Consumer unit replacement in Ruislip
Old fuse board out, 18th Edition metal consumer unit in — RCBO protection on every circuit, surge protection built in, everything tested and certified. For homes across Ruislip and about seven miles around.
- NICEIC Approved Contractor
- 18th Edition metal units
- RCBOs on every circuit
- Tested & certificated
Why the fuse board matters
The consumer unit — the fuse board — is the heart of your home's electrics. Every circuit starts there, and so does almost all of the protection standing between you and a fault. A modern board doesn't just tick a box: it means a fault trips one circuit instead of blacking out the house, and it means real protection against electric shock and electrical fire.
If yours still takes fuse wire, or has no test buttons anywhere on it, it's doing 1970s-level protection in a house living a 2020s life.
What's included
- Inspection and testing of your existing circuits first — problems get found before the swap, not discovered live.
- An 18th Edition metal consumer unit, sized with spare ways for whatever comes next (EV charger, extension, garden).
- RCBOs on every circuit — one fault trips one circuit, not the whole house.
- Surge protection (SPD) built in, guarding your electronics against voltage spikes.
- Every circuit tested and properly labelled — no more “mystery switch”.
- An Electrical Installation Certificate for the completed work.
Worth knowing: replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. Whoever does yours, make sure proper certification comes with it — you'll be asked for it when you sell the house. Ours always does: Data Lynes Electrical is an NICEIC Approved Contractor.
How the day goes
Survey & quote
Photos of your board and meter are usually enough. You get a fixed written quote — board, RCBOs, SPD, testing, certificate.
Swap day
Power off, old board out, new board in. Circuits are tested and re-energised one by one. Plan for a day.
Handover
A labelled board, a walkthrough of what's what, and your certificate. Any faults found along the way, explained plainly.
Signs your board is due
None of these mean panic. All of them mean it’s worth a look from someone qualified.
- Rewireable fuses — the kind you mend with fuse wire
- No test buttons anywhere on the board (no RCD protection)
- A wooden backboard, cracked casing or scorch marks
- Buzzing, warmth, or a fishy smell near the board — overheating plastic
- You’re adding load: EV charger, electric shower, extension
- An EICR has already coded it (C2s against old boards are common)
Fuse board questions, answered straight
Is my plastic fuse board illegal?
No — there’s no law forcing you to replace it. But boards fitted to today’s regulations are metal for fire containment, and older boards often lack RCD protection, which is the part that protects people rather than just wiring. If you’re not sure where yours stands, an EICR will tell you honestly — including if it’s fine.
How long will the power be off?
On and off for most of the working day. The old board comes out, the new one goes in, then every circuit is tested and brought back one at a time. Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut and they’ll ride it out without complaint. We’ll agree the day so it’s not the one you’re working from home on a big call.
Will you find faults in my wiring?
Sometimes — that’s partly the point. We test before and during the changeover, and an old board can be hiding tired circuits. If something turns up you get told what it is, how urgent it is and what it costs to put right. Nothing gets buried, and nothing gets invented either.
What’s an RCBO board and why should I care?
An RCBO gives each circuit its own combined overload and shock protection. On older boards, one faulty appliance can drop half the house. With RCBOs, a kitchen fault trips the kitchen — the freezer, the router and the home office stay on. Once you’ve lived with it, you won’t go back.
Do I need surge protection?
The current regulations expect it in most homes, and modern houses are full of electronics that don’t enjoy voltage spikes — TVs, routers, boiler controls, car chargers. It’s built into the boards we fit as standard, not sold as an add-on.
What paperwork do I get?
An Electrical Installation Certificate covering the new board and the testing behind it. Keep it with your house documents — solicitors ask for it when you sell, and it’s your proof the job was done properly, by someone qualified to do it.
Time to retire the old board?
One photo of your fuse board is enough to start. Fixed quote, no pressure.