Nothing in life lasts forever; fuse boxes are no exception. If the fuse box in your home has already been there for several years then it is likely that you have to replace it anytime soon. Even if the device is in a fine working condition yet you are just compelled to replace it. This is in order to comply with the latest regulations. Fuse box replacement ensures you live in an environment that is electrically safe. The latest evolution in technology related to electrics presents us with circuit breakers. These electrical safety devices are much better in handling the needs of electricity in contemporary households. Circuit breakers also last much longer compared to fuse boxes.
In the following sections of the blog post let us discuss about fuse box replacement and the cost related to it. We will also explore few factors that affect this cost.
Fuse box replacement – an average cost of the job
| Average cost to replace a fuse box | |
| Minimum cost | £325 |
| Maximum cost | £1,615 |
| Average cost | Around £820 |
It is clear from the table above the standard cost of fuse box replacement ranges from £325 to £1,615. But usually homeowners have to pay around £820 including the cost of labour as well as the hardware parts. But several factors can come into play and drive the cost up above the range. There can be circumstances when one has to install a new subpanel. In that case one has to pay anywhere between £325 and £1,455. The exact amount of the additional cost in this circumstance will depend on the amperage that you choose for the new subpanel.
Understanding what a fuse box is
According to a licensed professional electrician, who offers reasonable cost for new consumer unit installation in London a fuse box is nothing but an electrical panel that holds fuses. These fuses distribute electricity all over your property. But usually people refer to the term “fuse box” to mean circuit breaker. Both the terms are used interchangeably. From technical aspect a circuit breaker is slightly different from a fuse box. Circuit breakers contain switches instead of fuses.
However both circuit breakers and fuse boxes perform the same function. The devices distribute electricity throughout your property. Fuse boxes exist from a time prior to the evolution of circuit breakers. But fuse boxes are not very efficient in handling electrical requirements of the modern times. That is why it is better to switch over from fuse boxes to circuit breakers to keep your property safe from electrical shocks and fires.
How to replace a fuse box
Ordinary people are not trained to handle electricity. They should not try replacing a fuse box DIY. That could be dangerous. It is better to leave the job of replacing a fuse box for a qualified and registered electrician. The electrician is familiar to the local codes and regulations in your region and can deliver the job safely up to the standards. If an electrical panel replacement is not done properly or up to the mark, there can be severe electrical hazards including fires and shocks.
For a professionally trained tradesman the job of replacing a fuse box is pretty simple and straightforward. The expert will simply remove the existing fuse box and install a new one in its place.
Replacement cost of a fuse box parts
Both a fuse box and a circuit breaker is made up of several components. The list includes wiring, fuses or switches. When a fuse gets malfunction there is no need to change an entire fuse box. All you can do the replace of the fuse that malfunctioned only itself. A typical cost of fuses within the price of £2.50 and that can go upto £8.00. On the other-hand a switch in a circuit-breaker costs everyplace between £4.00 and £8.00. When an entire fuse box or a circuit breaker needs to be replaced for that you will bear a cost within the range of £16 to £90. The price of these items varies depending upon the quality, type and amperage you choose explains a professional electrician who offers reasonable cost for installing new consumer unit.
Cost of labour in fuse box replacement
A registered electrician will charge within the range of £32 to £100 an hour to replace your fuse box. On an average the price will come around £65. The job usually lasts anywhere between 4 and 8 hours. Therefore on an average the labour cost in replacing a fuse box comes around within the range of £250 to £775.
Factors that influence the cost of fuse box replacement
There are a lot of factors that affect the overall cost of a fuse box replacement. The factors include the amperage of the fuse box being installed and the type of the item you have selected. Even the location of the box in your property is also taken into account when the electrician prepares your invoice. When a fuse box is located at a place within the property that is hard to access, en electrician usually charges more for the job.
Total replacement cost is also based on Amperage
Amperage is one of the crucial factors that affect the actual cost of replacing an electrical panel in a property. The higher amperage a panel offers the higher price you have to pay. Usually typical homes require amperage within the range of 150 to 200 Amps. However bigger homes obviously require a higher amperage up to 400 amps. On the other hand homes that are smaller than the average size can easily manage with just 100 amps, explains a professional electrician who offers reasonable cost for fuse box installation.
This table below will make things easier to understand.
| Cost based on amperage | |
| 100 Amps | £80 to £160 |
| 150 Amps | £120 to £200 |
| 200 Amps | £200 to £290 |
| 400 Amps | £325 to £440 |
Types of circuit breaker
A typical circuit breaker costs within the range of £8 to £80 depending on the type or variety one chooses. Even this affects the total cost of replacing an electrical panel. The types of circuit breakers common in the market include the following –
- Standard circuit breakers – These are common in homes and costs around £8 a piece.
- GFCI or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers – More popular by the acronym GFCI these are installed near places where water is present. Typical example includes swimming pools, kitchen and such other places. A GFCI is costlier than a standard circuit breaker. The cost ranges from £25 to £80.
- Arc fault circuit interrupter breakers – This range of circuit breakers proves helpful in detecting different types of arcing faults related to electricity. These devices are preventing electrical fire. Typical cost of the variety of products ranges between £25 and £80.
The choice of your circuit breaker also affects the total fitting cost of an electrical consumer unit.
