This illustrative case study describes a fictional owner-occupier semi with a side driveway, a ready consumer unit and a short external cable run to a 7kW smart wallbox. The survey confirms earthing, spare board ways and inlet reach, then the install completes in a day with DNO notification handled by the installer. The planning budget sits inside a common September 2026 illustration of around £800 to £1,400 including VAT. No household OZEV grant is assumed because many driveway owner-occupiers sit outside those routes; GOV.UK still gets a final check. The household then schedules overnight off-peak charging.
Illustrative property
A 1990s semi with a 6 metre side drive, meter at the front and consumer unit in the garage. The car noses in with the inlet on the house side, so a garage gable mount reaches a mid-length tethered cable cleanly.
No leasehold complications and no shared surface.
Survey outcomes
Spare ways exist; RCD strategy needs a dedicated protective device for the charge circuit; earthing arrangement requires the outdoor protection measures the installer specifies. Cable route is surface-clipped SWA along the garage eaves for three metres.
No board replacement is required in this illustration.
- Written scope names model, cable metres and exclusions
- DNO notification included
- Make-good limited to penetrations and clips
Budget and grant check
The accepted illustrative quote lands mid-band for simple 7kW driveway work. A GOV.UK check confirms no flats-and-renters style household grant for this owner-occupier driveway scenario in the illustrative reading of live rules.
The household funds the gross amount rather than waiting for a scheme that does not fit.
Day-of install
Isolation, circuit install, mount, test, app pairing and handover certificates complete in a single visit. The driver plugs in that evening on an off-peak schedule.
Photos of the finished board labelling go into the home file.
Why this case is the baseline
Most cost guides implicitly describe this pattern. If your property differs on parking, board, cable length or consent, do not expect the same band. This story is illustrative, not a promise.
Frequently asked questions
Is every suburban job this simple?
No. Hidden board upgrades and longer buried runs are common surprises. Surveys exist to find them.
Could a grant still apply?
Only if live GOV.UK rules match the tenure and parking. Many driveway owner-occupiers should plan without one.
Tethered or untethered in this example?
Tethered suited the fixed parking pattern. Untethered would also have worked if they preferred one travel lead.
Is this a real invoice?
No. It is an illustrative composite for teaching methodology.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.