Thinking about getting an electric car charger at home but feeling completely overwhelmed by the choice? You’re definitely not alone!
At Outwood Electrical, a typical EV charger installation can cost around £800–£1,200, depending on the charger you choose, the cable route and your existing electrical installation. We recently helped a young couple on Shelley Road who had spent the last four years modernising their 1930s three-bedroom semi. They wanted to add an EV charger but weren’t sure which one would suit them, so we had a chat about how they planned to use it and eventually chose an Ohme untethered charger for its compact design and smart charging features.
Choosing the right EV charger for your home
There are a lot of chargers out there now, and if you’re starting from scratch, it can feel like you’ve got far too much choice! You’ve got different brands, different designs, smart charging features, tethered and untethered options, and a whole list of specifications that don’t always mean much if you’re not an electrician.
The best place to start is actually with how you use your car. Where will you normally park? Will you be charging overnight? Do you want to control the charger from your phone? Would you prefer the cable to stay attached to the unit, or would you rather be able to put it away when you’re not using it?
That’s what we talked through with the homeowners on Shelley Road. They’d already put a lot of thought into making their home work for them, so they wanted something that looked neat and didn’t take up unnecessary space. They also liked the idea of being able to manage their charging intelligently. The Ohme untethered charger ticked those boxes nicely.
Tethered or untethered – what’s the difference?
This is one of the questions we get asked quite often. A tethered charger has the charging cable permanently attached to it, so when you want to charge, you simply take the cable from the unit and plug it into the car. It’s convenient and means you don’t need to get a separate cable out each time.
An untethered charger doesn’t have a permanent cable attached. You use your own charging cable and can put it away once you’ve finished. Some homeowners prefer this because it gives the charger a cleaner, more compact appearance, particularly if it’s installed on the front or side of the house.
There’s no right or wrong choice here. It really comes down to what you’ll find easiest to live with. For the Shelley Road couple, the untethered option suited the modern look of their home and meant they could keep the charging cable neatly stored when it wasn’t needed.
What happens during an EV charger installation?
There’s obviously more involved than simply putting a charger on the wall and connecting a cable. Before installing anything, we’ll look at your existing electrical installation, where the charger is going to be positioned and the best route for getting the supply to it. The distance between your consumer unit and charger, along with how accessible the cable route is, can affect the overall cost.
We’ll also make sure the installation is suitable for the charger you’ve chosen and that the necessary electrical protection is in place. This is one reason we’d recommend speaking to an electrician before buying a charger. You don’t want to spend ages comparing different models online, only to discover that the one you’ve chosen isn’t the most suitable option for your property.
A good EV charger installation Prestwich should be planned around your home and your car, rather than simply choosing a charger because it happens to be popular.
Is a home EV charger worth having?
For most electric vehicle owners, having a charger at home is a huge convenience. Being able to plug the car in when you get home and leave it charging overnight means you don’t have to rely solely on public charging points or make a separate trip just to charge the car.
Smart charging can make things even easier, particularly if you want more control over when your car charges. That’s one of the reasons the Shelley Road homeowners liked the Ohme system. It gave them the smart functionality they were looking for without adding a bulky charger to their newly modernised home.
At Outwood Electrical, we’re always happy to talk through your options before you buy anything. If you’re considering an EV charger installation Prestwich and aren’t sure which charger or setup is right for you, contact Outwood Electrical today by phone on 0161 724 6879 or via our contact form. We’d be happy to have a chat and help you find the right option for your home.
