Distribution Board Change

Distribution Board Change

Safe, compliant upgrades to keep your power on – today and for the future

Your distribution boards are the heart of your electrical installation. As your building changes – new machinery, extra EV chargers, office reconfigurations – the original boards can become overloaded, outdated, or simply no longer fit for purpose. A properly designed distribution board change improves safety, capacity and reliability, while bringing your installation in line with current standards.

Why does a distribution board change matter?

Safety first: modern protection for people and property

New boards allow us to install modern protective devices – such as RCDs, RCBOs, surge protection and, where appropriate, AFDDs – helping to reduce the risk of electric shock, overheating and electrical fires. We also tidy up poor terminations, damaged kit and ad-hoc historic alterations to bring everything back to a safe baseline.

Capacity for growth: space for new loads and technology

As you add equipment, air-con, servers or EV charging, the load on your existing boards increases. A board change lets us re-design how circuits are split, provide spare ways for future projects and ensure the incoming supply and protective devices are sized correctly. That means less nuisance tripping, fewer callouts and room for your site to grow.

Compliance & reliability: aligned with current standards

A new, correctly specified distribution board helps you align with current BS 7671 requirements, insurer expectations and internal H&S policies. Clear labelling, up-to-date schedules and documented test results make ongoing maintenance easier and help you demonstrate that you’re managing electrical safety properly.

When should a distribution board be changed?

Common reasons to consider a board upgrade or replacement include:

Frequent nuisance tripping or unexplained outages
Visible signs of age or damage – heat marking, brittle plastic, broken covers
Old rewireable fuses or mixed, non-standard devices still in service
No spare ways for new circuits or projects
Evidence of overloading – multiple circuits doubled up into one way, or oversized loads
Major changes to the building – refurbishments, change of use, new production lines
Recommendations from an EICR – e.g. C2/C3 observations relating to boards, protection or containment

If you’re unsure, we can carry out a quick survey (and, if needed, an EICR) to advise whether repair, partial upgrade or full board change is the most sensible option.

Who is a distribution board change for?

Most commercial and public-facing environments will need board upgrades at some point, especially where demand has grown over time. Typical sites include:

Offices and shared workspaces
Warehouses and logistics facilities
Schools, colleges and universities
Leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools
Hotels, hospitality and venues
Retail units and multi-let premises
Residential blocks and HMOs with communal services

Whether you have a single small board or a complex arrangement of mains, sub-mains and distribution boards, we’ll assess the whole picture and propose a practical upgrade plan.

Incoming supply & main switchgear

We confirm supply characteristics, fault levels and maximum demand, then select appropriate main switches, RCDs/RCBOs and surge protection devices.

Board design, configuration & device selection

Circuits are grouped logically (by area/use), with protective devices selected to suit cable sizes, disconnection times and discrimination/coordination requirements.

Circuit identification, test and labelling

Each circuit is identified, tested and labelled clearly on the board and schedule, so future maintenance teams can quickly see what feeds what.

Earthing & bonding

We verify main earthing and bonding, upgrading or rectifying as needed so that the new board is properly supported by the rest of the installation.

Containment, routing & terminations

We tidy cabling as it enters the board, ensuring suitable containment, cable glands, trunking and correct terminations to reduce stress and overheating.

Surge & additional protection (where required)

Where required or recommended, we incorporate surge protection, AFDDs or additional RCD protection to align with current best practice and usage..

What we do as part of a distribution board change

Our simple 4-step approach

Site review & load assessment

We visit site to review your existing boards, supply, connected loads and any planned changes. We’ll agree access arrangements, downtime windows and any critical circuits that must be kept live where possible.

Design & quotation

Based on the survey, we design the replacement board(s), confirm device types and prepare a clear, itemised quotation. Where beneficial, we’ll also suggest future-proofing options and phased upgrades.

Installation & changeover

Our electricians isolate safely, remove the old board and install the new equipment. Circuits are transferred in a controlled sequence to minimise disruption, with temporary supplies used where agreed.

Testing, certification & handover

Once installed, we test all circuits fed by the new board and complete the required electrical certificates. You receive updated schedules, documentation and a clear explanation of what’s been done and how to operate the new equipment.

Managing downtime & disruption

Business continuity is usually the biggest concern when planning a board change. We work with you to:

Agree out-of-hours or weekend working where needed
Identify critical loads (IT, servers, refrigeration, security, etc.) and plan changeovers to reduce risk
Phase the works across multiple visits if several boards are involved
Provide clear communication to staff or tenants about when power will be off and back on

Our goal is to leave you with a safer, more reliable installation – without unnecessary disruption to your day-to-day operations.

What you receive

After a distribution board change, you’ll receive a full documentation pack, typically including:

Electrical installation certificate for the new/modified circuits
Updated circuit schedules for each board
Test results for the circuits affected by the works
Photos and as-installed details for your records and insurers
Details of any limitations or further recommendations, if applicable

Where we’ve also completed an EICR, the two sets of documents work together to give a clear picture of the condition and configuration of your installation.