With more electric vehicles on London's roads every year, a home charge point has gone from a nice-to-have to close to standard. Here's what actually goes into the cost of an installation, and what to watch out for when getting quotes.
Typical cost range
For a standard 7kW home charge point on a property with off-street parking and a consumer unit in good condition, most London installations fall from around £750 to £1,200 including the unit, installation, testing and certification. This is a guide range — every property is different, and we always confirm an exact fixed price after a site visit.
What affects the price
- Cable run distance — the further the charger is from your consumer unit or meter, the more cabling, containment and labour is required.
- Consumer unit condition — older consumer units may need a new circuit, additional RCBO, or in some cases a partial upgrade before the charger can be safely connected.
- Groundworks — if the cable needs to cross a driveway or path, ducting and reinstatement adds to the cost.
- Charger brand and tethered vs untethered — smart chargers with app connectivity and load-balancing typically cost more than basic units, but often qualify for better warranties.
- Three-phase or higher-power installs — commercial or high-power domestic installs (11kW+) require different cabling and sometimes a DNO (electricity network) application, which adds time and cost.
What's included in a proper installation
A compliant EV charger install isn't just bolting a box to the wall — it includes a dedicated circuit back to the consumer unit, correct RCD/RCBO protection, earthing arrangements assessed to the relevant standard (often requiring a PEN fault protection device on TN-C-S supplies), and full testing and certification on completion. Anyone quoting significantly below market rate is often cutting corners on one of these.
Do you need permission?
Most straightforward domestic installs don't need planning permission, though listed buildings and conservation areas can have additional requirements. If your parking is on a public highway rather than a private driveway, different rules may apply — we can advise on this during your free quote visit.