Price of a
consumer unit.
Porcelain fuses, no RCD, a sale inspection report full of anomalies: it is often with the consumer unit that an electrical upgrade begins. Here is what replacing one costs according to our own quotes, component by component, and what the regulations actually require.
The price of a new consumer unit, according to our quotes
We went back through the quotes where the consumer unit is itemised line by line: 9 quotes drawn up between 2024 and 2026 for flats and houses in Savoie and Haute-Savoie. To arrive at the price of a complete consumer unit, we added up the enclosure, the protective devices, the busbar combs and the wiring hours, excluding the circuits leading to the rooms. Amounts are rounded and exclusive of VAT; the incl.-VAT column applies the 10% VAT of a dwelling more than two years old.
| Dwelling | What the price includes | Excl. VAT | Incl. VAT at 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat | A 13-module enclosure on 2 to 4 rows, two 30 mA RCDs (type A and type AC), a dozen circuit breakers, the combs and the wiring | €1,200 to €1,650 | €1,320 to €1,815 |
| House | Two enclosures, two to four RCDs, surge protector, up to 27 circuit breakers, the combs and the wiring | €2,100 to €2,450 | €2,310 to €2,695 |
| Removal and site enclosure | Removal of the old installation and temporary power supply during the work | €500 flat rate | 550 € |
The difference between a flat and a house comes mainly from the number of circuits. Our flat consumer units have a dozen circuit breakers; in two fully rewired houses, we provided for 22 and 27, spread over two enclosures, with a surge protector at the head.
What the “consumer unit” line of a quote contains
A quote that states “consumer unit: €1,800” with no breakdown allows no comparison. Here are the components as they appear in our quotes, with the unit price recorded. It is the grid that lets you check any offer, whoever it comes from.
| Component | Role | Unit price excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| 13-module enclosure, 2 rows | The box that houses the protective devices for a small dwelling or one floor | €90 to €120 |
| 13-module enclosure, 4 rows | The main box of a house | €180 to €220 |
| 30 mA RCD, type AC | Protects people on lighting and socket circuits | 130 € |
| 30 mA RCD, type A | Protects the washing machine, hob or car charging point circuits | 165 € |
| 10, 16 or 20 A circuit breaker | Protects a lighting or socket circuit against overcurrent | €16 to €25 |
| 32 A circuit breaker | Hob or heat pump circuit | €25 to €30 |
| Type 2 surge protector | Protects appliances against surges of atmospheric origin | €165 to €220 |
| Connection combs | Link the protective devices on the same row | €10 to €55 |
| Wiring labour | Fitting the enclosure, connecting and labelling each circuit | 10 to 18 h at €60-70/h |
Two lines deserve attention. The surge protector is not systematic: it appears in only some of our quotes, and is a matter for discussion depending on the dwelling's exposure and the value of the appliances to protect. The communications enclosure, often fitted next to the consumer unit for the broadband box and RJ45 sockets, is a separate line: €200 to €250 excl. VAT in our quotes.
When should the consumer unit be replaced?
The most frequent trigger is the electrical inspection. It is required for a sale as for a letting as soon as the installation is more than 15 years old; it must be less than 3 years old for a sale and less than 6 years old for a lease. Its first four checkpoints concern the consumer unit directly: the main control and protection device, at least one residual-current device suited to the earthing, overcurrent protection suited to each circuit, and the equipotential bonding of wet rooms.
An old consumer unit often fails on these points, for lack of an RCD or of a circuit breaker per circuit. Standard NF C 15-100 today calls for high-sensitivity residual-current devices, 30 mA at most: a type AC for lighting and sockets, a type A for circuits that may produce a leakage with a DC component, such as the washing machine, the hob or a car's charging point.
Other signs that justify reopening the file: a heat pump or induction hob to connect, a kitchen that has been moved, circuit breakers that trip as soon as two appliances run together.
Consumer unit alone or complete installation?
Replacing the consumer unit protects the existing circuits better, but does not make them any younger. If the wires are run without conduit, if the sockets have no earth or if the junction boxes are buried in plaster, a new consumer unit will not solve the problem. That is where the real decision lies, and the general guide to full electrical renovation, which covers circuits, conduits and fittings, details this case.
The distinction also matters for the Consuel. The certificate of conformity endorsed by the Consuel is compulsory for a new installation and for a full renovation where the distributor cuts the power at the customer's request. A renovation is called full when all removable components downstream of the delivery point have been removed and then refitted or replaced. Replacing the consumer unit alone does not fall within this definition: requesting the certificate is then voluntary.
Last case: moving the consumer unit. All the circuits must then be extended to the new location. In one of our quotes, moving a consumer unit from the bathroom to the entrance, through a load-bearing wall, was priced at €2,500 excl. VAT, separately from the consumer unit itself.
VAT: 10% in existing homes
Replacing a consumer unit in a dwelling completed more than two years ago is subject to the 10% rate, like all improvement and maintenance work. In a more recent dwelling, the standard 20% rate applies. Borderline cases, notably a renovation that renews most of the finishing trades, are covered in our guide to VAT on renovation work.
With us, it is our salaried electricians who remove the old consumer unit, fit the new one and label each circuit. The price you read on the quote therefore corresponds to hours and equipment genuinely assigned to your project.
Renovations where the electrics were redone
All projects →Three renovation projects around Lac du Bourget, with the electrical work carried out by our teams.
How we price a consumer unit
We open the existing consumer unit before giving a price: it is the number of circuits that makes the quote.
Opening the existing consumer unit
Fuses or circuit breakers, presence of an RCD, incoming cable cross-section, condition of the earth connection: the survey is done on site.
Circuit inventory
Lighting, sockets, cooking, washing machine, water heater, heat pump: each circuit becomes a protection line in the quote.
Component-by-component quote
Enclosure, RCDs, circuit breakers, surge protector and wiring hours priced separately, as in the grid above.
Power-off changeover
Site enclosure, removal of the old consumer unit, fitting of the new one: the outage is planned to last as short a time as possible.
Labelling and testing
Each circuit breaker is labelled and each RCD tested before power is restored.
A single point of contact
If the consumer unit is part of a wider renovation, our electricians work to the same schedule as the firm's plasterboard fitters and plumbers.
Where we work
Consumer unit survey and quote drawn up from our offices in Aix-les-Bains and Annecy.
Frequently asked questions · Consumer unit
An on-site survey,
a line-by-line price.
We open your consumer unit, count the circuits and give you a free quote in which every protective device is priced.