Bedford has a lot of housing from before safety switches were standard. The Victorian and Edwardian terraces near the town centre, the post-war semis in Kempston and the 1960s and 70s estates all came with boards that did the job of their day. What they cannot do is cut the power fast enough to protect someone who touches a live part or to stop a fault heating up a cable.
A modern consumer unit gives each circuit its own protection, so one fault no longer takes out the whole house. John tests the existing circuits first, because a new board is more sensitive and will find anything the old one ignored. Better to know before the swap than after. Then the board goes in, every circuit is labelled and you get the certificate, with Building Control notified for you.
Tested first
The circuits are tested before the swap, so hidden faults show up at the right time.
Protection on every circuit
Each circuit gets its own safety switch, with surge protection if you want it.
Usually one day
Most homes are done in a day, with the power off for only part of it.
Your questions, answered
How much is a new consumer unit in Bedford?
It depends on the number of circuits and the state of the wiring behind them. John gives a fixed price after a quick look and a test, rather than a guess on the phone that changes on the day.
Why does the new board keep tripping?
Because it is finding faults the old one let through, usually damp or a failing appliance. That is the board working as it should. John tests every circuit as part of the job so anything it flags gets traced.
Is it worth upgrading if my old board works fine?
Working and safe are not the same thing. An old board with no safety switches works right up until the moment you need it to protect someone. If yours has fuse wire or no RCD, it is worth changing.
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