How to install an EV charger at home

Updated August 2026 with current grant amounts, prices and regulations.

Note this is not a DIY guide on how to install an EV charger at home. This is just a brief explanation of what to expect when you hire a professional electrician to accomplish the installation. And yes, we are talking about hardwiring the unit instead of plugging it into your regular outlet. In general, the EV charger installation pipeline includes such steps as preparation, installation, and commissioning. One thing has changed since this article was first written: under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, in force since June 2022, every new home charge point sold in Great Britain must be a smart unit, which adds a little to the commissioning stage.

Preparation

Before installing an EV charger, an engineer assesses the electrical health of the place where you plan to install your electric vehicle station. There are a few objective reasons:

• Make sure your electricity board has the necessary amperage and a slot for the unit to connect
• Assess the need for extra cabling and other preparation works
• Assess the length of cable to bring for the installation
• Check the earthing arrangement, as a charger may need its own protective device

If the assessment results for the first bullet points are ok and nothing else is required, the next step comes. However, if the engineer detects any issues, they will tackle them first. For example, it could be the need for rewiring, electricity board upgrade, and other works.

The survey also fixes the price. In London a straightforward 7 kW home installation typically costs £900-1,200 in 2026, or £1,300-1,800 if a new consumer unit, an earthing upgrade or a long cable run is needed; a 22 kW unit needs a three-phase supply, which most homes do not have. The installer must also notify your Distribution Network Operator (UK Power Networks across most of London) that a charge point is being connected. Finally, check whether you qualify for the EV chargepoint grant: from 1 April 2026 it is worth £500 per socket, but only for renters, flat owners, residential landlords and households with on-street parking installing an approved cross-pavement solution. Freehold houses with a driveway are not eligible. See our London installation cost guide and EV chargepoint grant 2026 guide for the details.

Installation and commissioning

To be specific, EV charger installation is a two-step task. First, you need to hardwire the device. In other words, an EV charger is not a sort of equipment that generates power on its own. Instead, it transforms the power it gets from the mains to the necessary power output and transmits it to a vehicle. So, the engineer connects your EVSE to your circuit breaker to make it work. Second, you need to mount your station. For example, if you install a wall-mounted EV charger, your engineer secures the wall bracket and attaches your station.

At last, the time comes to commission the appliance. At this stage, you need to make sure your EV charging equipment works correctly and check all the station modes. Of course, this task is also within the responsibility of the engineer. Because every new home charger is now a smart unit, commissioning also means connecting it to Wi-Fi or a mobile network, pairing the app and setting an off-peak charging schedule, so that you can charge on an EV tariff at around 7-10p/kWh instead of the standard rate of roughly 26p/kWh.

Where to find the right engineer to install your EV charger?

When you buy one of our EV charging stations, you can order its installation right on the Shopping basket page. Just select the “Installation and free delivery” option and proceed to checkout. Thus, you can not only save effort on choosing a reliable installation company but save money on the unit delivery as well. Auto E is a UK charge point manufacturer and installer based in London NW1, and our own engineers carry out EV charger installation across London. Message us if you have any questions about your property.