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04 · Property

Install costs: house vs flat vs no driveway

Your postcode doesn't decide your EV charger install cost — your property type does. Here's what each scenario actually pays in 2026.

Detached or semi with a driveway: £899–£1,299

The cheapest, easiest scenario. The consumer unit is usually within 5–10m of the parking spot, earthing is straightforward, and there's no permit or landlord involved. A mid-range smart charger (Hypervolt Home 3, Ohme ePod) installed on a modern fuse board lands at £899–£1,099; add £150–£200 for a premium unit like a Zappi or Andersen.

This is the only property type that does not qualify for the £350 OZEV grant in 2026.

Terraced house with rear parking: £1,099–£1,499

The extra cost is almost entirely cable. The meter is at the front, the car parks at the back, and you're paying for 10–20m of routing — usually through the loft or along the side return. A few terraces also need a small consumer unit enclosure because the original board is crammed under the stairs with no space.

Sense check: ask whether the cable can be fished through the existing cavity rather than surface-mounted. Same price, much better finish.

Flat with allocated parking: £1,099–£1,899

The variability here is enormous and comes down to one thing: the distance from your flat's meter to your parking space. A ground-floor flat next to its parking bay is barely more than a standard house install. A third-floor flat with parking 40m away in a communal car park needs a sub-main, separate consumer unit and sometimes the freeholder's structural sign-off.

You qualify for the £350 OZEV grant regardless of whether you own or rent the flat — see the full OZEV grant guide.

The bigger hurdle is usually freeholder permission. Allow 4–12 weeks before the installer can even quote properly.

House with no off-street parking: £1,400–£2,200

The hardest scenario, and the one with the most movement in 2026. Three options:

  • Cross-pavement cable gully (£300–£600 on top of a standard install). A flush channel cut into the pavement that lets you safely run a cable from your house to a parked car at the kerb. Currently permitted in Oxford, Edinburgh, Brighton, Cambridge and a growing list of councils. Requires a permit (typically £50–£150) and 4–8 weeks of waiting.
  • On-street council chargers — slower (typically 3–7kW), shared, and you pay per kWh. Not really a home install, but worth weighing up. Search "on-street EV charging by city".
  • Workplace or destination charging. If your employer has chargers, it can be cheaper than home for years.

Commercial / workplace: £1,499–£3,500+ per socket

Out of scope for the home calculator, but worth flagging: workplace installs need 3-phase consideration, signage, RCD specifications and often a backhaul to a billing system. The Workplace Charging Scheme covers up to £350 per socket for up to 40 sockets per business.

Quick comparison

Property typeTypical install£350 grant?
House + driveway£899–£1,299No
Terraced, rear parking£1,099–£1,499No
Flat with parking£1,099–£1,899Yes
No off-street parking£1,400–£2,200Sometimes
Commercial / workplace£1,499–£3,500+WCS scheme

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