Charging technology

EV Charging Technology

Last reviewed: 8 October 2026

A home charger is part of an electrical installation. The right quote depends on your supply, parking space, cable route and chosen equipment. Use this guide to prepare questions for a competent EV installer.

What the site assessment needs to cover

• The available supply, earthing arrangement, existing loads and any load-management requirements.
• The consumer unit and protective devices: a spare slot alone does not establish suitability.
• The cable route, charger location and the vehicle's normal parking position.
• Network approval or notification, property permissions and the exact manufacturer's installation requirements.

Provide photographs requested by the installer, taken without removing electrical covers. Do not open equipment or inspect live wiring yourself.

PEN protection and earth electrodes

A fault in a combined protective-earth and neutral conductor can create dangerous touch voltages. Built-in detection does not remove the need to assess the installation: methods differ, and some use an electrode. Our PEN protection guide explains the questions to ask, with links to IET guidance.

Network notification and approval

Ask your installer whether the proposed work needs approval before connection or can be notified afterwards. Confirm who handles it and keep the paperwork. See the DNO guide for the distinction.

Use a competent installer

Considering fitting your own wallbox? Read whether you can install your own EV charger for the distinctions between competence, certification, UK nation rules and grant authorisation.

Electrical Safety First recommends an electrician trained and qualified for EV chargepoint work. Ask which inspection, testing, certification and building-control requirements apply and are included in the quote.

Approved Document P covers electrical safety in dwellings in England. Other UK nations have their own requirements. Do not infer that a particular installation automatically invalidates insurance: ask your insurer about its terms.

Compare the full installation scope

Separate charger hardware, cable or accessories, electrical work, groundworks and any network work. Ask why each item is needed and whether the quote is conditional on a survey. A cheaper wallbox does not necessarily produce a cheaper completed installation.

For funding, use our grant guide; for hardware choices, start with the home charger checklist. These explanations are source-based and have not received independent electrical-engineer sign-off. They are not installation instructions.