1. Where will it go, and how far is that from the fuse box?
A standard installation assumes the charger is within about 10 metres of the consumer unit. Longer runs are fine — the driveway charger in the photo needed a post because the house wall was on the wrong side — but they add cable cost and sometimes a larger cable size. Think about where the car actually parks and which side the charge port is on.
2. Is there a spare way on the board, and is the board suitable?
The charger needs its own circuit with its own RCD protection. An old board with no spare ways, or a rewirable fuse board, means a consumer unit upgrade first. We will say so before quoting, and price the two jobs together — we do not fit a charger to a board that is not up to it.
3. Is the supply big enough?
Most Leeds homes have a 60A or 80A single-phase supply, which is fine for a 7kW charger alongside normal household use. Homes with an electric shower, hob, heat pump and a 100A fuse already working hard may need a charger that load-balances (most modern ones do). If your main fuse is 60A and you have an electric shower, we check the figures.
4. Tethered or untethered?
Tethered (cable attached) is more convenient day to day. Untethered (socket only) is tidier, works with any car's cable, and suits households that might change cars. Prices are similar; our supplied-and-installed 7kW chargers start from £850 tethered and £800 untethered.
5. Which tariff, and does the charger schedule?
The biggest saving is not the charger, it is the tariff. Off-peak EV tariffs charge a few pence per kWh overnight. To use them properly the charger, or the car, needs to schedule charging into the cheap window — and some tariffs need a specific compatible charger. If you are on or planning one of these tariffs, tell us and we will recommend accordingly.
6. Grants
The homeowner grant for houses with driveways ended some time ago, but OZEV grants still exist for renters and flat owners with allocated parking, and for landlords and workplaces. Eligibility changes; the GOV.UK page linked from our EV charger service page is the current source and we will confirm what applies to you.
We install EV chargers across Leeds — Horsforth, Rawdon, Adel, Roundhay, Chapel Allerton and Pudsey are our busiest areas — from our Kirkstall base. Prices are on the pricing page.
Common questions
How long does an EV charger installation take?
Most standard installations are done in half a day. A long cable run or a consumer unit change makes it a full day.
Can I have a charger without a driveway?
Not usually. Cables across a pavement are not permitted in Leeds without a council-approved gully. We can advise on the council scheme.