Install an Electric Car Charger: The Steps to Your EV Home Charger
From choosing the spot to plugging the car in, here is the order things happen in, what you can legally do yourself, and where the electrician comes in.
The Aranui Handyman Who Mounted It Himself
An Aranui homeowner, handy with a drill, mounted his new charger on the garage wall, ran a cable towards the switchboard and rang to ask if we could just connect the last bit and sign it off. We could not, and it was not about being difficult.
Connecting a charger to your switchboard is prescribed electrical work. The person who signs the Certificate of Compliance is vouching for every metre of that circuit, so we either test and redo what was done or start fresh. In his case the cable was too light for the run, so we replaced it. The mounting was spot on, though, and he had picked a great place for it.
How to Install an Electric Car Charger, in Order
| Step | Who does it | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick where the car parks | You | Note where the charge port sits when the car is in its usual spot. |
| 2. Choose a charger | You, with our advice | Match it to your driving, your car and whether you have solar. |
| 3. Send four photos | You | The open switchboard, the charger spot, the cable path and the meter board. |
| 4. Get a fixed price | Us | One written number, usually the same day, with every extra itemised. |
| 5. Installation day | Our registered electrician | New circuit, cable, isolator and charger, all done in 3 to 5 hours. |
| 6. Test and sign-off | Our registered electrician | A live test with your car, the app set up, and your CoC emailed before we leave. |
Jobs You Can Do Yourself
- Choose the charger and the spot it goes
- Clear the garage wall and the path to the switchboard
- Check the Wi-Fi signal where the charger will sit
- Sign up to an EV power plan with a night rate
Jobs That Need a Registered Electrician
- Any wiring between the switchboard and the charger
- Fitting breakers, RCBOs or a CT clamp inside the board
- Testing the circuit and issuing the Certificate of Compliance
How Long It Takes to Get a Charger Installed
Most jobs go from first photos to a charged car inside a week. The quote usually comes back the same day, we install any day of the week, and the work itself takes 3 to 5 hours, one visit. If your charger has to be ordered in, we book the install around its arrival.
The how it works page walks through install day from start to finish.
Ready to Install an Electric Car Charger?
Four photos are all we need: your switchboard with the door open, the spot where the charger will go, the path between them and your meter board. One written number comes back, usually the same day.
Installing a Charger at Home, Case by Case
Three Things to Have in Place
To install EV charger at home properly you need three things in place: a switchboard with room or load management, a sensible spot near where the car parks, and a registered electrician to wire and certify it.
Check the Plug and the Cable First
Before you install car charger at home, check the car's plug type and the length of cable you need. Those two details decide which charger fits, and getting them right first saves swapping units later.
What You Can Expect From Us
When you install electric car charger at home with us, the price is fixed from photos before we arrive, the work takes 3 to 5 hours, and your Certificate of Compliance is emailed before we leave.
Older Houses
Installing an EV charger at home in an older house sometimes turns up surprises, like rewirable fuses or no RCDs. We spot most of them in the switchboard photo, so they are on the quote rather than discovered on the day.
New Subdivisions
Installing electric vehicle charging station at home in a new subdivision is usually the easy version: modern board, short run to the garage, no trenching. Halswell, Rolleston and Kaiapoi jobs often come in at the standard price.
Rentals and Townhouses
To install charging station at home in a rental or townhouse, start with permission. Landlord or body corporate approval in writing comes first, and we can send them the quote and the plan to speed it up.