Consumer unit

[Sgt Bilko]

Whilst the house is in disarray due to various bits of work, is it a good idea to get the old style consumer unit (approx 12 years old) replaced for a new one with circuit breakers?

edit to add: old one is fuse wire

Edited by Sgt Bilko on Thursday 17th September 11:55

[DocJock]

Absolutely.

Get them to install one with acouple of spare circuits as well in case you need them in the future.

[fido]

Just got mine replaced last week, only took a few hours, and the builders insisted on it before re-fitting bathroom. Cost me about £600 and the certificate alone was worth it (needed anyway if you let the property).

[JERRYCO]

Yes. Just make sure your installation is up to date, because whoever fits your new consumer unit will be responsible for the whole installation under part P. which in turn could cost you a lot of money!

[northwest monkey]

JERRYCO said:

Yes. Just make sure your installation is up to date, because whoever fits your new consumer unit will be responsible for the whole installation under part P. which in turn could cost you a lot of money!

Think they have to do a test as standard on a new CSU install mate

[Sgt Bilko]

fido said:

Just got mine replaced last week, only took a few hours, and the builders insisted on it before re-fitting bathroom. Cost me about £600 and the certificate alone was worth it (needed anyway if you let the property).

£600 seems a bit steep. I was expecting £300-400. Was yours anything special or include extra work?

[spikeyhead]

Sgt Bilko said:

fido said:

Just got mine replaced last week, only took a few hours, and the builders insisted on it before re-fitting bathroom. Cost me about £600 and the certificate alone was worth it (needed anyway if you let the property).

£600 seems a bit steep. I was expecting £300-400. Was yours anything special or include extra work?

The installer needs to check every last circuit that's connected to it.

[andy43]

It is a good idea - it must be because the regulations now require rcds on everything as far as I know.
BUT as above, if your electrics currently (see what I did there?) have problems that'll only show up when you start fitting rcds, you could be in for more than you bargained for. Fault-finding can be expensive.

[hairyben]

I advise and generally only fit "RCBO" consumer units where every circuit is protected by it's own RCD/MCB breaker, instead of the more normal "twin RCD" units with half the circuits in the house being on one RCD and half on the other. This means, should any fault occur, only one circuit will be affected, instead of stuff all over the house.

Works out maybe another £100, could be more or less depending on circuitry, but well worth it, however the "industry standard" is to go with the rotten twin RCD boards.

[andy43]

^--- Having struggled for nearly a full day to locate a section of damaged cable that had obviously been knackered for years and finally given up the ghost, that is a seriously good idea