Consumer unit replacement in Aberdeen from £550 + VAT
We replace old fuse boxes and consumer units in Aberdeen homes, flats and rentals, test every circuit and issue an Electrical Installation Certificate to BS 7671 Amendment 4:2026. A typical domestic board costs from £550 + VAT, up to about £950 + VAT on bigger or more complex jobs, and most are fitted in one working day. Call 07304 027013 for a fixed written price.
★★★★★ 5.0 from 100+ Google reviews · Open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm
A consumer unit replacement in Aberdeen from Faithful Spark Electricians costs from £550 + VAT for a typical domestic board, with a guide of up to £950 + VAT depending on the number of circuits and how complex the job is. Fitting the board together with an EV charger circuit is £750 to £1,000 + VAT. The price covers the new board, a protective device for every circuit, testing of every existing circuit and an Electrical Installation Certificate. Whether you call it a fuse box, a fuse board or a consumer unit, it is the same job, and our own NICEIC registered team does it.
| Typical domestic board | From £550 + VAT, guide up to £950 + VAT |
|---|---|
| Board plus EV charger circuit | £750 to £1,000 + VAT |
| Surge protection device | £40 to £80 + VAT per device |
| Extra RCBO | £25 to £30 + VAT per device, plus fitting |
| Time on site | One working day for most homes |
| Certificate issued | Electrical Installation Certificate with a schedule of test results |
| Standard installed to | BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 |
| Building warrant | Not needed for a like for like board change in a house of up to two storeys |
| Who fits it | Our own team, NICEIC Approved Contractor 620239 |
What a new consumer unit costs in Aberdeen
Our Aberdeen board prices are set mainly by circuit count, because every circuit is a device to fit, a cable to terminate and a set of tests to record. All prices exclude VAT.
Our prices
| Consumer unit, typical home | from £550 + VAT |
| Larger or more complex board | up to about £950 + VAT |
| Board and EV charger circuit together | £750 to £1,000 + VAT |
| Surge protection device | £40 to £80 + VAT |
| RCBO, per device plus fitting | £25 to £30 + VAT |
What moves the figure
- Circuit count. A one bed flat and a four bed house with a shower, hob and garage are different boards.
- Earthing and main bonding. Missing or undersized bonding to the water and gas pipes is the commonest extra in older Aberdeen property.
- Meter tails. Short, undersized or brittle tails are replaced.
- Board position. A shared close, an external meter box or a board far from the meter adds time.
- What testing finds. A circuit that fails its test is priced separately and never quietly switched back on.
Get your exact figure
Send a photo of your board with the cover closed and one with it open, plus your postcode. You get a fixed written price within one working day, and it does not change on the day unless testing finds a fault we show you first.
Call 07304 027013Included in the price
- The new consumer unit and a protective device for every circuit
- Testing every existing circuit before the old board comes off
- Removal and disposal of the old fuse box
- Every circuit labelled at the board
- Full testing after installation, with the readings recorded
- An Electrical Installation Certificate and NICEIC notification
Quoted separately, after a survey
- Earthing or main bonding corrections
- Replacement meter tails
- Repairs to any circuit that fails its test
- Moving the board to a new position
- Work that needs your energy supplier or SSEN
- Three phase or commercial boards (see commercial electrician in Aberdeen)
Comparing two quotes? Ask each one what it excludes. For a fuller breakdown of national price ranges and board types, read how much a fuse box upgrade costs.
Book a consumer unit replacement in Aberdeen
Two photos of the board and a postcode. Fixed written price within one working day.
Is it worth upgrading your fuse box?
It is worth it when the old board cannot protect you from an earth fault, when it is damaged, or when it cannot take a new circuit you need. Age alone is not a reason. Here is how the boards we see in Aberdeen homes compare.
Rewireable or cartridge fuses
Fuse wire or sealed cartridges in pull out carriers, often in a wooden or bakelite box. They protect against overload only and nothing on the board has a test button, so there is no protection against current leaking to earth.
Circuit breakers, no RCD
A row of switches you reset, but still no residual current device with a test button. Easier to live with than fuses, with the same gap in earth fault protection.
Split load with one or two RCDs
Breakers in two groups, each behind an RCD. This board is compliant. The case for changing it is consequence: one fault switches off every circuit on that side, freezer and router included.
RCBO on every circuit
Each circuit has its own combined breaker and RCD, often with surge protection. This is current good practice. An inspection is all it needs.
The four honest reasons to replace a board
- There is no RCD protection anywhere on the board.
- There is scorching, a burning smell, buzzing or a warm casing. Switch off and call us that day.
- An EICR recorded a C1 or C2 at the board itself, not on the circuits behind it.
- You are adding a car charger, electric shower or heat pump and the board has no spare way or cannot give the new circuit the protection it needs.
If none of those applies, you may not need a new board, and an EICR in Aberdeen from £150 + VAT will confirm it for a fraction of the cost. Thinking about changing a working split load board for an RCBO one? Our guide to split load and dual RCD consumer units sets out the trade off.
One limit worth knowing: a new board protects circuits, it does not repair them. Fitted over cable with tired insulation, a modern RCD will trip on the leakage the old board never noticed. That is why we test before we quote a fixed price, and why the answer is sometimes a rewire in Aberdeen rather than a board.
How long a consumer unit replacement takes in Aberdeen
Most replacements in an Aberdeen home are finished in one working day, with the power off for roughly 4 to 6 hours of it. A small flat with few circuits can be quicker, and bonding or tail work adds time. For the hour by hour detail, read how long a consumer unit replacement takes.
-
Step 1
Test first
We test the existing circuits while the old board is still in place, so any fault is known before the power goes off.
-
Step 2
Isolate and swap
Power off, old board out, new board mounted. A fridge or freezer that must stay cold can be given a temporary supply.
-
Step 3
Reconnect and label
Each circuit goes to its own device and is labelled properly at the board. Earthing and main bonding are checked.
-
Step 4
Full testing
Continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD trip times, circuit by circuit.
-
Step 5
Certificate and handover
You get the Electrical Installation Certificate and a quick walk through of which switch does what and how to test the RCDs.
What to do before we arrive
Clear the space in front of the board. Tell us what must stay powered and whether anyone works from home, so we can agree the window. Make a note of anything on a timer, such as heating, an immersion or an alarm panel, because it will need resetting.
If we find something once the cover is off
Occasionally a circuit has no earth, shares a neutral with another circuit or fails its insulation test. Nothing is charged or switched back on without you knowing. You see the reading, the options and a price, then you decide.
Want it done in one visit?
Book a weekday slot that suits you. We plan around freezers, home working and anything that cannot lose power.
Consumer unit rules for Aberdeen homes under Amendment 4
The current standard is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, published on 15 April 2026. It is still the 18th Edition. Some national pages and quotes overstate what it requires, so here is what applies to a board fitted in an ordinary Aberdeen home.
A plastic board is not a fault
Regulation 421.1.201 requires a non combustible enclosure, in practice a metal one, for a consumer unit installed in a home. It governs what gets fitted now. It does not turn an existing plastic board into a defect, and it is not on its own a reason to replace one.
AFDDs are recommended, not required, in a normal house
Arc fault detection devices are required on socket circuits up to 32 A in high rise residential buildings, HMOs, purpose built student accommodation and care homes. In an ordinary house or flat they are recommended. We will price them if you want them, never as a compliance item.
Surge protection: your decision is recorded
For a single home the owner can decline a surge protection device, and that choice is written on the certificate. For a house full of electronics, a home office or a heat pump, it is usually worth the £40 to £80 + VAT.
An all RCBO board is better, not compulsory
A dual RCD split load board remains compliant. We recommend an RCBO on every circuit because one fault then switches off one circuit, not half the house. That is the honest argument for it.
Can I replace my consumer unit myself?
No, not safely, and not in a way anyone will accept. Isolating the supply usually means withdrawing the sealed main fuse, which belongs to the network operator, SSEN, and must not be tampered with. In Scotland the owner has a legal duty under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 to make sure electrical work meets the building regulations, and BS 7671 is the standard used to show it does. A new board also has to be tested with calibrated instruments and recorded on an Electrical Installation Certificate, which is what insurers, buyers' solicitors and letting agents ask to see.
Warrants, notification and your certificate
Part P and Building Control notification belong to England and Wales and do not apply in Aberdeen. A like for like board change in a house of up to two storeys does not need a building warrant from Aberdeen City Council. In flats, maisonettes and buildings of three storeys or more, wider electrical work such as a rewire or new circuits can need one, and that duty sits with the owner, so we check at survey. Either way you receive an Electrical Installation Certificate, and as a NICEIC Approved Contractor we notify the work to NICEIC.
Is there a free fuse box replacement in Scotland?
We cannot find any government scheme that pays for a fuse box or consumer unit replacement on its own. The funding listed by Home Energy Scotland, checked on 6 October 2026, covers energy saving work such as insulation and heat pumps, not electrical safety upgrades.
If someone offers a free board through a grant, ask which scheme is paying and check it on Home Energy Scotland's funding page. If the scheme is real, it will be listed there or on gov.scot.
Are fuse upgrades free?
The answer depends on which fuse you mean. Your consumer unit is yours, and replacing it is a job you pay an electrician for. The main fuse in the sealed cut out where the supply cable enters the house belongs to SSEN, the network operator in the north of Scotland. Only the network operator can change it, so a bigger main fuse is arranged with them, on their terms. A new consumer unit does not increase what the supply can deliver.
We check the main fuse rating at survey. If your plans need more supply than it allows, for example a car charger, a heat pump and an electric shower together, we tell you before you spend anything on the board.
Which part belongs to whom
| Service cut out and main fuse | SSEN |
| Electricity meter | Your energy supplier |
| Meter tails to the board | You |
| Consumer unit and circuits | You |
We replace the parts that are yours, and tell you when a job needs SSEN or your supplier first.
Not sure your board needs replacing?
Send us two photos. We will tell you straight whether it is a replacement, a repair or nothing at all.
Consumer units in rented property in Aberdeen
Private landlords have a real RCD duty under the Repairing Standard. It is narrower than many quotes suggest.
What the statutory guidance says
"there must be one or more Residual Current Device (RCD) with rated residual operating current not exceeding 30 mA in the main or principal consumer unit. Normally, as a minimum, this will cover the socket-outlet circuit."
Source: Repairing Standard statutory guidance, Annex D3, paragraph D.55.
What that means for your board
- A let property with no RCD at all needs work, usually a new board.
- A working split load board whose RCDs cover the sockets generally complies.
- The guidance does not require an RCD on every circuit or an all RCBO board.
- Licensed HMOs are different: AFDDs are required on socket circuits up to 32 A.
We fit boards between tenancies and coordinate access with your agent. For EICRs, HMOs and everything else a rental needs, see our landlord electrician in Aberdeen page.
A consumer unit for an EV charger in Aberdeen
Most board enquiries now start with something else: a car charger, an electric shower or a heat pump. Three questions decide whether the board has to change: is there a spare way, can the board give the new circuit the protection it needs, and can the supply carry the extra demand.
Sometimes a small dedicated unit for the charger circuit is the right answer and the main board stays. Sometimes the main board is the problem anyway, and doing both on one visit is cheaper. Our board and charger circuit bundle is £750 to £1,000 + VAT. Our consumer unit upgrade for an EV charger guide explains how we decide, and our EV charger installation in Aberdeen page covers the charger itself. Planning panels or a home battery? The same three questions apply; see solar panel installation in Aberdeen and battery storage in Aberdeen.
Our team for consumer unit work in Aberdeen
Your board is fitted by our own team, led by Steven Watt with Callum working alongside him. We do not pass jobs to subcontractors, and the people who quote are the people who turn up.
Faithful Spark Electricians is a NICEIC Approved Contractor, enrolment 620239, and TrustMark registered, licence 4205123, with £2M public liability. Steven holds City and Guilds 2365-03 for electrical installations, 2382-22 for BS 7671 and 2391-52 for inspection and testing, which is the qualification behind the testing on your certificate.
Need an electrician in Aberdeen for more than the board? The same team does sockets, lighting, fault finding and rewires.
Check us on the NICEIC register before you book.
Consumer unit replacement across Aberdeen and its suburbs
We cover every Aberdeen City postcode from AB10 to AB25. These areas have their own page with local detail.
Just outside the city boundary, Westhill and Maryculter are in Aberdeenshire Council's area: see consumer unit upgrade in Westhill and consumer unit upgrade in Maryculter, or our fuse box upgrade in Aberdeenshire page for the rest of the shire.
Rated 5.0 from more than 100 Google reviews
Two from Aberdeen customers. Read them all on Google or read more customer reviews.
"I had an excellent experience with Faithful Spark Electricians here in Aberdeen. Steven was the electrician who helped me, and he was fantastic from start to finish. Professional, punctual, and really thorough with his work."
"The Faithful Spark team came out to an emergency at my rental property. They were quick at fault finding and repairing the fault."
Consumer unit and fuse box questions
Not answered here? Call 07304 027013 or send us a message.
How much does a consumer unit replacement cost in Aberdeen?
Our consumer unit replacement in Aberdeen starts from £550 + VAT for a typical domestic board, with a guide of up to £950 + VAT depending on the number of circuits and how complex the job is. Fitting the board with an EV charger circuit is £750 to £1,000 + VAT. Earthing or bonding corrections, new meter tails and moving the board are quoted separately after a survey.
Can I replace my consumer unit myself?
No. Isolating the supply usually means withdrawing the network operator's sealed main fuse, which must not be tampered with. The owner has a legal duty under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 to make sure electrical work meets the building regulations, and a new board must be tested with calibrated instruments and recorded on an Electrical Installation Certificate. Insurers, buyers' solicitors and letting agents ask for that certificate.
Is there a free fuse box replacement from the government?
We cannot find any government scheme that pays for a fuse box or consumer unit replacement on its own. The funding listed by Home Energy Scotland, checked on 6 October 2026, covers energy saving work such as insulation and heat pumps, not electrical safety upgrades. If someone offers a free board through a grant, ask which scheme is paying and check it is listed there.
Are fuse upgrades free?
It depends which fuse. The main fuse in the sealed cut out belongs to SSEN, the network operator in the north of Scotland, and only they can change it, on their own terms. Your consumer unit is yours, and replacing it is a job you pay an electrician for. A new consumer unit does not increase what the supply can deliver.
How often should a consumer unit be replaced?
There is no fixed replacement date. A board is replaced when it no longer protects properly, is damaged, or cannot take a circuit you need. The way to find out is an EICR: every five years for a private let, and every ten years is the usual recommendation for an owner occupied home.
Is it worth upgrading my fuse box?
Yes, if it has rewireable or cartridge fuses, no RCD anywhere, signs of heat damage, a C1 or C2 at the board on an EICR, or no room for a circuit you need. A split load board with RCDs covering the sockets is compliant, and replacing it with an RCBO board is a choice about resilience rather than a legal need.
How long does a consumer unit replacement take?
Most replacements in an Aberdeen home are finished in one working day, with the power off for roughly 4 to 6 hours of it. A small flat with few circuits can be quicker, and bonding or tail work adds time.
Does a consumer unit change need a building warrant or council notification?
Part P and Building Control notification are England and Wales rules and do not apply in Scotland. A like for like board change in a house of up to two storeys does not need a building warrant. In flats, maisonettes and buildings of three storeys or more, wider electrical work such as a rewire or new circuits can need one, so we check at survey. You always receive an Electrical Installation Certificate.
Is my plastic consumer unit illegal?
No. The rule requiring a non combustible enclosure applies to consumer units installed now in homes. It does not make an existing plastic board a defect, and it is not on its own a reason to replace one.
Do I need AFDDs or an RCBO on every circuit?
Not in an ordinary house or flat. AFDDs are required on socket circuits up to 32 A in high rise residential buildings, HMOs, purpose built student accommodation and care homes, and recommended elsewhere. A dual RCD split load board remains compliant, and we recommend RCBOs because one fault then switches off one circuit, not half the house.
I am a landlord. Does my rental need a new consumer unit?
Only if it lacks the RCD protection the Repairing Standard asks for: one or more 30 mA RCDs in the main consumer unit, normally covering the socket circuits as a minimum. A working split load board whose RCDs cover the sockets generally complies. A board with no RCD at all needs work.
Do I need a new consumer unit for an EV charger?
Not always. It depends on whether there is a spare way, whether the board can give the charger circuit the protection it needs, and whether the supply can carry the extra demand. Sometimes a small dedicated unit is enough. If the main board needs replacing too, the board and charger circuit bundle is £750 to £1,000 + VAT.
Book your consumer unit replacement in Aberdeen
Call 07304 027013, message us on WhatsApp, or use the form. Send two photos of your board and your postcode, and we come back with a fixed written price within one working day. If the honest answer is that you do not need a new board, you will hear that too.
Last updated 6 October 2026.
Request a consumer unit quote
Faithful Spark Electricians Ltd · 17 Thomson Road, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, AB42 3FJ · NICEIC Approved Contractor 620239 · TrustMark Registered 4205123 · City and Guilds 2365-03, 2382-22, 2391-52 · Boards installed to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 · £2M public liability · Company SC821028 · VAT 503 6560 13