Is an old fuse box dangerous?
The box itself is usually not the danger. The problem is what it lacks. A rewireable fuse box has no RCD protection, the 30mA device that cuts the power in milliseconds when someone touches something live.
Which one have you got?
Greater Manchester’s housing stock means we see the same few boxes over and over. If yours is here, it is a straightforward one-day swap.
Will I need a full rewire?
Usually not, and we test before we quote so you never find out the hard way. An old fuse box does not mean old cables. Plenty of houses were rewired in the 70s or 80s and only the box was left alone.
On the day, we dead test every circuit before the new board goes live. If one circuit tests poorly, we tell you which, what it feeds and what the fix costs. A separate, smaller decision, not a surprise rewire.
What the swap involves
Power off, old box out, and your existing circuits connected into a new metal consumer unit with an RCBO per circuit and surge protection. Older installations often need main bonding to the gas and water, and sometimes new meter tails. Your photos tell us that in advance, so the price is fixed before we arrive.
Every circuit is tested to BS 7671, you get the Electrical Installation Certificate the same day, and we notify building control under Part P. See what each package includes →
Old fuse box questions
Anything else, call or WhatsApp. A real electrician answers, 8am to 8pm, seven days.
Our WhatsApp is run by SB Electrical Group, the team behind Fuse Box Fitters.
No. An old rewireable fuse box is not illegal to live with, but it will not meet today’s BS 7671 standard and an EICR will usually code it. In a rented property that coded report becomes a legal problem for the landlord.
The box itself is usually not the danger. The problem is what it lacks: no 30mA RCD protection, which is the device that saves lives when someone touches a live cable. A modern board adds that protection to every circuit.
Usually not. Wiring from the 1960s onwards often tests fine. We test every circuit before quoting, and if something does need work we tell you exactly which circuit and why.
From £449 fixed, and most old fuse box swaps in Greater Manchester land between £449 and £795. Older houses sometimes need earthing or bonding upgrades, which we price from your photos before we start.
