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Electrical

Fuse board replacement

Replacing a consumer unit, normally to add residual current protection an older board does not have.
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Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric)

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), issued or supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.safeelectric.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

Commission for Regulation of Utilitieswww.safeelectric.ieChecked

Fuse board replacement: what the job involves

Replacing an old fuse board (consumer unit or distribution board) with a modern one that has RCD or RCBO protection, room for new circuits and often surge protection. Changing a board is Restricted Electrical Works and must be tested and certified.

Also asked for as: new fuse box · consumer unit change · distribution board upgrade · RCD fuse board · fuse box upgrade

How the job is usually done

  1. Inspect the existing board, meter tails and earthing, and test each circuit for faults that a new RCD would trip on.
  2. Agree the layout: number of ways, RCBOs or split RCD, surge protection, and spare ways for future circuits.
  3. Isolate the supply; where there is no suitable isolator the contractor arranges isolation with the network operator.
  4. Remove the old board, fit the new enclosure and reconnect each circuit with correct protective devices.
  5. Upgrade main earthing and bonding where they fall short of the National Rules.
  6. Test every circuit and the RCD trip times, label the board and issue the Completion Certificate.

Fuse board replacement: what is included

Usually included

  • The new board, breakers or RCBOs and fitting it
  • Testing every circuit and the Completion Certificate
  • A circuit chart in the board

Usually not included — agree it separately

  • Repairing faults on circuits that the new RCD protection reveals
  • Replacing the meter or the supply cable, which is a matter for ESB Networks
  • Rewiring circuits found to be unsafe

Materials and who supplies them

  • Consumer unit, RCBOs or RCDs and surge protection device, supplied by the electrician
  • Earthing and bonding cable and clamps, supplied by the electrician

How long it takes

Usually most of a day with the power off for several hours, longer when faulty circuits have to be traced before the new protection will hold.

When to book

Change the board before adding an EV charger, heat pump or solar panels rather than after, so all the new circuits go onto a board designed for them.

Fuse board replacement: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

  • New circuits, changes to a distribution board (fuse board), work in special locations such as bathrooms and outdoors, and inspection and testing are Restricted Electrical Works: only a Registered Electrical Contractor may carry them out. Like-for-like replacement of a switch or socket is excluded as minor work.

    Applies to: the electrician, and the homeowner who engages one

    Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and S.I. No. 264 of 2013, run by Safe Electric Ireland for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

  • A Registered Electrical Contractor must issue a Completion Certificate for all electrical work except minor works, and give the customer the original copy when the job is finished, with the post-connection tests confirmed on it.

    Applies to: the electrician

    Electricity Regulation Act 1999; Safe Electric Ireland · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

  • Every Registered Electrical Contractor can be looked up on the Safe Electric register by name or registration number before work starts.

    Applies to: the homeowner

    Safe Electric Ireland · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What fuse board replacement costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

  • Number of circuits and the type of protection: individual RCBOs or a split-load board
  • Faults found on existing circuits that must be fixed before the board can be energised
  • Earthing and bonding upgrades
  • Surge protection and spare ways for an EV charger, heat pump or solar panels
  • Location of the board and space to fit a larger one
  • VAT: work on a home is charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered contractor, unless materials exceed two-thirds of the price; ask whether the quote includes it
  • VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

  • Safe Electric Completion Certificate for the board change
  • Test results for every circuit
  • Circuit chart fixed inside the board

Safety

  • Old boards with rewireable fuses offer no protection against electric shock; RCD protection is what a new board adds.
  • Some old boards are mounted on backing boards that may contain asbestos; leave it alone and ask the electrician to check.
  • If the board is scorched, buzzing or smells hot, switch off at the main switch and call an electrician the same day.

Fuse board replacement: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

  • Will you test every circuit before switching over, and what happens if one fails?
  • Are you fitting individual RCBOs or a split-load board, and why?
  • Will there be space for an EV charger or heat pump later?
  • Is surge protection included?
  • What is your Safe Electric registration number?

What you can do yourself

Not a DIY job: any change to a distribution board is Restricted Electrical Works, though a householder can safely test the RCD with its test button every few months.

What to put in your task

  • What does your current board have?
  • Roughly how many fuses or switches are on it?
  • Why are you replacing it?
  • Where is the board?

Photos that help

  • The fuse board with the cover open, labels readable
  • The meter and the cables between the meter and the board
  • The main earth cable and where it is clamped

Fuse board replacement by county

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Questions about fuse board replacement

Does fuse board replacement need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Source: www.safeelectric.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

My new board keeps tripping. Is it faulty?

Usually not. RCD protection trips on earth leakage that an old board ignored, often from a damp outside light, an old appliance or a damaged cable. The electrician traces and fixes the circuit; the trip is the board doing its job.

Do I need to tell ESB Networks?

For a straight board change behind the meter, the registered electrician handles it. If the supply has to be isolated at the meter or the main fuse increased, ESB Networks is involved, arranged through your electricity supplier.

Is a fuse board change enough, or do I need a rewire?

If the cables test well, a new board adds the protection the house lacks. If testing shows old rubber cable or widespread faults, the electrician will recommend rewiring those circuits.

Often booked with fuse board replacement

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Fuse board replacement in Ireland — compare quotes | Talqero