Six things to check when you’re looking for an electric vehicle charger installer

The world of electric vehicles and home charging is still very new. It can be tricky to know what you need to look for when finding the right electric vehicle (EV) charger for your home, and the right installer to get the job done.

Our quick 6 point checklist covers everything you need to think about when getting quotes for your charging point and its installation.

Choose the right at-home electric car charger for you

There are plenty of EV charge points out there, all offering different features and functions.

You want to be 100% sure your installer offers the right charger for you. So what do you want from it?  Does it need to sync with energy tariffs to charge at the cheapest rates? Or charge from your own solar panels? Are you happy with the design and size of the charger? It needs to be the right fit for your car and your home.

And of course, your EV charger needs to be reliable. You don’t want to be stuck at home with no transport because your charger isn’t working. That’s why at Egg, we only install electric vehicle chargers that won't let you down. We test and choose all our chargers to our super high Egg standards, so we’re only installing EV chargers that get the job done, and get it done well. And with our Egg Charger Plan, there’s no upfront costs to install your charger, and you’ll have peace of mind with our included repair-or-replace promise. You won’t be needing that supplier warranty (and trust us, you won’t miss it).

Find the right way to pay for your charger 

Heard of buyers remorse? No one wants to feel like they’ve made a bad buying decision, or like they’ve paid over the odds. Your EV charger installation is no exception, so make sure you’re asking for like-for-like quotes during your search, and take a look at other payment options, too. 

Some companies offer a fixed price for standard installations. Each supplier will be different, so make sure to check what this includes.  Having all the information will help to avoid nasty surprises on installation day, like extra costs.  Ask the supplier:

• Is it the same charging hardware?

• How much cable is included in my installation quote?

• Does my quote include active load management?

• Is there the possibility of any extra costs on installation day? (Here at Egg, we’ll let you know if you fit our standard installation criteria, so you’ll know before installation day if there’s anything extra you need to pay. Easy.)

Paying for your charger outright isn’t the only way to go. If, like most people, you want a convenient way to charge your car that fits with your budget, offers flexibility and doesn’t require up front costs to get high quality and reliable kit, take a look at Egg’s EV Charger Plan. With maintenance and repairs included, it really is hassle-free to have an electric car charger at home.

Who will be installing your EV charger?

Checking who will be completing the installation work is also really important, especially if you have any maintenance issues in the future. Make sure to ask when you’re getting a quote or booking your installation online. At Egg, we have our very own (and award-winning, no less) installation team, but other suppliers might sub-contract the work to local electricians in your area. 

Notifying your Distribution Network Operator

Your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) looks after your local/regional electricity supply. Before you have an EV charger installed at home, your installer will need to tell the DNO the likely maximum demand at the property, so it can check that the supply is good enough.

Before your installation, check that your installer is going to notify the DNO. At Egg, our team will always notify the DNO whenever we’re installing a charging point, so that’s one less thing for you to worry about.  

If the maximum demand is likely to be higher than the supply at your home, then some chargers can be “de-rated”. This means they’ll use less power. For example, the charger might use 16 Amps instead of its usual 32. In most cases, even if your charger needs to be de-rated, you’ll still be able to have your charger safely installed - and once your DNO can upgrade your supply, your charger can be returned to full power.

Check what other customers are saying

It’s always reassuring to get recommendations from friends and family, but what if you’re the first to have an EV charger installed?

Once you’ve given yourself a pat on the back for leading the way in greener travel in your social and family circle, take the time to see what other customers are saying about the installer you’re thinking of using. Check out customer review sites like Which?, Trustpilot or Google reviews to get a glimpse of what previous customers think about their installation and charging hardware. If they’re not listed on any of these sites, you could ask your installer if they can put you in touch with a previous customer, but it might also be worth considering why there are no online reviews.

Need a helping hand?

If you’d like a quote for your own home EV charger, or need some help choosing the right EV charger for your home and your car, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch