Convenient, safe, and fast – home electric vehicle chargers are one of the best ways to charge your EV. But having browsed various EV chargers online and coming across the high initial cost – you may be wondering whether you can install a charger yourself in the hopes of saving some money, asking the question – can I install an EV charger myself?
The answer is not so simple.
In short, technically, you can install your own EV charger. But, as an experienced, qualified and specialist electric vehicle charger installation expert, we strongly urge that you do not install an EV charger yourself unless you have the relevant qualifications, experience and knowledge of the rules and regulations to do so safely and compliantly. We recommend hiring an experienced professional over attempting to install your EV charger yourself every time.
Keep reading to find out the ins and outs of why you should never self-install your own EV charger unless you are a qualified professional.
Believe it or not, self-installing an electric vehicle charger can be more expensive in the long run.
To illustrate our point, if you install the charger incorrectly, you will have to pay for a professional to re-install it correctly – likely at a higher cost than originally quoted for a standard installation. And that’s not mentioning the additional work and cost of the installer fixing any errors or damage that may have occurred during failed attempts at installing the charger (think widespread circuit shorting) – if they even can.
One of the worst-case scenarios is that your EV charger sustains significant damage during your attempts at installation, as you will either have to purchase a new home charger and be drastically out of pocket or sustain the loss and have no home charger.
Additionally, if you try to install the EV charger yourself, you will not qualify for the £350 EV chargepoint grant. Why? Because in order to claim the government grant, the charge point needs to be installed by an OZEV-approved professional installer. Of course, you need to qualify in the first place, and since the previous scheme for homeowners ended in March 2022 – eligibility is now only for flat-owner occupiers and people living in rented properties.
On top of the expense, if you choose to install your own home electric car charger, you will void the three-year manufacturer warranty that comes as standard with your home EV charger.
So, if your charging point has any issues in the future, you will no longer be entitled to repairs or a new EV charger.
When taking the DIY EV charger installation route, there is a high chance of serious harm to yourself or others. Electrical shocks, or even accidental electrical fires, are some of the dangers of installing your own EV charger.
Ultimately, dealing with an electrical installation is dangerous and complex, and it’s not worth the risk. That’s why it’s best practice to choose installers with experience and the correct qualifications and training to undertake the job to ensure peace of mind.
Electricians are also aware of all the relevant safety regulations and permissions, which means they can ensure that your EV charger is installed in accordance with all the necessary safety guidelines and rules, offering you peace of mind knowing your charger is compliant.
For example, regulations state that an EV charger should be on a dedicated circuit so as not to interfere with or overload other circuits in the home. As such, installing a charger would fall under Notifiable Work under Part P of the Building Regulations. This means that the work must be legally signed off and certified by an electrician who is registered with a Part P Scheme Provider, such as NICEIC, and is authorised to sign off notifiable work.
It is a criminal offence as a homeowner or landlord not to ensure that all work carried out in a home complies with Part P of the Building Regulations. As such, trying to install an EV charger yourself could lead to fines and penalties from your local government if you are unaware of the rules and regulations.
Additionally, it’s a requirement to notify your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) of an EV charger installation. Many people are unaware of this requirement and are confused about how to do so. A professional, experienced EV charger installation company will notify the DNO on your behalf.
An expert specialist is a qualified electrician who has completed a training course for installing EV charger equipment and is registered with a competent person scheme such as NAPIT. The installer should also be approved by OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) and have plenty of EV charger installations under their belt.
Choosing an installer with the necessary qualifications and experience will ensure that the EV charger installation is completed safely and to a high standard.
At We Power Your Car, we are certified by the following bodies: OZEV, NAPIT, TrustMark and NICEIC. Additionally, we hold accreditations in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and Alcumus SafeContractor.
A key reason to use an expert specialist instead of attempting a self-install is that they can guide you throughout the process of getting an EV charger, from pre-installation to post-installation.
First, they can advise you on the best type of charger for your needs. EV charging experts are familiar with all the different types of chargers available, so they can advise you on which one will be best for you based on your vehicle, the type of electricity supply you have and the amount of power you require – in addition to any special features you may be interested in. A specialist can then advise the best location for the EV charger installation (some locations may require more work than others, such as detached garages), and discuss the necessary cable routing to ensure the work is neat and discrete.
During the installation, the electrician can demonstrate how to use the charger and guide you through the accompanying smartphone app. Furthermore, in the event of any problems or issues arising after the installation has taken place, they can provide the necessary support to ensure the issues are resolved as soon as possible, and you don’t have to go a day without your charger.
An expert specialist can carry out the EV charger installation quickly and efficiently. Qualified and competent electricians are highly skilled and experienced, so they can install the charger quickly and without any problems. This will save you a lot of time and effort and ensure that your car charging point is up and running as soon as possible so you can start taking advantage of the benefits from the get-go.
Find out how long it takes to install an EV charger in our blog.
If you are thinking about having an EV charging point installed at home, you should use an experienced, skilled, and certified installer.
Using a trained professional will ensure your charger is installed safely and correctly the first time, you can qualify for the government grant (if applicable), your charger will keep its warranty, and there won’t be any preventable accidents.
We’d recommend finding a qualified EV charger professional on the OZEV-approved installer list to ensure they are a trusted entity with the correct qualifications (you’ll find We Power Your Car listed there).
As approved expert specialist EV charger installers, we handle the entire EV charger solution on your behalf. From enquiry to post-installation, taking the hassle of your electric car charger installation – including DNO paperwork. With experienced, expert EV charger installers across the UK, we can install your EV charger nationwide, ensuring simple, quick home charger installation.
If you’re looking to get a home EV charger installed, fill in the contact form below, or call us at 03333 44 96 99. Our expert advisors are available seven days a week, including bank holidays, to provide you with free, unbiased and tailored advice on your electric vehicle charge point installation.
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This type of electric charger has it's own cable to charge your car.
This type of electric charger requires a seperate cable to charge your car.
Spread over a 60 month period.
Tenants and homeowners are eligible for finance.
You decide the amount of months.
Minimum of £1000.
We will contact you to process the credit application. Approval is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. 13.9% APR representative. T&Cs apply.
Your order is not confirmed until your application has been approved.
We lay SWA cable laid at 600mm deep, with a protective cable warning tape laid 150mm above the cable. These are laid on a sand or sifted sand soil bed then backfilled.
We position overhead cables at a minimum height of 3.5m and are run along a catenary wire. The cable run should not be accessible to vehicles.
Standard Installation
Our instant price is fixed if it falls within our standard installation package plus any additions that you have selected (extra cabling for example). This package covers the majority of homes in the UK. Before we undertake your installation we will carry out a digital survey to check that nothing has been missed. After reviewing the survey results some additional work may be required in order to complete your installation safely and to the required standards. If this is the case, we will contact you well before the installation date and advise the cost of any required work. You can then continue with your installation, or alternatively we will refund you in full if you do not want to proceed.
Included in our standard installation is :
• Fitting of a single phase charge point to a brick or plaster wall or other suitable permanent structure
• Up to 10 metres of cable, run and neatly clipped to the wall between the electricity supply meter / distribution board and the charge point.
• Routing of the cable through a drilled hole in a wall up to 500mm (20 inches) thick if this is needed.
• The fitting and testing of electrical connections and protections required for the charge point.
• An additional three way consumer unit, if required
• Installation of a Type A RCBO in an RCBO enclosure
• Up to 3 metres of plastic trunking to conceal interior wiring.
• An O-pen earth protection device if the charge point requires it. (This is NOT an earth rod)
• Up to 4 hours of labour from your installer to complete the work.
• Electrical testing of the whole installation.
• Handover and setup of the charge point and any app that may be needed.
Not included in our standard installation (additional work) :
• Where the installation requires additional cabling over and above the amount you have told us about.
• Upgrade/replacement of the main incoming supply fuse where the local DNO (eg Northern Powergrid) would need to attend site.
• If the charge point is to be mounted on a post/pedestal rather than an existing wall and where you have not selected a post as an extra cost option in your order.
• Installation of a charge point to a three phase supply.
• Where gas and water mains bonding (earthing) is not in place at your property. If this is not in place, additional work would be required before installation of the charge point.
• Any groundwork that has not been selected during the order process.
A Surge Protection Device is not included in our standard installation.
What else you need to know :
• On the day of installation, please ensure that the area around your consumer unit (fuse box), incoming electricity supply meter and proposed charge point location (including where the cable is expected to be run) is clear and free of obstructions.
• We will need your WiFi password as part of the installation process in order to connect your charge point to the internet. Please have this available for the installer. Details will not be kept.
• The charge point must be on your own designated off road parking.
• The charger will be fixed in line with current guidelines at a height where it cannot be hit by a vehicle.
• Our installers are not able to enter loft spaces; lift floorboards or flooring; take apart any furniture of work above a height of 2m. If you anticipate that any of this may be required, then please contact us and we can discuss in more detail and provide you with a quotation.
• Should there be extreme weather conditions our installers may not be able to continue with you installation if it is not safe to do so (for example flooding). They will always do their best to complete the work where they can.
If you have any questions then please contact our customer service team who will be happy to help. Please also read our terms and conditions.
