How do you compare EV charger installation quotes like for like?

Give bidders the same site plan, charging requirement and scope schedule. Compare capital cost, exclusions and ongoing fees separately. Published installation references span £15,000–£45,000 for a rapid charger before connection costs [S1], [S2]. A low headline price cannot show the complete project cost. Require written assumptions, commissioning evidence and an exit route for software. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 17 October 2026

A UK retail park landlord can compare EV charge point installers by giving each the same parking plan, tenant access requirements and charging brief. Compare itemised installation costs, connection works [S3], ongoing fees, ownership and exit terms. Ask who handles public charging duties [S6]. Use the comparison table below to record exclusions and provisional costs before choosing an installer.

What should every bidder price from the same brief?

Send a parking plan, proposed user groups, opening hours, arrival pattern and the energy required before departure. State whether charging will be public, staff-only or for your fleet. Include known supply information and identify what still needs a survey. Ask bidders to price the same working outcome rather than an unspecified charger.

Kilowatts (kW) measure power and kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy. Alternating current (AC) equipment and direct current (DC) equipment are different scope choices. A quote for a nominal power rating does not establish what vehicles will receive when all sockets operate together.

Use the installation guide as your procurement hub and charger sizing to define the requirement. Give each bidder access to the same survey findings. Request a revised quotation if a design assumption changes.

Which installation lines should be itemised?

Ask each bidder to return the following schedule with quantities, unit prices, exclusions and the person responsible. The published cost references also distinguish equipment from infrastructure and scope extras [S1], [S2]. This checklist is a purchasing method rather than a universal statutory specification.

A distribution network operator (DNO) manages the local network. The government connection guide explains the connection process [S3]. Ask who obtains its offer and which works the installation contractor actually includes. Do not treat a provisional connection allowance as a confirmed network price.

What cost ranges help you challenge omissions?

These published commercial budgeting bands combine the cited references, rather than describe offers available to your site [S1], [S2]. Ask for the VAT basis and scope in writing before comparing them with a tender.

For both AC options, groundworks, cable runs and connection are extra. For the multi-charger option, add the shared infrastructure range to the per-charger total. The supply-upgrade allowance is not a network offer.

The rapid range combines different published installation scopes. Require bidders to explain their inclusions; do not assume the bottom of a range buys the same project as the top. Read commercial charger costs for the broader budget.

How should you compare software, metering and public payment costs?

Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is the communication protocol between charging equipment and its management system. The Open Charge Alliance tests implementations for conformance [S4]. Ask for the version, certificate, firmware and supported functions for the exact equipment. Require evidence that the chosen combination works, plus control of configuration and the process for moving to another system.

CPMS means the software used to manage sessions and charging equipment. Request annual fees, per-socket charges, transaction percentages, per-kWh charges, communications costs, fee increases and data export costs. Ask whether you retain access after ending the service contract.

MID refers to the Measuring Instruments Directive. Ofgem explains that appropriate compliant metering is required when billing by electricity consumption [S5]. Ask which meter supplies the billable reading and how it is checked; an app’s energy display alone is not conformity evidence. Get specialist advice for your billing arrangement.

Public charging also needs a compliance allocation. The Public Charge Point Regulations address price display, payment, reliability, support and data [S6]. Ask who will be the operator and which hardware, subscriptions and reporting duties are included. Have your solicitor review the operating responsibilities.

How can you compare the complete cost over an agreed period?

Copy this template into your procurement record. Use “excluded”, “provisional” or “included” rather than leaving an unexplained blank. Add separate rows when bidders package items differently.

For an illustration, not a quote, assume a five-year comparison and 20,000 billed kWh yearly. Bid A has £20,000 capital, £900 annual fixed fees and £0.02 per kWh. Its selected costs total £20,000 + 5 × (£900 + 20,000 × £0.02) = £26,500. Bid B assumes £22,000 capital, £600 annual fixed fees and £0.01 per kWh: £22,000 + 5 × (£600 + 20,000 × £0.01) = £26,000. These are invented inputs solely to demonstrate arithmetic, not market prices.

The calculation excludes electricity, VAT, finance, inflation, repairs outside cover and replacement. Add these where relevant, using the same assumptions. No charging income or savings is assumed. A smaller initial invoice does not necessarily produce a smaller total across the selected period.

Which unanswered questions should stop the comparison?

Return quotes that leave the cable route unmeasured, omit reinstatement, rely on unexplained supply allowances or provide no annual fee schedule. Ask what triggers a variation and require approval before additional work. Request commissioning acceptance criteria and identify who corrects failed tests.

Keep fully funded, part funded and self funded proposals in separate columns: the capital payer, ownership and host income differ. Use funding versus buying and contract lock-in and exit to compare those obligations.

The Workplace Charging Scheme currently has a £500-per-socket cap and runs until 31 March 2027 [S7]. Check eligibility before deducting it. Qualifying equipment may receive capital allowances [S8]; check with your accountant. Keep the gross installation price visible regardless of the proposed funding or tax treatment.

What should you do next?

Start with the guides hub, site checker and charging cost tool. Use business electricity data when exploring cutting energy costs. Bring your scope schedule and quotations to get matched with an installer that covers your area.

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