How to Price an EV Charger Installation
An EV charger install is a base price plus whatever the property adds — cable run, board headroom, earthing arrangement and groundwork are what turn a simple fit into a bigger job.
The base cost of fitting an EV charge point — mount the unit, run a dedicated circuit, protect it and commission it — is fairly consistent. What varies wildly, and where quotes diverge, is everything the property throws in on top: how far the cable has to travel, whether the consumer unit has room, how the installation is earthed, and whether the cable route crosses a driveway.
This guide separates the base install from the extras so you can price each honestly, covers the earthing and PEN-fault protection that Section 722 requires, touches briefly on grant context, and explains why the job always ends with a certificate. Figures are indicative UK 2026 ranges — typical, with real regional variation.
Key takeaways
- Price the base install and the extras separately: the base fit is fairly fixed; cable run, board upgrade, earthing and groundwork are what move the number.
- A long or awkward cable run is the most common cost driver — a charger fifteen metres from the board is a very different job to one beside it.
- The earthing arrangement matters: TN-C-S (PME) supplies need PEN-fault protection, either built into the charger or added separately.
- A full or non-compliant consumer unit may need an upgrade or a separate way/enclosure before the charger circuit can be added.
- Every install needs proper certification — the circuit is new work and, for grant-eligible jobs, evidence is required.
1. The base install
The base price covers mounting the charge point, running a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit to the unit, providing the required protection, commissioning and certifying. For a charger sitting close to the board with a modern consumer unit and a straightforward earthing arrangement, this is often a few hours’ work and forms the floor of your pricing.
Build it from your day rate as usual: the labour hours, the charge point itself (customer-supplied or supplied by you), the cable and protective device, and your margin. Everything in the sections below is added on top of this base when the property demands it.
Survey before you quote
Almost every EV cost driver — cable route, board headroom, earthing type, driveway crossings — is only knowable after a look at the property. Quote a base price with clearly listed extras, or survey first; never commit to a firm figure sight-unseen.
2. The extras that move the price
Cable run length is the big one. A charger on the garage wall beside the board is cheap; one at the far end of a detached property, fifteen or twenty metres away with wall chasing or containment, adds cable, labour and sometimes a cable size increase for voltage drop. Groundwork — trenching and ducting across a driveway to a detached carport — is a separate cost line and can dwarf the base install.
Board upgrades are the other frequent extra. If the consumer unit is full, unsuitable, or lacks a spare way with the right protection, you’ll need to add an enclosure and device or, in some cases, change the board — a job in its own right. Load management (a CT clamp or load-limiting device that stops the charger overloading the supply) is increasingly needed on properties with limited main fuse capacity and adds both hardware and setup time.
3. Earthing and PEN-fault protection
EV charging equipment installed outdoors on a TN-C-S (PME) supply requires protection against the loss of the PEN conductor, because a broken combined neutral-earth can make exposed metalwork live. BS 7671 Section 722 sets the requirements, and there are recognised ways to meet them — many modern chargers include integral PEN-fault protection, or it can be provided by a separate device or an alternative earthing arrangement.
This isn’t an optional add-on; it’s central to a compliant EV installation and it affects both equipment choice and price. Where a charger with built-in protection is used, that’s reflected in the unit cost; where separate protection or an earth electrode is needed, that’s extra labour and materials. Either way it belongs in the quote.
Certify the circuit, not just the charger
TradePlanr lets you complete the EV charge point certificate and record the test results on site, so the compliant paperwork — including the earthing and protection details — is issued with the job.
4. Grants and certification
Grant support has narrowed over time — the broad domestic subsidy has largely given way to targeted schemes for renters, flat owners and specific property types under OZEV-administered funding. Don’t assume a grant applies; check current eligibility for the specific customer, and remember that grant-funded work carries its own installer requirements and evidence obligations, which add admin rather than removing cost.
Regardless of any grant, the EV circuit is new work and must be certified. That means testing the new circuit, recording the results, and issuing the appropriate certificate. Grant schemes typically require that certification as part of the claim, so it’s doubly worth pricing the paperwork in properly rather than treating it as free.
5. Putting the quote together
Structure the quote as base install plus itemised extras: cable run, any board upgrade or additional enclosure, earthing and PEN protection, groundwork, and load management if required. Itemising lets the customer see exactly why their quote differs from a headline "from" price they’ve seen advertised — usually because their property needs one or more of those extras.
As a rough guide, a simple base install with the charger beside the board often lands in the £800–£1,200 range including a mid-market charger, while long runs, board upgrades or groundwork can push a job well beyond that. Build from your own costs and use those figures only as a sanity check.
Frequently asked questions
Why are EV charger installation quotes so different?
Because the base install is fairly consistent but the extras aren’t. Cable run length, whether the consumer unit needs upgrading, the earthing arrangement and any groundwork across a driveway all vary by property, and any of them can add hundreds of pounds. Itemised quotes make those differences visible.
Do I need PEN-fault protection on every EV charger?
You need protection against loss of the PEN conductor where required by BS 7671 Section 722 — typically outdoor equipment on a TN-C-S (PME) supply. Many modern chargers include it; otherwise it’s provided separately or by an alternative earthing arrangement. It affects both equipment choice and price.
Is there still a grant for home EV chargers?
The broad domestic grant has largely been replaced by targeted OZEV-administered schemes for renters, flat owners and specific cases. Don’t assume one applies — check current eligibility for the individual customer, and note that grant work carries extra evidence and certification requirements.
From guidance to action
Related guides
EV Charger Installation: A Practical Guide
Surveying, cable sizing, earthing and certifying a domestic EV charge point installation.
The IET Code of Practice for EV Charging
What the IET Code of Practice adds on top of BS 7671 for EV charging equipment installations.
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.
