18th Edition · RCBO per circuit

Consumer unit upgradesacross Chepstow, Newport, Bristol & South Walesmodern protection on every circuit.

Replace outdated fuse boards with modern 18th Edition consumer units. Individual RCBO protection on every circuit, metal-clad enclosures, full testing and NAPIT certification.

Request a free quote Call 07491 966787

18th Edition · metal-clad · RCBO per circuit · NAPIT certified

15+ yrs

Combined experience across Levi & Jay

NAPIT

NAPIT registered

Ohme

Accredited EV charger installer

5.0 ★

Google reviews from real customers

Insured

Public liability · employers' · indemnity

Overview

What this service is, and who it's for.

Straight explanation, no jargon padding, so you can decide whether it's the right call before you even ring us.

What it is: A consumer unit upgrade replaces the fuse board or old-style split-load consumer unit with a modern 18th Edition metal-clad enclosure with individual RCBO protection on every circuit. It includes upgrading the main earthing arrangement, main protective bonding to water and gas services, and testing every circuit before re-energising. Certified through NAPIT.
Who it's for: Homes with wooden-backed or plastic-cased fuse boxes, rewireable-fuse installations, split-load consumer units without RCBOs, boards showing signs of overheating (discolouration, smell, arcing), boards that have failed an EICR, and any installation being upgraded ahead of an EV charger, solar or heat pump.
When you need it: Now, if the board is plastic-cased and pre-2016, Amendment 3 of BS 7671 required metal enclosures for domestic consumer units. Now, if it's ever tripped a whole floor when you replaced a bulb. And definitely before installing an EV charger or heat pump.
Why professional matters: Old boards fail closed, the RCD sticks, the fuse holds, and protection you thought you had isn't there. Modern boards give you per-circuit isolation (one fault, one circuit off), metal enclosure fire resistance under BS EN 61439-3, and full RCBO protection meeting the current regulations.

What happens if you leave it

The cost of putting it off is rarely just money.

The consumer unit is the one component in a domestic installation that absolutely cannot be allowed to fail. When it does, the failure mode is usually a fire in a place you can't see coming.

What can go wrong

Plastic-cased boards igniting from internal overheating, the reason Amendment 3 mandated metal enclosures.
Stuck RCDs providing zero protection when a real fault develops.
One tripped RCD taking out half the house every time a bulb blows.
EICR failures blocking a rental going back on the market.
EV charger installers turning away work because the existing board can't take another circuit.

Common mistakes we see

Assuming a working board is a safe board, many old units 'work' until the day they don't.
Replacing like-for-like with another split-load board rather than upgrading to RCBOs.
Ignoring the main earthing arrangement, a new board on old earthing isn't a compliant install.
Skipping supplementary bonding to bathrooms as part of the upgrade.
DIY board swaps, this is notifiable Part P work and needs certification.

How we work

A five-step system, so nothing gets missed.

The same discipline we run on a single-socket call-out and a full commercial fit-out. Predictable, documented, tidy.

01
Inspection
Free on-site survey. We look at the existing installation, the space and the outcome you need, no pressure, no obligation.
02
Diagnosis & fixed quote
We scope the work, agree the spec in plain English and give you a fixed-price written quote with no hidden extras.
03
Booked-in works
We turn up when we say we will, protect the space with dust sheets and keep disruption to your day to a minimum.
04
Testing & verification
Every circuit is tested to BS 7671 (18th Edition). Nothing gets signed off until the readings are right.
05
Certification & handover
You get NAPIT-backed certification, a tidy handover and a clear explanation of what's been done and why.

Benefits

What you actually get from doing this properly.

One fault, one circuit off

Individual RCBO on every circuit means a fault trips only the affected circuit, not half the house.

Metal-clad fire resistance

18th Edition metal enclosures contain internal faults rather than propagating them into the room.

Ready for EV, solar and heat pumps

New boards are sized with spare ways so you can add high-current circuits later without another upgrade.

Compliant with the current regulations

18th Edition Amendment 2 compliant, notified to Building Control through NAPIT, certified on completion.

Full main earthing & bonding refresh

Main earthing arrangement checked and upgraded where required, main bonding to services confirmed.

Same-day turnaround on most swaps

Straightforward replacements are usually a one-day job, power off in the morning, tested and back on that afternoon.

Detail

Materials, methods and the variations that matter.

The specifics, so you can compare us like-for-like against anyone else you're quoting against.

Working across:

Chepstow · Newport · Bristol · Cardiff · Bath · Gloucestershire · Caldicot · Magor · Undy · South Wales · South West

What we install

18th Edition metal-clad consumer units, typically Wylex, Hager or Fusebox depending on the layout, with individual RCBO protection on every circuit rated appropriately for the load. Type A RCBOs as standard, Type F where the property has EV or variable-speed motor loads that generate mixed-frequency leakage. Surge protection devices (SPDs) at the incomer where the risk assessment supports it under 443.4 of BS 7671.

Earthing and main bonding

A consumer unit upgrade is the right time to verify the main earthing arrangement, earthing conductor size, main earth terminal integrity, PEN-fault protection where the supply is TN-C-S, and confirm main protective bonding to gas and water services is in place and correctly sized (typically 10mm² on a domestic single-phase supply). We test earth loop impedance at the origin before signing anything off.

Testing after the swap

Every circuit is dead-tested (continuity, insulation resistance) and live-tested (earth loop impedance, RCD trip times) before re-energising. Results go into the Electrical Installation Certificate. If a circuit shows a deteriorated insulation resistance reading during testing, we flag it, a compliant new board on a marginal circuit isn't a solution, and we'd rather tell you before we energise than after.

Notification and certification

Consumer unit replacement is notifiable Part P work. NAPIT notifies Building Control on our behalf under the competent-persons scheme, and you receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate in the post along with the Electrical Installation Certificate. No separate LABC fee, no waiting for a council inspection.

When you need a rewire, not just a board swap

If the existing circuits are life-expired (rubber-sheathed cable, cloth-covered flex, marginal insulation resistance readings), a new consumer unit will trip constantly on nuisance faults because it's finally seeing leakage the old board ignored. In that case, we're honest about it, a partial or full rewire is the right answer, not a repeated set of board swaps.

Answers

Common questions on this service.

Still unsure? Ring us on 07491 966787 , surveys and quotes are free.

How much does a consumer unit upgrade cost?+

Consumer unit upgrades are fixed-price quoted after a free survey, the total depends on the circuit count, the earthing arrangement and whether main bonding needs updating. You'll get a written quote before committing.

How long does a consumer unit swap take?+

Most straightforward domestic replacements are a single day. Power's off during the works, typically 9am to mid-afternoon, and back on before you get home.

Do I need a metal consumer unit?+

For domestic installations, yes, Amendment 3 of BS 7671 (2016 onwards) requires metal-clad consumer units. Plastic boards installed before that aren't retrospectively illegal but they don't meet current standards and we don't recommend them.

What's an RCBO and why does it matter?+

An RCBO combines residual-current and over-current protection in a single device on one circuit. Individual RCBOs mean one fault trips only the affected circuit, you're not plunged into darkness across half the house whenever a bulb blows in a wet bathroom.

Will you notify Building Control?+

Yes, NAPIT is a competent-persons scheme, so we self-certify and notify Building Control on your behalf. You get a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate in the post.

Can I add an EV charger circuit at the same time?+

Absolutely, and it's the sensible time to do it. We size the new board with spare ways for the EV circuit and any future high-current loads.

What if my existing wiring is too old for a new board?+

If insulation-resistance testing shows deteriorated circuits, we'll tell you before energising. In that case a partial or full rewire is the right answer, a new board on failed wiring will just trip constantly.

Do you install surge protection?+

Yes, SPDs are available and often sensible on properties with significant electronic equipment or overhead supply exposure. We assess this under 443.4 of BS 7671 at the survey.

Are you qualified and insured?+

Yes. H&H Electrical is NAPIT registered, our EV work is NAPIT-accredited and Ohme approved, and we carry public liability, employers' liability and indemnity insurance in full.

Do you cover my area?+

We cover Chepstow, Newport, Bristol & across South Wales, the South West, Cardiff, Bath, Gloucestershire, Caldicot, Magor and Undy. Ring us if you're just outside, most of the time we can still help.

How do I pay?+

Bank transfer or cash. We don't take card. Small jobs are call-out plus materials; larger jobs are quoted at a fixed price up front so you know the total before we start.

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5.0 on Google · NAPIT registered

Ready for a straight quoteon consumer unit upgrades?

Free survey. Fixed-price written quote. Work booked in around you, usually the same week.