of unsafe wiring, so any necessary remedial work gets added to the quote. That is a good thing, not a sales tactic: a new board is only as safe as the circuits feeding it.
Replacement or Rewire?
Replacing the board is a standalone upgrade and does not mean you need a rewire - the two are often confused. If the wiring itself is sound, a new consumer unit brings your protection up to current standards for a few hundred pounds. If an inspection shows the cabling is also past its life, our house rewiring cost guide covers the bigger job. An EICR is the honest way to find out which you actually need.
Notifiable electrical work needs a registered electrician and a certificate. Prices are typical 2026 UK ranges. If the board is scorched, sparking or tripping repeatedly right now, do not wait for a booked job - see emergency call-out costs or get an emergency electrician on the way.