Written by Gary Williams · NAPIT registered · Updated 10 September 2026
The three things that decide whether it's possible
First, off-street parking: the charger has to serve a driveway, garage or allocated space, because trailing a cable across a public pavement isn't permitted and isn't safe. Second, supply capacity: a 7kW charger is a substantial continuous load on top of an electric shower, oven and hob, so the maximum demand has to be calculated rather than assumed. Third, the consumer unit: a dedicated, correctly protected circuit has to come from somewhere, and an older rewireable board can't provide that protection — it needs replacing first.
Why the earthing arrangement matters
This is the part most people have never heard of and it's the one that most often changes a quote. Most UK homes use a PME (TN-C-S) earthing arrangement, and connecting an outdoor EV charger to it brings a specific risk if the supply neutral fails. The regulations require this to be addressed, either with a charge point that has integrated open-PEN protection built in, or by installing a separate earth electrode. Which route is appropriate depends on the property and the unit chosen, and it's decided at survey.
What the installation actually involves
A dedicated circuit is run from the consumer unit to the charge point in appropriately sized cable, protected correctly for the earthing arrangement in place, and terminated at a properly mounted unit. The circuit is then tested, the installation certified, and the work notified to Building Control — new circuits are notifiable under Part P. Good practice is to plan the cable route so it's discreet: through a garage, along a natural line, or clipped neatly rather than looped across a front elevation.
What pushes the cost up
Cable route length is the biggest single factor — a charger on the wall next to the board is a very different job from one at the far end of a detached garage. After that: a consumer unit with no spare way or no capacity, which means a board change first; an earthing arrangement needing an earth electrode; a route that has to cross a driveway, which means proper armoured cable at the correct depth; and any groundwork. None of these are surprises if the survey is done properly, which is exactly why we survey before quoting.
Do you need a qualified EV installer specifically?
You need someone competent for the work, and for EV charge points that means the specific qualification — Gary holds City & Guilds 2919-01. It matters because the earthing and protection requirements for charge points are genuinely different from general domestic work, and getting them wrong creates a real hazard rather than a paperwork problem. It's also usually a condition of the charge point manufacturer's warranty and of any grant funding.
Flats and allocated parking
Flats are harder but not impossible. Beyond the electrics, you generally need an allocated space and the freeholder or management company's written consent to run a cable through common parts, plus a clear answer on whose supply the charger sits on — your own meter, or a landlord supply. We'll survey it and tell you plainly whether it's viable before you spend anything on a unit.
What it will cost at your property
We don’t publish blanket prices, because the factors above move the figure too much for a headline number to be honest. What we will do is come and look, then give you a written, itemised quote with nothing hidden in it — free, and with no obligation.