Consumer Unit & Fuse Board Upgrade
Old fuse boards replaced with a modern RCBO board — correct protection per circuit, proper earthing, and a certificate at the end.
What a board upgrade actually involves
Replacing a consumer unit is not just swapping a box. Before quoting we test the existing circuits, because a new board with sensitive protection will immediately reveal faults an old rewireable fuse board tolerated for years — damp in an outside light, deteriorated insulation on an old cooker circuit, a borrowed neutral between lighting circuits. Finding that before the board goes on is the difference between a clean job and a house that keeps tripping.
The upgrade itself covers a new enclosure with a main switch, individual RCBO protection per circuit so one fault no longer kills the whole house, surge protection where it's appropriate, correctly rated main earthing and bonding to gas and water, a labelled circuit schedule and full testing on completion. Individual RCBOs are worth the small extra over a split-load board: a fault on the outside sockets shouldn't take out your freezer and your lights at once.
We agree a time to take the supply off that suits you, and once we've seen the board and the property we'll tell you realistically how long the changeover and testing will take — not a generic estimate. Where testing turns up pre-existing faults we quote those separately rather than folding them in quietly — you decide what gets fixed now and what waits.
- Pre-works testing of existing circuits before quoting
- New board with individual RCBO protection per circuit
- Main earthing and bonding checked and upgraded as needed
- Surge protection where appropriate
- Labelled circuit schedule, test results and certification
Common questions
- Why change a board that's working?
- Older rewireable fuse and MCB-only boards have no RCD protection, so an earth fault or a cable through a nail may not disconnect fast enough to protect a person. That's the safety case. The practical case is that a modern board isolates faults to one circuit instead of the whole house.
- How long will the power be off?
- We agree a time to take the supply off that suits you, and once we've seen the board and the property we'll tell you realistically how long the changeover and testing will take — not a generic estimate.
- Why did new faults appear right after the upgrade?
- They were already there — the old board just wasn't sensitive enough to react. That's precisely why we test before quoting, so anything lurking is known about and priced rather than turning into a surprise on the day.
- Do I get certification?
- Yes — test results and a certificate for the work, plus a clearly labelled schedule inside the board so you know which switch does what.
Need someone today?
Describe the symptom rather than the solution and we'll tell you honestly whether it needs an emergency visit or a booked appointment. Emergency call-outs are prioritised.