Sanity Check: Cost of new Consumer Unit install

[Cypermethrin]

We recently moved into a new house which has been extended numerous times and has two consumer units. Both have MCB - but need updating and wiring checking

This was the plan:

1.Replace existing consumer unit with new 24 way Dual Rcd fire rated version.

2.install new 25mm meter tails

3.install new 16mm earth cable

4. fully test and certify all circuits

Local company fully certified etc came out to look and I was expecting this to be around 600 pounds - but the quote is 1250+VAT

Am I way behind the times and the quote is realistic - or it this toppy ?

Thanks in advance

 

[Bosswhite]

Get more estimates

 

[Bosswhite]

Get more quotes

 

[crystal ball]

Try a non vat registered electrician

 

[flameport]

existing consumer unit with new 24 way Dual Rcd fire rated version.

How many actual circuits? If it's anything near 24, then the price will be a lot more, due to the additional testing involved.
Did the price also include any minor repair work for the various faults which will inevitably be found?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Try a non vat registered electrician

Who does not turn over enough to be required to register, unless you want to risk being caught up in a tax evasion investigation and don't mind helping someone steal from the public.

 

[crystal ball]

Plenty of one man bands are not vat registered and it does not mean there is tax evasion, you really come up with some tripe at times

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Of course there are plenty of one-man bands who are quite legitimately not VAT registered.

Perhaps you should try actually reading what I actually wrote?

"Who does not turn over enough to be required to register"

You'll find that you encounter a lot less of what seems to you to be tripe if you take the trouble to pay attention to what is said rather than thinking that you've read something else.

 

[crystal ball]

Yes thats what I wrote, a non vat registered electrician, no need to add the tax evasion part

 

[ericmark]

The job is really a few different jobs, one test and find out if there are any faults, two remove the consumer unit and replace with new, three retest to find any faults. One can omit the first test and cross your fingers faults if found can be fixed at a reasonable cost. But until tested you are really uncertain of what work is involved. So quote a figure which over 10 jobs will make you money even if this one turns out to be a rouge job.

The other method is for the customer to take the risk, they pay by the hour and if the job over runs then it costs more, if it turns out to be a fast job it costs less.

If you have borrowed neutrals on stairs two way lighting and it transpires you only have two wires between the switches plus earth then the electrician has to work out a way around it. It could be:-
1) Run a new cable.
2) Put in a RF switch as second switch.
3) Have both up and down stairs on the same MCB/RCBO.
4) Leave the borrowed neutral and put both MCB's on the same RCD.
As the customer likely you are unaware he even had a problem, you need to trust him, will getting the cheapest quote mean you have best electrician, yes get a few quotes, but also chat to the guys and decide if you can trust him.

 

[EFLImpudence]

1.Replace existing consumer unit with new 24 way Dual Rcd fire rated version.

Is there a valid reason or do you just want a new one because you just want a new one?

2.install new 25mm meter tails

Just fashion to waste copper or is there a valid reason?

3.install new 16mm earth cable

If 2 has no valid reason then neither has this even if you replace the tails with 25mm².

4. fully test and certify all circuits

You may have them tested but it depends what you mean by certify them.


Edited - spelt 'it' wrongly.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes thats what I wrote, a non vat registered electrician, no need to add the tax evasion part

I wouldn't disagree with that if you can provide proof that there is not, and never has been, an instance where people have not been VAT registered when they should have been.

Good luck with that, BTW...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vat+fraud

 

[securespark]

Are you saying there is an onus on the customer to check the tradesmen they employ are operating within the law?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think there is an onus on him to be aware of likely indicators, such as

How busy does he seem to be
Has he asked to be paid in cash
Has he asked you to buy the materials yourself

 

[Risteard]

4) Leave the borrowed neutral and put both MCB's on the same RCD.

Prohibited.