EV charger installation

[Oldfurbabyconcerns]

Just looking for some clarity about the installation of an ev charging point. I’ve read lots of threads about which actual charger to go for (thanks to other posters!), but my worry is the installation, so I was hoping some people could share experiences!

I have a semi-detached house, and the fuse box is on the wall that joins to the other house. Therefore I think that the cable will have to run out of the bottom of the stairs (the fuse box is in a cupboard under the stairs), along the hallway wall, out of the front of the house and along the front wall. Anyone in a terrace/semi-detached house had similar? Did it make installation costs skyrocket?

And although I said I have an idea of which one to go for, I’m happy for suggestions of people who were in a similar boat who has an approximate cost for theirs including installation!

When we had our EV charger installed, they just ran a new box off of the meter box on the front of our house. That’s the set up I see on most houses. Nothing was done inside the house at all.

Our installation was around £1k with PodPoint. They made us do a survey thing before we paid to establish where the fuse box was so I assumed we’d have wires inside the house. But when they arrived they said that wasn’t how the did it most of the time and installed the extra box next to the meter instead.

This is what we’ve got

We went with Podpoint and they were excellent. Sadly we went via EDF who messed us around terribly and caused no end of delays.

it feeds directly off the meter box.

We had PodPoint directly off meter box. Moved house & now got Zappi charger off meter box - better for us as we have (old) solar panels so will charge directly from them if sunny. Can program to charge overnight as we’re on a cheaper overnight tariff.

We used Octopus and same as above comments, we had a separate box installed next to the electric meter - nothing was done inside the house

If you have solar or plan to get it get a Zappi as then you can feed the solar into the car (ideally via a battery).

we had a podpoint before the zappi though (different house) and that was fine. I’m no expert but I very much doubt you will end up with the cable inside the house.

Has anyone has a charger installed and had to have their leccy supply upgraded? I think I have been watching too many youtube videos. I have been talking to a v nice person at the supply company today, and I think we will be ok, but I need to find out if our supply is looped, that the main fuse is big enough, and if my consumer unit is ok.

@Lincslady53, Not sure if this helps, but we used Octopus and they I had to take photos of the external electric meter and where we parked the car as part of the booking process.
Also, they have installed a separate consumer unit next to the external meter, and run the cable from there, they haven't connected or done anything to our fuse board / consumer unit inside the house.

We don't have an external meter. The main power cable comes straight into our understairs cupboard from under the floor.
The installer drilled straight through the wall from there into the garage and ran the cable along the top of the internal garage wall, drilled through the external garage pillar wall and installed it next to out garage door.
If you don't have an external fuse box they will have to work out the best cable route.
Installers are quite good at this though and I doubt it is something they haven't come across before.
Without a house layout picture here its hard to comment on what they might do.

How were they in general, were you happy with the install? I’m debating going with octopus

We're looped - SSE who own the infrastructure came to do a survey and asked us if we wanted to unloop (they do it all for free). We said no thanks, would involve massive digging up of the shared drive etc, they said fine to go ahead anyway. Ovo (our supplier) had to come and fit an isolator to the meter, and after that was done our electrician ran a cable out of the meter cupboard. We also had a powerpoint added for the Christmas lights, car hoover etc.

Don't forget to inform your home insurance company too if you're hardwiring an EV charger. It's usually a requirement.

I was quite impressed to be honest, no issues at all! Would defo recommend.

Thanks to all who replied. After loads of googling, phone calls and a chat to someone who has been 'delooped', I don't think we are looped, and if we are, we won't have to pay for the delooping. We have gone ahead and bought a car. The charger is being supplied, and installed by the car manufacturer, who use a national installer. With that, and the discount, and the EV grant, it brought the price down to about the same as a year old car, so negating that first year depreciation.

Oh thanks for that tip. I didn’t know.

I have a Podpoint straight off the meter box but we are detached and the meter box is on the side of the house so different circumstances to you.
The charger was part of my lease deal from work.