How to Price a Fuse Board Upgrade
A consumer unit change looks like a simple swap until you open the board. Pricing it well means surveying the whole installation first and building the risks into your quote, not absorbing them.
A fuse board upgrade — swapping an old wired-fuse or plastic consumer unit for a modern metal-clad board with RCBOs and SPD — is one of the most common quoted jobs in domestic work. It is also one of the easiest to lose money on, because the price hinges on what the rest of the installation forces you to do once the board is off.
This guide walks through how to survey the job, what pushes the price up, how to structure your labour and materials, and how to present a quote the customer trusts. It assumes an 18th Edition board to BS 7671, Amendment 2, with all-RCBO protection and surge protection as the default.
Key takeaways
- Never price a board change blind — inspect and ideally test the installation before you quote.
- The board itself is a small part of the cost; remedials and testing time drive the total.
- All-RCBO plus SPD is the sensible modern default and should be your standard spec.
- Faults found during a required minor EICR (like a C2 on bonding) can change the scope mid-job — flag this up front.
- Charge for the test and certification (EIC) time separately in your head, even if you show one figure.
Survey before you quote
The single biggest pricing mistake is quoting from a photo. Before you put a number on a board change you need to know the earthing arrangement (TN-S, TN-C-S or TT), the condition of the tails and main bonding, whether the main earth is adequate, and roughly how many circuits and what condition they are in.
A quick visual and a couple of test readings tell you whether this is a clean swap or a swap plus a day of remedials. If you cannot get in to survey, price with an honest contingency and say so — do not guess low to win the job.
The test that saves you
A five-minute Zs and insulation resistance spot-check before quoting will flag borderline circuits that would otherwise turn a fixed-price board change into an argument on the day.
What drives the price up
Common cost-drivers: inadequate or missing main protective bonding to gas and water that must be brought up to standard; undersized or old rubber tails that need replacing; a TT installation needing a proper earth electrode and RCD arrangement; no room on the wall for a modern board; and circuits that fail insulation resistance once the board is off, meaning you cannot re-energise until they are traced and fixed.
Any of these can add hours. The professional approach is to quote the board change itself as a firm figure, then list likely remedials as clearly-priced options or a stated day rate, so the customer understands why the number might move.
Doing this on a job? Job pricing calculator — part of TradePlanr. Free to start, no card needed.
Building the labour and materials
Materials are relatively predictable: the board, RCBOs, SPD, tails, bonding conductor and sundries. Labour is where the money is, so cost it against your day rate rather than guessing a lump. Always include the test-and-certify time — a board change is not finished until it is tested and an Electrical Installation Certificate is issued.
| Element | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Isolation, board swap, re-terminate | Half to full day | Depends on circuit count and access |
| Bonding upgrade (gas + water) | 1–3 hours | Only if existing bonding is inadequate |
| Full test and EIC | 1–2 hours | Dead and live testing on every circuit |
| Remedials on failing circuits | Variable | Priced separately or by day rate |
Quote it in TradePlanr
Build the board change as a line-item quote with priced remedial options, then issue the EIC from the same job when the work is signed off — no re-keying the circuit details twice.
Presenting the quote
Give the customer a clear headline price for the board change to the agreed spec, then a short, honest note that certain conditions found once the board is off (failing circuits, inadequate bonding) may need additional work, priced per the rates shown. This protects your margin and builds trust — no one likes a surprise, but everyone accepts a risk that was flagged in writing.
Include what they get: the new board, the certificate, and the notification to building control via your competent person scheme where applicable.
From guidance to action
Frequently asked questions
Should I quote a fixed price for a board change?
Quote the board change itself as a firm figure, but state clearly that remedials found once the board is off — failing circuits, inadequate bonding — are priced separately. A blanket fixed price with no survey is how sparks lose money.
Do I need to issue a certificate for a consumer unit change?
Yes. A consumer unit replacement is notifiable work and requires an Electrical Installation Certificate with full test results, plus notification to building control (usually via your competent person scheme).
Why is one board change dearer than another?
The board is a small part of the cost. The variables are the earthing arrangement, the state of the bonding and tails, whether circuits pass insulation resistance, and how much testing and remedial work the installation needs.
Related guides
Consumer Unit Upgrades Explained
What a consumer unit change involves — assessing the existing installation, RCBO boards and paperwork.
How to Price a Full Rewire (UK 2026)
Per-point vs day-rate pricing, what a full rewire includes, and how to build a rewire quote that holds its margin.
Electrician Day Rates UK (2026)
Typical day and hourly rates in 2026 by region and work type, and how to set a rate that actually covers your costs.
