Based in Great Houghton, Northampton | covering Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes Gold Card electricians · £10m public liability insurance ·Facebook07904 890325 AboutServices Areas Our WorkReviewsContact 07904 890325Request an Estimate Home / Services / Consumer Unit Upgrades # Consumer Unit Upgradesin Northampton Swap an old fuse box for a modern consumer unit with proper RCD protection and every circuit clearly labelled, fitted neatly and tested before we leave. Request an Estimate 07904 890325 100% recommend on Facebook (15 reviews) · 15 years' experience · We guarantee our work - Fully qualified Gold Card electricians - £10m public liability insurance - 15 years' experience - We guarantee our work The service ## A modern fuse boardfor your property Your consumer unit, often still called the fuse box, is the heart of your electrics. It splits your supply into separate circuits and protects each one, switching off when something goes wrong. Older boards with rewireable fuses or no RCD protection don't give the same level of protection as a modern unit. A consumer unit upgrade means removing the old board and fitting a new one with modern protective devices, such as RCDs or RCBOs, so a fault on one circuit is caught quickly. We tidy the incoming cables, connect each circuit properly and label everything so you know exactly what each switch does. It suits homeowners in older properties, people buying or selling a house, landlords looking after rental homes, and anyone planning bigger work such as a rewire, an extension or an EV charger, where the existing board may not be suitable. Because the consumer unit affects every circuit in the property, it's a job that needs to be done carefully and tested thoroughly. We explain what we've found, what we recommend and what it costs before any work starts. ### Who it's for - Homeowners with an old fuse box or a board with no RCD protection - Buyers and sellers whose survey or inspection has flagged the consumer unit - Landlords keeping rental properties safe for tenants - Anyone planning a rewire, extension or EV charger ### When you need it - You still have rewireable fuses or an old-style fuse box - Circuits trip often, or one trip takes out half the house - An inspection has recommended a consumer unit upgrade - The board is unlabelled, overcrowded or shows signs of scorching - You're adding new circuits and the existing board has no space If it's left ## Why an old boardis worth replacing An older consumer unit can keep working for years without any obvious trouble, which is why it's easy to forget about. The issue is what happens when a fault does occur. ### Less protection from faults Older boards often lack RCD protection, which is designed to cut the power quickly if there's a fault that could cause an electric shock. ### Nuisance tripping When several circuits share one RCD, a single fault can switch off a large part of the house at once, leaving you without lights or sockets. ### Problems when adding new work New circuits, chargers and extensions may need a board with spare capacity and suitable protection before they can be added safely. ### Common mistakes we see - ×Assuming an old board is fine because it still switches on - ×Ignoring frequent tripping instead of finding the cause - ×Adding new circuits to a board that has no proper space for them - ×Leaving circuits unlabelled so nobody knows what switches off what - ×Ignoring a recommendation from an electrical inspection - ×Choosing the cheapest fitter without asking how the work will be tested How it works ## Our process - 01 ### Survey We look at your existing board, the incoming supply and the circuits it feeds, so we understand what's there before recommending anything. - 02 ### Clear plan & price We explain what we recommend and why, agree a time with you, and give you a clear price before any work starts. - 03 ### Fitting the new unit We switch off safely, remove the old board, fit the new consumer unit and connect each circuit neatly, keeping disruption as low as we can. - 04 ### Testing Every circuit is tested before the power goes back on for good, so we know the installation is working safely. - 05 ### Labelling & handover Every switch is clearly labelled, we talk you through the new board, leave the area clean and back the work with our guarantee. What you get ## The benefits ### Better protection Modern protective devices are designed to switch off quickly when a fault occurs, helping keep your household safer. ### Fewer whole-house outages With the right protection on each circuit, a fault on one circuit is less likely to switch off everything else. ### Know what every switch does Clear labelling means you can isolate a circuit quickly, whether you're changing a light fitting or dealing with a trip. ### Ready for new work A properly sized board makes room for future circuits such as an extension, garden power or an EV charger. ### Neat, tidy installation Cables dressed neatly and the area left clean, the same care our customers mention in their reviews. ### Fully qualified team Fully qualified Gold Card electricians and £10m public liability insurance, with 15 years' experience in the trade. In detail ## What a consumer unitupgrade involves Every property is different, so we always look before we price. Here's what's usually involved and what you can expect on the day. ### Choosing the right board The right consumer unit depends on how many circuits you have now, what you might add later, and the type of protection each circuit needs. We'll recommend a board with sensible spare capacity rather than one that's full on day one. Many upgrades use RCBOs, which combine overload and RCD protection on each individual circuit, so a fault on one circuit doesn't take out the others. We'll explain the options and the cost difference so you can decide. ### On the day The power has to be off while the board is changed, so we'll agree a time that suits you and tell you roughly how long you'll be without electricity. Most of the work happens at the board itself, so the rest of the house stays undisturbed. We remove the old unit, fit the new one, connect and dress the circuit cables neatly, then test before handing back. If testing shows a fault on an existing circuit, we'll explain it and talk through the options before going further. ### Testing, notification and paperwork Replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work and must be notified to building control. We'll explain how this is handled for your job before we start, so there are no surprises. Once the work is done you'll get the test results for the circuits, and we'll walk you through the new board so you know how to reset a switch if it trips. ### Upgrades alongside other work A consumer unit upgrade often goes hand in hand with a rewire, remedial work on a previous contractor's installation, or adding an EV charger. Doing them together can save time and disruption, and we'll tell you honestly whether it makes sense for your property. ## Consumer Unit Upgrades: your questions ### How much does a consumer unit upgrade cost? +It depends on the size of the board and the work involved, so we price each job once we've seen it. Our local call-out is £120, which includes the first hour of work or diagnosis, then £45 an hour after that, for properties within 10 miles of our NN4 base. Work further out is quoted separately. ### How do I know if my consumer unit needs replacing? +Signs include rewireable fuses, no RCD protection, frequent tripping, scorch marks, or an inspection recommending an upgrade. If you're not sure, we can take a look and give you an honest answer. ### Will I be without power? +Yes, for part of the day while the board is changed. We'll agree a time with you in advance and tell you roughly how long it will take. ### Is there a lot of mess? +Very little. The work is mostly at the board itself, and we leave the area clean and tidy when we're finished. ### What's the difference between an RCD and an RCBO? +An RCD protects a group of circuits, so one fault can switch off several of them. An RCBO protects a single circuit, so a fault only affects that one. We'll explain which suits your property. ### Do you label the new board? +Yes. Every circuit is clearly labelled so you know exactly what each switch controls. ### Do you guarantee the work? +Yes, we guarantee our work. The length and scope depend on the job, and we'll explain it before we start. ### Can you upgrade the board at the same time as other work? +Yes. It's often sensible to combine it with a rewire, remedial work or an EV charger installation, and we'll advise whether that makes sense for you. ## Recent consumer unit upgrades jobs See more of our work → ## Related services - Full & Partial Rewires → - Inspection & Testing (EICRs) → - Remedial Electrical Work → - EV Charger Installation → - All services → ## Where we work Based in Great Houghton, we cover Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, and we're best known in Northampton, Daventry and Rushden. NorthamptonDaventryRushdenMilton KeynesAll areas → ## Time to replaceyour old fuse box? Call us or request an estimate. We'll look at your existing board and give you clear advice and a clear price. Local call-out £120 including your first hour · £45/hour after · Open 7 days, 6am–10pm Request an Estimate 07904 890325 Domestic and commercial electricians covering Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire. Request an electrical estimate 9 High Street, Great Houghton, Northampton NN4 7AF 07904 890325 tylerdoe@doe-electrical.com Monday to Sunday, 6am–10pm Doe Electrical on Facebook Popular services - House rewires in Northampton - Consumer unit upgrades - Electrical fault finding & repairs - EICR inspection & testing - EV charger installation - Emergency electrician Northampton - Commercial electricianLocal electricians - Electrician in Northampton - Electrician in Daventry - Electrician in Rushden - Electrician in Milton Keynes - Electrician in Wellingborough - Electrician in Bedford Explore - Electrical services - Areas we cover - About Tyler Doe, electrician - Our electrical work - Customer reviews - Request an electrical estimate © 2026 Doe Electrical. All rights reserved. · Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions · Cookie Policy 07904 890325 Get estimate