Cost guide
How much does fuse box replacement cost?
A domestic board change is £450 to £900 fitted, tested and certified. A larger property with sixteen or more ways runs to £900 to £1,400. Remedial work found during testing is extra and is the line that varies most.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 circuits, split load board | £450 to £650 |
| Up to 10 circuits, RCBO per circuit | £550 to £800 |
| 12 to 16 circuits, RCBO per circuit | £700 to £1,100 |
| Board relocated to a different wall | £900 to £1,600 |
| Main earthing and bonding upgrade | £150 to £400 |
| Remedial work after failed testing | £55 to £95 an hour |
Photograph the old board with the door open before anybody touches it. The labels on the old fuse carriers are the only record of what feeds what, and they go in the skip with the board.
What moves the price
- Number of circuits, which sets both the board size and the testing time.
- Individual RCBOs against a split load board with two shared devices.
- Whether surge protection and an isolator are included.
- The condition of the earthing and bonding, which often needs bringing up to standard at the same time.
- Whether the board is moving position, which means extending every circuit.
- Remedials on circuits that fail testing, priced by the hour.
Who quotes for it
132 of the 133 electricians listed on this site take on fuse box replacement.
Most of them in one place: Shrewsbury (9), Leeds (9), Birmingham (9), Glasgow (9), Liverpool (9).
Questions about fuse box replacement
Do I need one RCBO per circuit?
You do not have to have them, and they are worth the difference. With a split load board a fault on one circuit takes out everything on that side, which in practice often means the whole of the downstairs including the freezer.
Does a new board mean the house needs rewiring?
Not by itself. A board change on sound wiring is a normal job. It is when the testing shows the wiring will not support modern protection that the conversation changes, and that is the real value of doing the testing properly.