A fuse board replacement is the commonest piece of remedial work an EICR produces, and it is rarely only a board. Swapping an old rewireable box for a modern consumer unit exposes what the circuits behind it are like, and the price follows what the electrician finds once the cover is off rather than the unit on the invoice.
Why a report calls for one
Old rewireable fuses do not disconnect fast enough for modern requirements, older boards frequently have no residual current protection, and a board with no spare ways cannot take the circuits a household now has. Any of these can appear as an observation, and the code attached decides whether it is work you must do or work worth doing.
What the job actually involves
The supply is disconnected, the new unit is fitted, every circuit is reconnected, and then every circuit is tested and recorded, because replacing the board means certifying the installation it feeds. The testing is why the job takes longer than the swap suggests, and why it produces an installation certificate rather than a receipt.
What moves the price
The number of circuits, whether the meter tails and earthing arrangement need upgrading, whether main bonding to gas and water is present and adequate, where the board is and how accessible it is, and whether faults show up during testing that have to be fixed before the installation can be certified. The last of these is what turns a quote into a bill.
What you should get afterwards
An Electrical Installation Certificate for the work, a circuit chart on or beside the board, and notification to building control, since replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work under Part P in England and Wales. A registered installer notifies through their scheme and you receive the compliance certificate; anyone else has to go through the local authority.
Where free replacement offers come from
Some energy suppliers and local authority schemes have funded electrical safety work for eligible households, and a landlord licensing scheme occasionally does the same. They come and go, so the honest answer is that a free replacement depends on a scheme that may not exist in your area today. Check with the local authority before assuming.
Questions people ask about fuse board replacement
Is replacing a fuse box notifiable work?
Yes. Replacing a consumer unit is notifiable under Part P in England and Wales, so it is either notified through a registered installer's scheme or through the local authority.
Does an EICR always require a new fuse board?
No. An older board can be perfectly serviceable. What triggers replacement is a specific observation, and the classification code says whether it is required or recommended.
What certificate do I get for a new consumer unit?
An Electrical Installation Certificate, because the whole installation is tested and certified once the board is replaced.
Why did the price go up during the job?
Usually because testing after reconnection found something the old board was hiding, which has to be put right before the installation can be certified.