Updated 25 September 2026
Consumer unit upgrade cost UK 2026
The going rate for consumer unit upgrade in 2026 is no: £400–£700 · yes - some remedials: £600–£900 (total, ex VAT). Below: a calculator, what the job involves, materials at three price levels, and the prep that changes the price.
Market band£400–£700
Worked example, 1 board£687
Time on site1 days
Consumer unit upgrade calculator
Price a real job freeUses your rates, your speed and your receipts.
Market bands
| Option | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|
| no | £400–£700 | Trade2Base |
| yes - some remedials | £600–£900 | Trade2Base |
What the job involves
| Stage | Task | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| work | Pre-test circuits for faults | 1 h |
| work | Swap consumer unit | 4 h |
| work | Test, certify and notify | 1.5 h |
Materials at three price levels
| Material | Budget | Trade choice | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal RCBO consumer unit with SPD each | £110 Dual-RCD metal board — Compliant, cheapest | £240 Full RCBO metal board with SPD — One fault doesn't trip half the house | £420 RCBO board with AFDDs — Arc-fault protection on sockets |
| Tails, earth, labels and glands set | £25 Standard 16 mm² tails — Connects the board | £35 25 mm² tails, isolator — Future-proof for EV | £50 Tails, isolator, new earth block — Clean install |
Trade prices ex VAT, estimates checked 2026-09-25. Log your receipts in Grafto and your own prices replace these.
What changes the price
- Faults expected on test? no · yes - some remedials
- Property type? house or flat · HMO or student let · flat in a high-rise (18 m+) · care home
Good practice
- With remediation, boards run £600–£900
Prep to look for
| Condition | Check | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rewireable fuses | fuse carriers, wire fuses, wooden or very old board | Old fuse board: recommend a consumer unit upgrade and EICR |
| No RCD protection | board with no test button | RCD protection or consumer unit upgrade, if required £400–£700. No RCD protection: needed before adding to circuits |
| Plastic consumer unit | non-metal consumer unit | Plastic consumer unit: upgrade recommended |
| No main bonding | no earth clamps on gas and water pipes | Main protective bonding to gas and water |
| Heat damage | scorched or melted sockets, burn marks | Danger: heat damage (C1/C2) — make safe first |
| Old cabling | rubber, lead-sheathed or cloth-covered cables | Old cable types: recommend a rewire |
Questions
How much does consumer unit upgrade cost in the UK in 2026?
The researched market band is no: £400–£700 · yes - some remedials: £600–£900 (total, ex VAT), from Trade2Base. A worked example of 1 board comes to about £502–£946 across budget, trade and premium materials.
How long does consumer unit upgrade take?
The worked example of 1 board takes about 1 working days.
What changes the price of consumer unit upgrade?
Mainly size and access, plus any prep found on site: rewireable fuses, no rcd protection, plastic consumer unit, no main bonding.