Helston Kitchen Electrical Upgrade

A kitchen renovation offers the perfect opportunity to rethink and upgrade the room’s electrical infrastructure, which is exactly what we did for this client in Helston. With a brand new kitchen being fitted, it was essential that the electrics were not only safe and compliant but also designed to meet the demands of modern appliances and a contemporary lifestyle.

The cornerstone of the project was the replacement of the main consumer unit. We installed a new 21-way, fire-rated board complete with individual RCBOs for each circuit. This type of unit provides a much higher level of protection, as a fault on one circuit will only trip that specific circuit, leaving the rest of the house with power. It also features an integrated Surge Protection Device (SPD), which is a vital component for safeguarding sensitive electronics throughout the home from potential voltage spikes from the grid.

Modern kitchens accommodate a range of powerful appliances that require substantial electrical loads. To manage this safely, we installed three new dedicated circuits. A 32-amp circuit was run for the induction hob, while separate 20-amp circuits were installed for the integrated oven and microwave. Each of these appliances was given its own isolator switch, neatly located within an adjacent cupboard. This allows the power to be safely cut off from an individual appliance for maintenance or in an emergency, without affecting the rest of the kitchen.

Functionality was also a key consideration. The existing kitchen socket circuit was extended to provide two additional double sockets on the countertop, giving the homeowner more flexibility for using small appliances. To maintain the clean look of the new kitchen, all new cables were concealed within the masonry walls. We created channels for the wiring using dust-extraction tools to minimise mess, and then refilled them with plaster, ready for the decorators to apply the final finish. The supply for the fridge-freezer was also extended to its new location.

To complete the kitchen’s transformation, we added a touch of modern lighting. The old, redundant hob isolator switch was repurposed to control new under-cabinet lighting. We fitted warm white LED strips within sleek aluminium profiles, which cast a pleasant and practical glow across the work surfaces. The project was carried out in two distinct stages – a ‘first fix’ for all the wiring before the kitchen units were installed, and a ‘second fix’ to connect all the sockets, switches, and appliances once the decorating was complete.

Following the installation, we carried out a full set of tests on all the new and altered circuits before issuing an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and handling the Building Control notification, confirming that all work complies with the current wiring regulations.