Short answer
Look at three things: is there still physical room on the rail, do all circuits that need one have an RCD, and does the main connection suit what is being added. If one of the three is missing, the consumer unit belongs in the job. During the renovation that is cheaper, because the walls are open anyway and there is no need to make dust a second time.
Who this article is for Anyone renovating who wonders whether the meter cupboard should be part of the job.
Three questions that decide it
1. Is there room? Count the free modules on the rail. Each new circuit takes at least one, an RCBO two. Adding a kitchen and a bathroom easily means five to eight modules.
2. Is there an RCD on everything that needs one? Socket circuits, bathroom, outdoors and kitchen belong behind a 30 milliamp RCD. If it is missing, that is a reason to work on the consumer unit in any case.
3. Does the connection suit it? If induction, an EV charger or a heat pump is being added, the question is whether the main connection can handle it. Upgrading is an application to the grid operator and takes weeks, so it needs to come up early. See upgrading the connection.
Why during the renovation is cheaper
- the walls are open, so pulling cables to the consumer unit is easy
- there is dust and making good anyway, so it does not happen twice
- the plasterer and painter are still to come, so any damage is dealt with
- there is nobody living there, or at least less hassle with the power having to go off
This is one of the few items that really costs you more later.
The same job after handover means chasing walls in a finished hallway, and that is exactly what people regret afterwards.
What a new consumer unit gives you
More than just room:
- RCBOs per circuit, so a fault stays limited to that one circuit
- room for surge protection, see surge protection
- room for the doorbell transformer, time switches and whatever other technology is added
- a circuit chart that is correct, which also counts when you sell the home
The costs within the renovation
Replacing a standard consumer unit costs € 2.700 including VAT. An extra circuit above eight is € 45 including VAT each. Installing three-phase power comes on top and depends on the situation.
In a renovation that is usually small compared with the whole, and it is one of the few items that really costs you more later.
What I hand over
Afterwards a circuit chart that is correct, photos of the walls before they were closed, and a test report of the installation. That last one is exactly what you need if the insurer or a buyer ever asks for it.
From my own work
In a home in Schimmert the kitchen had been renewed, the bathroom done and the loft converted, all on a consumer unit from 1989 with four circuits. Two years later the question came up after all, and then the work had to be done in a finished hallway with the walls closed. The same consumer unit, far more work.
When to call an electrician
- The renovation brings more than one or two extra circuits
- Not all socket circuits have an RCD
- The consumer unit is older than about twenty years
- An EV charger, induction or solar panels are being added
I look at it during the first site survey, before the schedule is fixed. Request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether there is still room in my consumer unit?
Count the free modules on the rail. A new circuit takes at least one, an RCBO two.
What does a consumer unit replacement cost?
A standard unit is on the prices page; an extra circuit above eight comes on top. In a renovation it is usually small compared with the whole.
Do I get a test report?
Yes, plus a circuit chart that is correct and photos of the walls before they were closed.
Further reading
What does an electrician cost in 2026? Hourly rate and call-out charge explained
Hourly rate, call-out charge, material margin and VAT, without beating about the bush. Including what I charge myself and why a fixed call-out charge is fairer.
Electrics in the bathroom: what is allowed where
The bathroom is divided into zones. For each zone the standard sets what may be installed and how well it must be protected.
Electrics in a new kitchen: which circuits and where
A modern kitchen easily has four to six circuits. Induction almost always needs its own power circuit.
Questions and comments
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