Cost of charger install

[NoComment]

Hi All,

I'm looking to get an EV Charger installed, fairly basic install I think. RCD board is in the downstairs toilet, on the other side of the outside wall is where I want the charger to go. I'll be supplying the charger which will be the BG Sync untethered. House built 2021 so the RCD should be more than adequate. No need to use solar as we only have 2 panels and can't store or send back to grid.

Given the photos below how much should I be expecting for an install?








Thanks

[ND_19]

I paid £600 for a hypervolt charger and £350 installation from a local electrician.

So budget around £1k?

[NoComment]

ND_19 said:

I paid £600 for a hypervolt charger and £350 installation from a local electrician.

So budget around £1k?

Charger is only £340, just wanting to make sure I don't get my pants pulled down for the install.

Is the £350 including VAT? And how many meters of cable did you use?

Thanks

[P675]

My mrs put those stupid plastic vines in my toilet too, it's like someone tapping you on the head while you're on the bog. You'll probably end up with more, as more electrical box things may need to be installed near the consumer unit. About a grand is normal, I paid £900ish with Octopus for charger and install.

[Parpeb]

I paid £300 for an install only of a supplied Ohme charger which needed a cable run approx 6m from the consumer unit under the stairs through the integral garage to the outside wall.

This was 2 years ago so would probably be in the region of the £350 quoted above.

[Mark V GTD]

I paid £1,000 for an Ohme epod (untethered) inc VAT about 18 months ago. They are £500 to buy so £350 for install only would be cheap, even with VAT added on.

[NoComment]

P675 said:

My mrs put those stupid plastic vines in my toilet too, it's like someone tapping you on the head while you're on the bog. You'll probably end up with more, as more electrical box things may need to be installed near the consumer unit. About a grand is normal, I paid £900ish with Octopus for charger and install.

For a number 2 I go upstairs

Yeah, I don't really want an additonal box outside, I've got 8 spare slots on the board to fit a SPD which I guess an electrician would prefer to fit so I'd rather have one added to the consumer unit.

[timberman]

We've had 2 and about to get a 3rd,

all straight forward installs,

the first 2 were around £1000 each and the 3rd will be just under £1350

hopefully we won't need another

[kambites]

Assuming your supply is adequate (ie not looped) and your main fuse is adequate (100 amps, although 80 amps might be fine too), that should be about the simplest install ever! A couple of hours' labour plus two meters of cable and the CT-clamp... I can't see how that could be more than £250+VAT.

[ashenfie]

I am not sure many electricians will want to use the existing split box. A additional box inside or consumer unit upgrade are the best options. That solar isolation switch looks a bit suspicious too.

[kambites]

ashenfie said:

I am not sure many electricians will want to use the existing split box. A additional box inside or consumer unit upgrade are the best options. That solar isolation switch looks a bit suspicious too.

That might even be cheaper given the location of the meter box. Small consumer units are not exactly expensive.

[DorsetSparky]

ashenfie said:

I am not sure many electricians will want to use the existing split box. A additional box inside or consumer unit upgrade are the best options. That solar isolation switch looks a bit suspicious too.

That board is up to regs. Only needs an SPD but it s fine. Nothing wrong with split-load, provided you don t mind losing power to half the house in the event of an earth fault.
And whilst non-standard, that solar isolator looks to be a 20A DP switch. Seeing as it s only switching 16A, it s gravy.

It is exactly the same board fitted to brand new properties. It does not need upgrading. It could however be repopulated with RCBOs if you prefer.

Edited by DorsetSparky on Thursday 2nd July 21:12

[NoComment]

kambites said:

Assuming your supply is adequate (ie not looped) and your main fuse is adequate (100 amps, although 80 amps might be fine too), that should be about the simplest install ever! A couple of hours' labour plus two meters of cable and the CT-clamp... I can't see how that could be more than £250+VAT.

So I got in 3 quotes, 1st was £385+VAT, 2nd was £520 inc VAT and the 3rd £420 inc VAT. They having my pants down?

TIA

[kambites]

NoComment said:

So I got in 3 quotes, 1st was £385+VAT, 2nd was £520 inc VAT and the 3rd £420 inc VAT. They having my pants down?

To me that feels expensive for couple of hours of work and maybe £50 of odds and ends. Obviously you've got to take into account the cost of them coming out so it's not a linear per-hour thing, but it still feels expensive to me!

Were they from "EV charger installers" or general electricians? If the former, maybe try getting quotes from the latter?

[Sheepshanks]

NoComment said:

So I got in 3 quotes, 1st was £385+VAT, 2nd was £520 inc VAT and the 3rd £420 inc VAT. They having my pants down?

TIA

Possibly, but what can you do?

Ours (well, at daughter’s house) was even easier than yours. The incoming supply is on a wall facing the drive . He added a small CU and the tail pre-attached to the Ohme Pro went directly to that, so it didn’t need any EVcable. He had to split the cables from the meter to the CU with Henley blocks. Fit the CT.

Took an hour at the most gentle of work rates. He seemed to have a standard charge of £900 plus VAT so £1080. The 5M tethered Ohme Pro is around £525 inc VAT (possibly he gets it cheaper) so he charged £555 inc VAT for fitting inc the bits he supplied (let’s go mad and say £100 for the bits).

I went with him as he’s done a lot locally and we needed it quickly and I’d seen horror stories of people waiting weeks for Octopus etc - he offered to come on a Saturday if necessary but in the end the car was delayed a week so he fitted it on a weekday. He also did all of the paperwork quickly.

Nothing is ever cheap where we are - it’s a comfortable but not massively well off area.

When my other daughter wants stuff doing she posts up on their local Facebook page and usually at least a couple of people pop up who can do it quickly and for buttons - she got a gas hob fitted recently within a couple of hours for £50+VAT by a pukka gas safe guy after AO refused to fit it.

[ashenfie]

Sheepshanks said:

NoComment said:

So I got in 3 quotes, 1st was £385+VAT, 2nd was £520 inc VAT and the 3rd £420 inc VAT. They having my pants down?

TIA

Possibly, but what can you do?

Ours (well, at daughter s house) was even easier than yours. The incoming supply is on a wall facing the drive . He added a small CU and the tail pre-attached to the Ohme Pro went directly to that, so it didn t need any EVcable. He had to split the cables from the meter to the CU with Henley blocks. Fit the CT.

Took an hour at the most gentle of work rates. He seemed to have a standard charge of £900 plus VAT so £1080. The 5M tethered Ohme Pro is around £525 inc VAT (possibly he gets it cheaper) so he charged £555 inc VAT for fitting inc the bits he supplied (let s go mad and say £100 for the bits).

I went with him as he s done a lot locally and we needed it quickly and I d seen horror stories of people waiting weeks for Octopus etc - he offered to come on a Saturday if necessary but in the end the car was delayed a week so he fitted it on a weekday. He also did all of the paperwork quickly.

Nothing is ever cheap where we are - it s a comfortable but not massively well off area.

When my other daughter wants stuff doing she posts up on their local Facebook page and usually at least a couple of people pop up who can do it quickly and for buttons - she got a gas hob fitted recently within a couple of hours for £50+VAT by a pukka gas safe guy after AO refused to fit it.

I am not sure why any qualified person would come out for £50+Vat. Break down the costs of travel etc etc and you on the minimum wage.

[Sheepshanks]

ashenfie said:

I am not sure why any qualified person would come out for £50+Vat. Break down the costs of travel etc etc and you on the minimum wage.

He lived locally, was doing nothing that afternoon, wanted to help a damsel in distress….

I was surprised that he worked for a company and gave her a VAT receipt. Took a couple of hours too - AO wouldn’t do it as the old one had the old rubber hose connection, so he had to do some pipe work. And some mods to the worktop.

[NoComment]

kambites said:

To me that feels expensive for couple of hours of work and maybe £50 of odds and ends. Obviously you've got to take into account the cost of them coming out so it's not a linear per-hour thing, but it still feels expensive to me!

Were they from "EV charger installers" or general electricians? If the former, maybe try getting quotes from the latter?

Electricians that do EV Charger installs as well as other things. I'm starting to think that as soon as you mention the words "EV Charger Install" it immediately adds on a small premium when you talk to someone about a price.

The house was built in 2021 so the consumer unit should be fine. And I'm by no means an electrician, but I do realise it will need a dedicated RCBO to go in the consumer unit and the charger comes with a CT clamp to load balance. (BG Sync Untethered). I don't think I have to fit an SPD.

They will also have to certify, test and let the relevent parties know about the install.

If I'm honest I was expecting a figure of around £350 ish Inclusive of VAT. I just wanted to see what other people would expect to charge or pay that were more familiar with an EV install given the very short cable run and newish consumer unit.

Thanks

[butchstewie]

Definitely think there's a bit of truth in the "EV Charger Tax" thing and there does seem to be a lot of variance in quotes on the same job IMO.

Bottom line though is it doesn't matter what anyone thinks it should cost it comes down to how long you want to spend messaging and calling.

[ashenfie]

Sheepshanks said:

ashenfie said:

I am not sure why any qualified person would come out for £50+Vat. Break down the costs of travel etc etc and you on the minimum wage.

He lived locally, was doing nothing that afternoon, wanted to help a damsel in distress .

I was surprised that he worked for a company and gave her a VAT receipt. Took a couple of hours too - AO would't do it as the old one had the old rubber hose connection, so he had to do some pipe work. And some mods to the worktop.

AO employ some random contractors for bottom dollar who are in and out as quickly as possible.

I don't disbelieve you for one minute you found someone. I personally would charge £65 per hour plus parts, travel, warranty cover, insurance, NICEIC costs, replacement tools and a hole load of other stuff, if I went the qualified electrician route. I went the IT route, so I not offering.

So around £500 is reasonable IMHO for a sustainable business to install a charger. I also has my gas hob done and was happy to pay £130 for a wee lass with all the qualification employed by a local company.