How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home?
You get one fixed price before work starts, covering the charger, the circuit, the installation and the paperwork.
The charger itself is one part of the cost. The rest depends on your house and where you park. If you want other work done on the same visit, such as an outside socket or a light over the drive, add it to the same request and it is included in one fixed price.
- Cable distance
- How far the parking spot is from the fuse board.
- Route and drilling
- Walls to drill through, a garage to cross, or cable to bury.
- Fuse board
- Whether there is a spare way, or the board needs an upgrade.
- Earthing
- Whether the charger's built-in protection is enough or an earth rod is needed.
- Charger choice
- Tethered or untethered, and which brand and features you want.
Do I need permission to install an EV charger?
Most homes with a driveway don't need planning permission for a wall-mounted charger, but the installation must be notified to the electricity network operator. We handle that for you.
In Leicestershire the network operator (the DNO) is National Grid Electricity Distribution. For many homes, the installer simply tells them after the charger is fitted. Some homes need approval before installation, for example where the main fuse is small or the house already has other large loads such as a heat pump. If the DNO decides your main fuse or supply needs upgrading, they carry out that work. We tell you early if your photos suggest this might apply, because it can add time.
Planning rules can be different for listed buildings and some conservation areas. If that might apply to you, check with Leicester City Council or your district council before booking.
Can I get an EV charger if I don't have a driveway?
A home charger needs off-street parking, such as a driveway, garage or private parking space next to the property. You can't run a charging cable across a public pavement without permission from the council, because it is a trip hazard.
If you park on the street, ask your council about public charge points or any approved cable channel schemes. Some councils are trialling these, but the rules and availability vary. Many homes in suburbs such as Glenfield, Oadby and Wigston do have driveways, and that is where most home chargers go.
What size EV charger do I need for my home?
For almost every home, a 7kW charger is the right choice. Most UK homes have a single-phase supply, and 7kW is about the most a single-phase home charger can deliver.
A 22kW charger needs a three-phase supply, which most homes don't have. Getting one fitted means an application to the DNO and can be costly. Many electric cars also can't take 22kW through their on-board charger. As a rough guide, a 7kW charger adds around 20 to 30 miles of range per hour, depending on the car. That is plenty to fill most cars overnight.
Should I get a tethered or untethered charger?
A tethered charger has a cable permanently attached, so you just plug it into the car. An untethered charger has a socket, and you use your own cable. Neither is better; it depends on how you use it.
- Tethered
- Quickest to use day to day. Good if you have one car.
- Untethered
- Neater on the wall. Works with any car if you change vehicle.
- Cable length
- Check it reaches your charge port wherever you park.
What does a smart EV charger actually do?
A smart charger connects to Wi-Fi or mobile data so you can schedule and track charging from an app. Since 2022, chargers sold or installed in Great Britain must be smart under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.
The rules mean new chargers come set up to charge outside peak hours by default, though you can change this. They also have to meet security standards. On an off-peak or EV energy tariff, scheduling charging overnight can bring the cost per mile down a lot. We set up the app and the schedule with you at handover so it works from the first night.
Many smart chargers can also load-balance. A sensor watches how much power the rest of the house is using and slows charging when demand is high, so the main fuse isn't overloaded. In some homes this avoids the need for a supply upgrade.
Is my home's electrical supply ready for an EV charger?
Most homes can take a 7kW charger, but we check three things first: your fuse board, your earthing and your main fuse.
The charger needs its own circuit, so the fuse board needs a spare way or an upgrade. Many homes have a PME earth, a common type of supply earth. A fault on the network can make this unsafe for charging a car outdoors, known as an open-PEN fault. Most modern chargers have open-PEN protection built in. Where they don't, or the setup needs it, we fit an earth rod. Your main fuse size tells us whether the supply can handle the charger alongside everything else in the house.
Clear photos of the fuse board, the meter and the main fuse let us check most of this before we arrive.