Electrical - New MCB/RCD and fitting - Price?

somner

I'm getting quotes for electrical work - currently have an old style Consumer Unit with fuse cartridges. I'd like to have this replaced with a new style Consumer Unit complete with RCD's/MCB's where appropriate. I've been given a quote by a local company, who have quoted me based on the following work:

• Disconnect and remove existing consumer unit.
• Install one 10-way dual RCD (Residual Current Device) consumer unit, complete with 100amp main switch; two 30mA RCD switches and CB’s (Circuit Breakers) needed to connect circuits.
• Install mains metering tails and main earth bonding cable.
• Install earth equipotential bonding conductor to mains gas and water services.
• Install supplementary earth bonding to hot water and heating pipes and bathroom area.

I have no concern that all of these different tasks are necessary and I'm happy for them to be done.

I was just wondering how much I should expect to pay for this work? I'm not after an exact price - more a ballpark figure, should I be expecting £200, £300, £400, or even as much as £700? As far as I'm aware the job will be straight forward and nothing was mentioned that would make the job more difficult thus increasing the price above the average amount.

Thanks.

fluffpot

It will depend on the location of your house and its size (eg no of beds), if there are any outside electrics (garage/shed) and if the house is chock full of belongings or reasonably clear.

BTW if they are fitting a fully RCD/RCBO protected board then there is no need for supplementary bonding - that is 16th Edition Regs, we're now on the 17th... might save a few pennies!

I always carry out all the testing in advance of the fuse board change - that way if there are any nasty surprises (eg need rewiring or part rewiring) then the customer knows in advance of any extra costs and can stop at that point if needs be. Once you've started a board change you are obliged to put things right....

£700 for my part of the world isn't unusual and could be more for a large/complex installation

somner

fluffpot wrote: »

It will depend on the location of your house and its size (eg no of beds), if there are any outside electrics (garage/shed) and if the house is chock full of belongings or reasonably clear.

Thanks - 3 bed house in the midlands, large village/town area. No outside electrics, although the Consumer Unit and supply are located in a large walk-in cupboard that is outside, situated next to the front door of the house. I may ask them to fit a 13amp socket in here.

BTW if they are fitting a fully RCD/RCBO protected board then there is no need for supplementary bonding - that is 16th Edition Regs, we're now on the 17th... might save a few pennies!

Thanks - a couple of people have mentioned that. Any idea how much I'm likely to save? Are we looking at £20 for example, or more like £100?

I always carry out all the testing in advance of the fuse board change - that way if there are any nasty surprises (eg need rewiring or part rewiring) then the customer knows in advance of any extra costs and can stop at that point if needs be. Once you've started a board change you are obliged to put things right....

They will be testing in advance, yes.

[/quote]£700 for my part of the world isn't unusual and could be more for a large/complex installation[/QUOTE]

Thanks - I've been quoted £452. The company are a local well known and respected company - they've been around longer than I have! They do a lot of the work for the local authorities and local commercial premises as well as domestic work. The chap who does the quotes is a personal acquaintance of mine so I trust that it's a fair quote - although I don't know him well enough to be getting a discount! £452 is actually what I was quoted for the work when I enquired two years ago, and having spoken to them this week they're happy for it to stay the same price.

fluffpot

in which case then use them. Although a bit worrying that they don't seem to know the latest regs - mind you doing the bathroom bonding won't hurt.... just OTT

Difficult to say how much it will save but based on the overall price I would think no more than £50 - just ask them