A home charger should make owning an electric vehicle easier, not create uncertainty about your electrics, energy bills or the quality of the work. Taking the top questions for an EV installer to your initial conversation helps you compare like for like and gives the installer the information needed to recommend the right setup for your Kent home.
The best answer is not always the charger with the longest feature list or the lowest quoted price. It depends on where you park, the capacity of your electrical supply, how and when you use your car, and whether solar panels or battery storage are part of your plans.
Top questions for an EV installer before you book
1. Is my existing electrical supply suitable?
This is the starting point. Most domestic charge points are fitted as a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit, but a proper assessment should consider the condition and available capacity of your existing installation first.
Ask whether the installer expects any changes to the consumer unit, earthing arrangement or incoming supply. They should also explain how the charge point will avoid overloading the property when other high-demand appliances are in use. Many modern units use load balancing, which automatically reduces charging output when household demand is high. That can be a sensible solution, particularly in homes with electric showers, induction hobs, heat pumps or other significant loads.
An installer cannot confirm every detail from a photograph. A site survey, or at least a careful review of the property and consumer unit, is the right way to identify any extra work before installation day.
2. Where is the best place to fit the charger?
The shortest cable route is often more economical, but it is not the only consideration. The charge point needs to be practical for everyday parking, positioned at a suitable height and protected from avoidable knocks. You also need to think about how the cable reaches the vehicle without becoming a trip hazard or crossing a public pavement.
If the drive layout may change, mention it. A charger on the side wall of a house may suit a car parked nose-in today but be awkward if you later park differently. For detached garages, garden offices or parking areas some distance from the house, the cable route, groundworks and electrical protection need planning carefully.
A tidy installation matters. Ask how cables will be routed, whether trunking will be needed, and how any drilled openings will be finished. Good workmanship should look considered rather than added as an afterthought.
3. Do I need a tethered or untethered charge point?
A tethered unit has a fixed cable attached to the charger. It is convenient because you simply park up, unwind the cable and plug in. It does, however, leave the cable visible when not in use and means replacing the complete lead if it is damaged.
An untethered unit has a socket instead. You use the charging cable supplied with the car, which can look neater and offers flexibility if you change vehicles. The trade-off is that there is one more item to take out and put away each time.
Neither option is automatically better. Ask the installer to discuss cable length, where the vehicle’s charging port sits, and whether the charger will be exposed to weather or used by more than one vehicle.
4. What charging speed can my car actually use?
A domestic 7 kW charge point is suitable for many households and can add a useful amount of range overnight. However, the vehicle’s onboard charger ultimately determines the maximum AC charging rate it can accept. Installing a higher-capacity setup does not necessarily mean your current car will charge faster.
Ask the installer to check your vehicle model and explain the likely charging time from your normal state of charge. It is more useful to know whether the car will be ready by morning than to focus only on headline power figures.
If you regularly arrive home with a low battery, have two electric vehicles or drive long distances most days, explain this. Your routine may justify a different arrangement, but many drivers find overnight charging more than meets their needs.
5. Can the charger work with solar panels or battery storage?
For homes with solar PV, an EV charger that can respond to surplus generation may help direct more of that electricity into the car rather than exporting it to the grid. It can be an attractive option, although it will not guarantee fully solar-powered charging every day. Generation changes with the season, weather and time of day.
Ask how the proposed charger would integrate with your existing solar inverter, battery or energy monitoring system. Compatibility matters, and the controls should be clear enough for you to use without constantly adjusting settings.
There is also a practical decision to make. On some days, it may be more valuable to charge from a cheaper off-peak electricity tariff than wait for solar generation. A good design considers your priorities: lowest running cost, using more of your own generation, or having the car charged at a fixed time.
6. Will it support smart charging and off-peak tariffs?
Smart charging allows a connected charge point to schedule or adjust charging around electricity prices, household demand or your chosen departure time. For many EV owners, this is where the day-to-day saving comes from.
Ask what app or controls are involved, whether there are any subscription charges, and what happens if your broadband drops out. The charger should still be safe and usable, even if some smart features temporarily cannot connect.
It is worth checking whether the unit can schedule charging to suit your electricity tariff. Tariffs change over time, so flexibility is generally more useful than a system designed around one particular provider.
7. What is included in the quotation?
This question prevents most surprises. A written quotation should set out the charger model, installation work, cable allowance, electrical protection, testing and commissioning. It should also make clear what could create an additional cost, such as a consumer unit upgrade, a long cable route, excavation, difficult wall access or a supply upgrade.
Be wary of an attractive fixed price with no discussion of the property. Straightforward installations do exist, but every home is different. Clear assumptions are better than vague promises.
Ask who will carry out the work and whether the installer will be your main point of contact from survey through to completion. For a home energy project, direct accountability makes a difference.
8. Are you qualified, insured and able to provide the right paperwork?
An EV charger is a permanent addition to your electrical installation, so competence and documentation matter. Ask about relevant electrical qualifications, insurance and how the work will be tested.
On completion, you should receive the appropriate electrical installation certification and be shown how to use the charge point. The installer should also explain any maintenance requirements, warranty arrangements and what to do if the unit develops a fault.
If government funding or a scheme applies to your circumstances, ask whether the installer can advise on eligibility and process. Availability and requirements can change, so it is sensible to confirm the position before making decisions based on a potential grant.
9. How will the installation affect my home’s future electrical plans?
A charger should not be considered in isolation if you are planning solar panels, battery storage, a heat pump, an extension or a new kitchen. These improvements can all affect electrical demand and the space available in the consumer unit.
Tell the installer about planned work, even if it is a year or two away. Allowing for future circuits, monitoring equipment or cable routes during the current installation can avoid disruption later. It may cost slightly more now, but it can be better value than reopening finished walls or upgrading equipment twice.
This is particularly relevant for new-build projects. Early coordination with the builder and other trades can produce a cleaner result and reduce avoidable delays.
10. What support do you provide after installation?
The charger may be simple to use once it is set up, but you should not be left to work it out alone. Ask whether the installer will help connect the app, set charging schedules and answer questions after the handover.
It is also useful to know who deals with a fault: the installer, the charger manufacturer or both. A local specialist such as Baird And Brown LTD can provide the reassurance of a clear point of contact, rather than passing homeowners between a national sales office and a separate subcontractor.
A good installer should ask questions too
The conversation should not be one-sided. A careful installer will ask about your vehicle, mileage, parking arrangement, consumer unit, electricity tariff and future plans. They may request photographs before a visit, then confirm key details on site.
That level of questioning is not a delay tactic. It is how a charge point is specified safely and sensibly for the property. The right installation should feel straightforward when you use it every evening, because the planning was done properly before the work began.
When comparing quotations, choose the company that explains the practical details in plain English, records what is included and takes the time to understand how your household actually uses energy. That is the foundation for reliable home charging for years to come.
