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A straightforward domestic fuse board or consumer unit change takes 4–6 hours for one electrician working alone. That covers isolating the supply, removing the old board, fitting the new one, wiring in the circuits, testing everything, and issuing your certificate before we leave.
That's the baseline. Whether your job lands at the shorter or longer end — or needs a second electrician to keep it inside a day — comes down to a handful of things I'll cover below.
More ways on the board means more circuits to disconnect, test, and reconnect. A small flat with eight circuits is a different job to a five-bedroom house with twenty.
A board in a modern utility cupboard is quick to work at. One tucked under the stairs in a Victorian terrace, behind pipework, or in a cellar with poor lighting takes longer just to get at safely.
This is the big one. Old cabling, missing earth bonding, circuits that have been "borrowed" onto others, or non-compliant work from a previous job sometimes only shows up once the old board's off the wall. If that happens, I'll stop and explain what's needed and why before doing anything extra — you won't get surprise work without being told first.
Moving the board to a new position means routing new cable runs, which adds time beyond a straight swap.
If your property needs a new main earthing conductor, or you're adding circuits at the same time (an EV charger circuit, for example), that's additional work on top of the board itself.
Yes, but only while we're actively working. We isolate the supply to fit and test the new board safely, then restore power the same day once everything's certified. You won't be left without electricity overnight for a standard job.
If you work from home or have things like a stairlift, medical equipment, or a freezer full of food, tell us when you book — we'll plan around it where we can, and at the very least make sure you know exactly what time to expect the power to go off.
For a small, easily accessible board with no complications, sometimes — but I'd never promise that upfront. Testing and certification take as long as they take, and rushing that part isn't something we do. If your job is straightforward, it's realistic to expect us in and out within a working day; I just won't quote a "couple of hours" figure that sets you up to be frustrated when the real job takes longer.
Yes. We'll need access throughout, and someone needs to be able to confirm what's plugged in and what isn't before we restore power at the end.
Once the new board's in, we test every circuit, check earthing and bonding, and issue you with a certificate confirming the work meets BS 7671. As an NICEIC-registered contractor, we also self-certify the work and notify Building Control on your behalf under Part P — you don't need to do anything.
Clear access to the board itself, and let us know in advance about anything sensitive to a power cut (freezers, medical devices, home working setups). Beyond that, there's nothing you need to do — we bring everything required.
Every property is different, which is why we always survey before quoting a time or a price. Give us a call on 01892 531728, WhatsApp us on 07775 561363, or email karen@brightsparkelectrician.co.uk and we'll get a survey booked in.
Related reading: What does a fuse board upgrade cost? · Fuse board vs. consumer unit — what's the difference? · How do I know if I should change my board?
A standard domestic job takes 4–6 hours for one electrician, covering removal, installation, testing, and certification. Larger properties, difficult access, or additional issues found on the day can extend this.
Yes, while the work is carried out, but it's restored the same day once the new board is tested and certified.
Yes — a standard domestic board change is a single-day job, done start to finish including testing and certification.
Do I need to be home while my board is changed?
Yes, you'll need to give us access throughout and be available at the end to confirm everything's working before we finish up.
The number of circuits, how accessible the board is, whether it's being relocated, and any faults or non-compliant wiring found once the old board's removed can all add time
Every property is different, which is why we always survey before quoting a time or a price. Give us a call on 01892 531728, WhatsApp us on 07775 561363, or email karen@brightsparkelectrician.co.uk and we'll get a survey booked in.
Karen recently came to our place on a Sunday afternoon when our kitchen suddenly lost all power. She found and fixed the problem with the breaker very quickly, and also checked the others. She did a great job and we were very pleased to get it fixed so quickly! I recommend her to friends, and will definitely call her the next time we need an electrician.
I have used Bright Sparks for two jobs and have been delighted with the quality of the work carried out. Karen is very knowledgeable in her subject and her staff are very well trained , courteous and hard working. I would highly recommend the company without hesitation.
Your electrician Philip was punctual, friendly and very efficient. Would certainly use you again and recommend your company.
"I have had Bright Sparks at my property twice in the last six months to complete some electrical work. I have been blown away by the innovative efficient way I am communicated with the efficiency and ease of the process. The work has been carried out to a more than satisfactory standard and I found it to be extremely competitively priced. It is by far the best experience I have had with any service provider in forever. Thanks guys."
We have been very impressed by Bright Spark Electrical Services. Karen Smith visited us to discuss our requirements and gave advice which cut our costs. The work was carried quickly and on time with excellent results. The areas affected were clean and tidy when the work was completed. We had a slight problem with a unit but it was dealt with as soon as it was reported. I have no hesitation in recommending this company and will definitely contact them again for any further electrical problems.
