What electrical work costs
EV Charger Installation Cost at Home and the Grant Rules
A home EV charger costs the charger, its installation and any extras the job needs, such as a new isolator switch or work on the fuse box. Here are the UK prices for 3kW and 7kW chargers, a worked example with an isolator switch, the grant rules for renters and flat owners, the certificates the work needs and three Nottingham electricians who install chargers.
EV charger installation cost at home
Checkatrade’s EV charger installation cost guide, with prices last updated in April 2026, gives these UK prices, all excluding VAT.
| Item | Price, excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| 3kW charger, supply only | £250 to £500, £375 on average |
| 7kW charger, supply only | £450 to £800, £625 on average |
| Charger with installation | £1,000 on average |
| Charger with installation, if you are eligible for a government grant | £500 on average |
| Trench and backfill, soft ground only | £30 per metre |
| Digger hire | £300 minimum charge |
Checkatrade says most home installations take 2 to 4 hours. What you pay depends on the charger you choose, the extras the job needs and whether you can get the grant for renters and flat owners.
Cost to install a 7kW charger
Checkatrade says most modern homes install a 7kW charger, which costs £450 to £800 supply only. Its £625 average is £250 more than the £375 average for a 3kW charger, both excluding VAT.
Checkatrade puts Pod Point’s Solo 3 at £798 supplied and installed, in a 3.6kW, 7kW or 22kW version, and says it can be installed in as little as 2 hours.
Isolator switch, fuse box and other extra costs
Checkatrade lists these possible extras for a charger installation, without saying whether their prices include VAT.
| Extra | Price |
|---|---|
| New isolator switch, often required | £100 to £200 |
| Fuse box replacement or upgrade | £350 or more |
| Rapid charging cables | £150 to £500 |
| Security lighting | £150 to £200 |
| New driveway for off-road parking | £60 to £120 per square metre |
A new isolator switch is often required, Checkatrade says, so budget for one alongside the £1,000 average for a charger with installation.
A home charger at the average installed price, with an isolator switch
| Charger with installation, average | £1,000 |
|---|---|
| New isolator switch, often required | £100 to £200 |
Total £1,100 to £1,200
The charger with installation average excludes VAT, while the isolator switch price has no VAT basis stated. A fuse box replacement or upgrade, if the job needs one, adds £350 or more, also with no VAT basis stated.
If your fuse box does need replacing, a new consumer unit costs around £485 for a populated 10-way RCBO unit, including installation and excluding VAT, on Checkatrade’s consumer unit prices.
EV charger grant for renters and flat owners
GOV.UK’s chargepoint grant takes 75% off the cost of buying and installing a chargepoint socket, up to a maximum of £500. It is for renters and flat owners, and landlords apply for a different grant.
GOV.UK’s eligibility rules let you apply if you rent a residential property or live in a flat you own, including shared ownership. You cannot apply if you live in a house you own, unless it has been converted into flats and you live in one of them. Your vehicle, your parking space and the property’s location have to qualify too.
Checks before you apply for the chargepoint grant
- You rent a residential property, or live in a flat you own, including shared ownership
- You do not live in a house you own, unless it has been converted into flats and you live in one of them
- The property is in the UK, not the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
- You have an off-street, private, clearly defined parking space that you own or have the legal right to
- Your vehicle is on the list of OZEV-approved electric vehicles
- You can show you own or use the vehicle, with its registration, a lease of 6 months or more, use as a work vehicle for 6 months or more, or a current order
For a workplace, Checkatrade puts charger installation at £1,000 to £1,500 excluding VAT, and says the Workplace Charging Scheme gives up to £500 per charger, for up to 40 chargers.
Cost to charge at home and in public
Checkatrade puts a full charge at home at around £17, depending on your tariff, against £22 to reach 80% and over £39 for a full charge in public. At those prices a full charge at home costs less than half as much as a full charge in public. A home charger takes 4 to 8 hours, while a rapid charger reaches 80% in 45 minutes.
OZEV-approved installers and building regulations
Fitting a charger is wiring work for a registered electrician, not a DIY job. Checkatrade advises hiring a certified, OZEV-approved installer, and says a government grant will likely need one.
Do not book an installer who is not OZEV approved
Checkatrade says a government grant will likely need a certified, OZEV-approved installer, so for a renter or flat owner the wrong installer can cost up to £500 of grant.
A charger wired on a complete new circuit is notifiable work, because the Planning Portal lists the installation of a complete new circuit, such as a ring or lighting circuit or a new circuit for a cooker, shower or immersion heater, as notifiable under the building regulations.
The Planning Portal says an electrician registered with a competent person scheme self-certifies that notifiable work is safe and complies with the building regulations, and you can check the electrician you plan to hire on the electrical competent person register. Once the work is complete, the electrician should give you a completed Electrical Installation Certificate, and arrange for the council to be notified and for a Building Regulations compliance certificate to reach you within 30 days.
EV charger quotes from Nottingham electricians
Two charger quotes only compare when both price the same job. Tell each installer which charger you want and where you park, and ask for the quote to say whether a new isolator switch, any fuse box work and VAT are included.
Asking for an EV charger quote
Do this
Please quote for supplying and installing a 7kW charger on the front wall by our driveway, including a new isolator switch if one is needed. Tell us whether our fuse box needs replacing or upgrading and whether the price includes VAT, and confirm you are OZEV approved and will self-certify the work.
Not this
How much to put in an EV charger?
Among the Nottingham electricians compared for EV charger installation, Definitive Electrical Solutions in Eastwood installs OZEV-approved EV charge points and fits Zappi, Ohme and Pod Point. A4S Elite Electrical in Nottingham NG5 is OZEV accredited and installs EV chargers across NG5, Arnold, Gedling and Mapperley, and Urgent Electrical Services in the city centre also installs EV chargers.
Common questions
How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home?
Installing an EV charger at home costs £1,000 on average for the charger with installation, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures, or £500 if you are eligible for a government grant. A new isolator switch, which is often required, adds £100 to £200, and a fuse box replacement or upgrade £350 or more.
How much does a 7kW charger installation cost?
A charger with installation costs £1,000 on average excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures, and most modern homes install a 7kW charger. The 7kW charger alone costs £450 to £800, with an average of £625, against £250 to £500 for a 3kW charger.
Can I get a grant for an EV charger?
Yes, if you rent a residential property or live in a flat you own, including shared ownership, and your vehicle and parking space qualify. The GOV.UK grant takes 75% off the cost of buying and installing a chargepoint socket, up to £500. The vehicle must be on the list of OZEV-approved electric vehicles, and the property must be in the UK with an off-street, private, clearly defined parking space you own or have the legal right to.
Can you get an EV charger grant if you own a house?
Not if you live in the house you own, unless it has been converted into flats and you live in one of them. The GOV.UK grant is for renters and flat owners, and landlords apply for a different grant. Without a grant, Checkatrade puts a charger with installation at £1,000 on average, excluding VAT.
How long does it take to install an EV charger?
Most home EV charger installations take 2 to 4 hours, on Checkatrade's figures. Checkatrade says Pod Point's Solo 3 can be installed in as little as 2 hours.
Do you need a new fuse box for an EV charger?
Not always, but Checkatrade lists a fuse box replacement or upgrade as a possible extra costing £350 or more. On Checkatrade's consumer unit prices, a populated 10-way RCBO consumer unit costs around £485 including installation, excluding VAT, and replacing a fuse box is notifiable work under Part P.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
A full charge at home costs around £17, depending on your tariff, on Checkatrade's figures. A public charger costs £22 to reach 80% and over £39 for a full charge, and a home charger takes 4 to 8 hours, while a rapid charger reaches 80% in 45 minutes.
Where the figures come from
- Checkatrade, electric car charger installation cost read 2026-09-17
- GOV.UK, EV chargepoint grant for renters or flat owners read 2026-09-17
- GOV.UK, EV chargepoint grant eligibility read 2026-09-17
- Checkatrade, consumer unit replacement cost read 2026-09-17
- Planning Portal, electrics building regulations general information read 2026-09-16
- Planning Portal, electrics building regulations checking for safety read 2026-09-17
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