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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Fuse box - under sink :s mounted to a cupboard we will rip out!!

16 replies

Slippysnow · 13/02/2014 16:19

We are currently in the process of buying a new kitchen. We have ripped out most of the units and found the fuse box mounted to the side of the unit we will be ripping out.

It is also under the sink / surely that's not safe?!

Has anybody moved their fuse box? If so how much did it cost? Who did it for you?

Or is it possible to work around it. I'd prefer not to but I don't know how much I could justify spending to have it moved

OP posts:

InsertUsernameHere · 13/02/2014 18:09

Is it the distribution board (has lots of switches/magnetic fuses) or the electricity meter, or a combination of the two? Often the distribution board/fuse box is next to the meter. An electrician can move a distribution board whereas you need to contact the utility company about moving a meter. I'm surprised that it is under the sink - and wonder if it means that it is old. If that's the case there might be some rewiring required. You'll only know when a professional has had a look. It maybe you need some new wiring for your kitchen any way (eg for a double oven or induction hob).

Alwayscheerful · 13/02/2014 18:51

Do you mean the consumer unit? A new consumer unit for a small - average house will be anything from £250 to £650. If it's the consumer unit you might as well have a new one because I doubt yours will pass an electrical safety check.

InsertUsernameHere · 13/02/2014 19:15

Consumer unit - that's the proper name for what I meant

Original poster

Slippysnow · 13/02/2014 19:21

Ermm. It's the thing you would flick if you needed to turn off the electrics.

Have no idea about these things, I haven't moved in properly yet so I can't check right now.

OP posts:

specialsubject · 13/02/2014 19:48

this didn't come up on the survey?

Original poster

Slippysnow · 13/02/2014 19:55

I'm moving in to my dads property that he bought over 20 years ago and has been letting it out through an agency.

OP posts:

SqueakdeSqueak · 13/02/2014 20:22

contact your network distributor (not the same as a supplier) they will be able to talk you through it, where do you live as if u are in the east/ london or south east call 0800 783 8838 for UK Power Networks, they're nice and will help

Alwayscheerful · 14/02/2014 07:27

Your network distributor is responsible for the cabling up to the consumer box, from the consumer box onwards is the home owners responsibility. I suspect your consumer box is unsafe, you need an electrician to quote for a new consumer box ASAP.

Original poster

Slippysnow · 14/02/2014 13:16

Thankyou for this information I've just posted the job up on rated people. Hoping it can just be relocated without replacing but maybe clutching at straws

OP posts:

BearPear · 14/02/2014 13:21

If doing your kitchen involves new electric oven, I doubt you will get away without a new consumer unit. The oven has its own fuse on the board, any changes to your appliance means that the electrician is bound to change the unit to remain within the law. The electrician is duty-bound to make sure your mains are up to code, so to speak, he can't turn a blind eye if your board is obsolete. Sorry.

Original poster

Slippysnow · 14/02/2014 13:57

I'm really clueless about all things electrical. So sorry for the questions. When you say obselete, what does that mean?

The electrics work for the studio flat and there have been no problems reported before hand. Obviously I would want to be safe and legal. Just curious as to why the consumer unit would have to be replaced.

I'm worried that my cluelessness may lead to me being ripped off so brushing up on my info

OP posts:

poocatcherchampion · 14/02/2014 15:47

Safety standards improve. Our house is 30 years old and ours was massively out of date. It was a couple of hundred quid to replace and totally worth it for the risk of not being burnt down!

Alwayscheerful · 14/02/2014 20:10

Modern consumer units have RCDs , I think they trip whichever area is faulty, older consumer boxes did not have RCDs and the even older ones used fuse wire.

BearPear · 15/02/2014 09:04

Obsolete means out of date - think about if you had a really old Hoover which was working ok but you couldn't find new bags for it, that's because it's an obsolete model that you can't get parts for anymore. Still working, but very old.

The regulations for safety in homes change all the time - when we had an extension built our boiler was only about 5 years old, it couldn't stay on the wall where it was and due to it not being current industry standard the builder wasn't able to re-use it, cue new boiler! Same with the consumer unit, it was about 30 years old and with the house needing new electrics for the extension it had to go - yes it worked, but it was out of date. I don't think we would have been "signed off" by building control at the local council if things hadn't been current and up to code.

Your electrician should be able to advise you about what you need.

Original poster

Slippysnow · 15/02/2014 09:38

Thankyou Thankyou. I posted on my builder and it's looking like £400 relocating it close by and for a new unit.

OP posts:

BearPear · 15/02/2014 10:26

I think £400 is probably the most you should be paying. We had one replaced in a rental property about 18 months ago, it was about 40 years old, it cost around £300 (we got a new socket put in for that price too).

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