EV charger home installation: a South London guide

A home EV charger costs £810–£1,725 fully installed in South London in 2026, depending on the unit you choose and how far the cable run is. Standard installs (Ohme preferred, EV Ultra cable) typically sit at £810–£1,150, with premium smart-tariff setups reaching £1,150–£1,725. For most homes the install takes half a day. Below is what genuinely matters in the decision — most of which charger sellers won't mention.

Step 1: Check your supply

Before you choose a charger, an installer should check three things:

• Main fuse rating. Most South London homes have a 60A, 80A or 100A main fuse. A 7kW charger draws ~32A, so we need to check headroom against your peak existing load.
• Earthing arrangement. TN-S, TN-C-S (PME) and TT systems each have different requirements. PME supplies — common in Croydon, Bromley and Sutton — need either an earth-rod-less charger (Ohme, Hypervolt, Wallbox with built-in PEN protection) or an additional earth electrode.
• Consumer unit capacity. If you're already at the limit, a consumer unit upgrade may be required before the charger goes in.

Step 2: Pick a charger that suits how you actually drive

The hardware decision matters less than people think — but a few things genuinely separate good chargers from bad:

• Smart tariff support. If you're on Octopus Intelligent Go or similar, choose a charger that integrates natively (Ohme, Hypervolt). Off-peak charging at ~7p/kWh vs 28p makes a £600+ annual difference for a typical driver.
• Tethered vs untethered. Tethered (cable attached) is more convenient day-to-day. Untethered (socket only) is tidier when not in use and future-proof if connector standards change.
• Load balancing. Essential if your supply is tight — the charger throttles itself when the rest of the house is drawing power.

Step 3: Apply for the OZEV grant (if eligible)

Owner-occupiers of houses no longer qualify, but the EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners still pays up to £350 toward installation. Anyone in a flat or block of flats — common across Streatham, Tooting and Lewisham — should check their eligibility. We're an OZEV-approved installer and handle the paperwork.

Step 4: The install itself

A typical install takes 3–5 hours and includes:

• A dedicated 32A circuit from the consumer unit to the charger location
• Either a Type A RCD with DC fault detection or an RCBO Type B (depending on charger)
• Cable run via the most discreet route — often through the loft, under floorboards, or around the exterior
• Commissioning, earth-loop test, RCD test, and registration with the DNO
• Manufacturer's warranty registration and connection to your home Wi-Fi

Step 5: Notify the DNO

By law, EV chargers over 16A must be notified to your Distribution Network Operator (UK Power Networks for most of South London). We handle this — but if a quote doesn't mention it, that's a red flag.

Common mistakes we see

• Cheap installs that skip load balancing — leads to nuisance trips on the main fuse
• Wrong RCD type — a basic Type AC RCD doesn't meet current EV charger regulations
• Outdoor cable runs in clipped T&E — must be SWA or in suitable conduit

Get a fixed EV charger quote

We're OZEV-approved and install all major brands across South London and Kent. See our EV charger service or request a fixed quote. Call 0203 576 6961.