Consumer unit upgrades across Oxfordshire,fitted in a day — safer protection by tea-time.
Modern Amendment-2 metal consumer units with RCBO protection per circuit, surge protection and AFDD where appropriate. Fitted by a NICEIC-approved NICEIC-approved electrician in a single working day, certificated and notified to Building Control on your behalf.
26 years upgrading Oxfordshire fuse boxes · NICEIC certified · Same-day install · Fixed price.
A modern board does what an old fuse box can’t.
Your consumer unit (the ‘fuse box’) is the single most important safety device in the home. A modern Amendment-2 board trips a fault in under 40 milliseconds — a 1970s rewireable fuse can take three seconds. That difference is the difference between a tripped circuit and a house fire.
- What it is
- Replacement of the existing fuse board with a current-edition metal consumer unit fitted with RCBO protection per circuit, integrated surge protection (SPD), and AFDD on circuits where the property risk profile warrants it. Includes earthing and main protective bonding upgrades where missing.
- Who it's for
- Homeowners with a rewireable fuse board, a 1990s plastic split-load unit, any board with no RCD on socket circuits, landlords resolving C2 codes on a failed EICR, and anyone planning an EV charger, solar PV or battery storage installation that requires a modern compliant board.
- When it's needed
- After a C2 fail on the EICR, before fitting an EV charger or solar PV, when a circuit trips repeatedly, when the existing board is plastic and you’re responsible for an HMO, or at the start of any wider renovation that touches the electrical installation.
- Why professional
- Plastic consumer units have been non-compliant in domestic settings since January 2016. Rewireable fuses have been functionally obsolete since the 1990s. A modern RCBO board protects every circuit independently — so a fault in one room doesn’t kill power to the whole house — and provides the only mounting point most surge protection and battery-control gear will accept.
Old fuse boxes fail at the worst possible moment.
The boards we replace most often are still ‘working fine’ — until the day the freezer trips during a heatwave, the EV charger refuses to commission, or the EICR flags a fail that holds up a sale.
- Cable insulation failure from an unprotected over-current — a fuse that takes seconds can let a cable melt before it blows.
- Fatal shock risk on any socket circuit without RCD protection — non-compliant since 2008.
- Plastic-cased boards melting in a fault condition — banned in domestic settings since 2016 for this exact reason.
- Surge damage from National Grid transients — burnt-out smart-home gear, AV, boilers and EV chargers running into thousands.
- EV charger installations refused — a modern wallbox will not commission onto a non-compliant board.
- ‘Splitting’ an old board into RCD-protected halves instead of full RCBO replacement — still leaves four circuits sharing one RCD.
- Re-using ancient brown rubber tails because ‘they still work’ — a board upgrade with 50-year-old tails fails its certification.
- Skipping the main protective bonding upgrade — board is new, earthing isn’t, certificate isn’t valid.
- Choosing a board without SPD because ‘we’ve never had a power surge’ — until the day you do.
- Letting a handyman fit a board to save money — Part P notification not lodged, insurance void, no certificate.
Five steps from old fuse box to certified modern board.
From phone call to certificate is typically 5–7 working days, with the install itself completed in a single visit — power restored by mid-afternoon, certificate by 6pm.
- 01
Free same-day survey
Daniel attends, inspects existing board, earthing and bonding, photographs the install and confirms specification on the spot.
- 02
Fixed-price quote
Itemised quote covering the new board, RCBOs, SPD, AFDD (if specified), bonding upgrades and Part P notification fee. Valid 30 days.
- 03
Pre-install paperwork
Booking confirmed, Part P notification queued with the local authority, parts ordered to your spec.
- 04
Same-day install & test
Power isolated, old board removed, new board mounted, every circuit re-terminated and labelled, full BS 7671 test before re-energising.
- 05
Certificate & sign-off
NICEIC Electrical Installation Certificate issued, Part P notification lodged with Building Control, both PDFs in your inbox the same evening.
What a modern board actually delivers.
Six concrete protections you do not have today if your board is older than 2008.
Faster fault clearance
RCBO trips in under 40 ms — fast enough to clear a fault before cable insulation, accessories or appliances heat up.
Circuit-by-circuit safety
A fault in the kitchen no longer trips the upstairs lights — every circuit independently protected.
Longevity to 2050s
A metal Amendment-2 board fitted today will be the last fuse box you ever need to buy for the property.
Surge protection included
SPD on the main switch protects everything downstream — saves the bill on AV gear, boilers, EVs and smart-home kit after the first local surge.
EV & solar ready
Modern wallboxes and inverters will not commission onto a non-compliant board — this upgrade unlocks both.
Insurance peace of mind
Part P notification on file with your local council, NICEIC certificate in your inbox — proof for any future insurer or buyer.
What a consumer unit upgrade actually involves.
Replacing a consumer unit isn’t just swapping the box — it’s rebuilding the central node of the electrical installation. Here’s what’s actually happening behind the cover plate.
Materials we install
- Hager Design 30 or Wylex Amendment-2 metal consumer unit
- RCBO per circuit (Type A as standard, Type B for solar/EV)
- Surge Protection Device (Type 2 SPD) on the main switch
- AFDD on high-risk circuits where specified (bedrooms in HMOs)
- 100A henley blocks, 25mm² brown/blue tails, 16mm² earth
- Crabtree or Hager 100A main switch where required
Methods & standards
Old board photographed and labelled before disconnection. New board mounted level and plumb, every circuit re-terminated with torque-screwdriver settings, every conductor identified and dressed. Full inspection & test before re-energising — insulation resistance, RCD trip times, Zs at every circuit end. Schedule of circuits printed and stuck to the inside of the door.
Variations of the service
- Straight like-for-like upgrade (rewireable fuse to RCBO)
- Upgrade plus main earth & bonding remediation
- Upgrade plus EV charger commissioning
- Upgrade plus solar / battery G99 compliance
- Landlord/HMO board upgrade with AFDD on bedroom circuits
- Garage/outbuilding sub-board paired with main upgrade
Where this service applies
1970s–80s Kidlington and Oxford semis with original Wylex fuse boxes; 1990s estate homes in Witney, Banbury and Bicester with split-load boards; rental stock across Oxfordshire failing EICR for missing RCD coverage; pre-EV-charger installs in any property built before 2015.
Straight answers, before the visit.
Can't see your question? Ring Daniel on 07528 364996 — five-minute call, no obligation.
Often booked alongside
New circuits, sockets, lighting and full installations across the home — finished tidy, certified, and signed off.
Statutory landlord electrical safety certificates issued promptly — protect your tenants and stay legally compliant.
Full house rewires planned around your family — modern wiring, cleaner finish, fewer disruptions.
Domestic and commercial EV charge points installed and registered — OZEV-grade workmanship from day one.
Consumer Unit Upgrades across Oxfordshire
Same crew, same standard — covering Kidlington and the surrounding towns from a single Oxfordshire base.
Consumer Unit Upgrade — surveyed, quoted and fitted by the same Oxfordshire crew.
Free written estimate. No deposit. No call centre. Call before midday and we’ll be on site the same working day across Oxford, Witney, Banbury, Bicester and the wider Oxfordshire area.