Home EV Charger Installation: What Happens on the Day

A home EV charger installation usually takes between three and six hours. Most people expect it to be more disruptive than it is. The actual process is fairly straightforward, and for most properties with a reasonably positioned consumer unit, it’s a single morning or afternoon job.

Before Installation Day: The Survey Visit

Most OZEV-approved installers start with a free survey visit before anything is booked in. This visit is worth doing properly, because it’s where you agree the cable route, confirm eligibility for the grant, and get a fixed price.

On the survey visit, I look at:

• The location and condition of your consumer unit
• Whether the board has capacity for an additional 32-amp circuit (which a 7kW charger needs)
• The best route for the cable from the consumer unit to your parking position
• Whether any additional protection or consumer unit work is required
• Your vehicle and property eligibility for the EV Chargepoint Grant

The visit takes around 20 minutes. You get a fixed price quote at the end of it, with a clear explanation of where the cable will run and why.

Installation Day: Step by Step

Cable routing

The cable run from the consumer unit to the charger position is the main work. In most properties, this means running an armoured cable (SWA) or a suitably protected cable through the property — typically via a garage, along the side of the house, or under the floor — out to the parking position.

The route is agreed with you first. Wherever the cable runs externally along a wall, it’s installed in conduit or trunking to protect it and keep it tidy. The aim is to keep the cable run as discreet as possible.

Mounting the charger unit

Once the cable is in place, the charger is mounted to the wall at the agreed height and position. Modern smart chargers are designed for external or garage mounting and come with the necessary brackets. This part of the job is quick.

Connection at the consumer unit

A dedicated 32-amp MCB (miniature circuit breaker) is installed in your consumer unit to serve the EV charger as its own circuit. If the board is full, a small extension or a dedicated RCBO is used instead. The circuit is protected and labelled.

Commissioning and testing

Once everything is connected, the charger is powered up and tested. This includes checking that the protective devices operate correctly, that the earthing is sound, and that the charger communicates as expected. For smart chargers, the app is set up and the charger is connected to your home WiFi at this stage.

Documentation

You’ll receive a Minor Works Certificate confirming the installation, along with the paperwork confirming the OZEV grant has been applied. The grant application is submitted by the installer at this stage — you don’t need to do anything.

How Long Does It Take?

Scenario	Approximate Time
Simple cable run, consumer unit on same side	3 – 4 hours
Cable run through garage or utility room	3 – 5 hours
Longer external cable run	4 – 6 hours
Consumer unit upgrade also needed	5 – 8 hours (sometimes two visits)

What You Need to Do

Clear the area around your consumer unit and the parking position before the installer arrives. If the cable needs to pass through a loft space, clear enough access for someone to get in there. That’s broadly it.

For smart chargers, download the brand’s app to your phone before the commissioning step. You’ll need your home WiFi password to hand during setup.

Which Charger Is Right for You?

The unit is usually agreed at quote stage, but here’s the general breakdown:

Tethered 7kW smart charger. A cable is permanently attached to the unit. Convenient for daily use — you pick up the cable and plug in without carrying one around. Slightly cheaper. Works well for single-EV households.

Untethered 7kW smart charger. A socket only, with no fixed cable. Neater appearance if the charger is visible from the street or driveway. Suits households with more than one EV, or where you have multiple connector types.

Solar-integrated charger. Worth considering if you have solar panels already installed, or if you’re planning to add them. Brands like Ohme and myenergi’s Zappi can prioritise charging from your own generation rather than the grid, which reduces the running cost further.

For most households in the Chesterfield area, a tethered 7kW smart charger is the practical choice. I work with several brands and can advise based on your setup during the survey visit.