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Electric cars are becoming more and more prevalent on the UK’s roads, and it’s no wonder. Apart from the obvious environmental benefits, the rising cost of petrol makes having an electric car a smart way to save money, while saving the planet at the same time. Add to that the government’s recent mandate to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030 and you might be asking, is it time to think about adding an electric car charger to your own home?

Of course, energy prices are rising as well but, according to Pod Point, it still only costs around £15 to fully charge an electric vehicle, for a range of around 250 miles, depending on the make of car.

Compare that to £80 for a full tank of petrol, and you can see the savings to be made. Plus, if you already own an electric or hybrid vehicle, you know the stress involved of trying to find a working charger in your area that isn’t already in use when you get there. While companies such as Gridserve are beginning to roll out national networks of service stations for electric vehicles, these are still at a very early stage. Having your own charger removes a lot of that stress.

But what if you don’t own an electric car? Waiting lists for electric vehicles can take months, and the expense of purchasing a new vehicle may be out of reach for many. Is it really worth the trouble and expense of installing an electrical car charge point that you won’t ever use?

We would argue that it is. The aforementioned government mandate means that electric cars will become more common on our roads and, therefore, more home buyers will be looking for homes that incorporate their own charging points. Riverdale Leasing recently did a survey of 50 UK cities, and found that houses with an electric charging point sold, on average, for 13% more than those that didn’t.

Quite a return for something that can be installed in a day with minimum fuss, and usually for around £1000, depending on your installer and the model you choose. There’s also a government grant available to electric car owners, covering up to £350 of the installation cost. However, this grant is set to expire for single-unit properties in April 2022, though it will still be available for flat owners and renters.

For those of you looking at buying a new build home, chances are it will already have an electric car charging point. This follows an announcement by Boris Johnson at the end of last year stating that, from 2022, all new builds have to provide charging points for electric vehicles. In addition, all properties undergoing significant renovations will also need to have one installed. But, if neither of these scenarios apply to you, what’s involved in getting your own charging point? First, it’s recommended that you have a licensed electrician check your wiring and circuit board, to make sure it can handle the additional load. Once that’s been done, it takes about a day to install the charging point and get it up and running, usually with a minimum of fuss. And that’s it. There are a variety of different companies across the UK offering installation services but, as always, it’s recommended to do your research, check the reviews and make sure you’re getting the right model for your needs.

As the property market continues to heat up in Birmingham and across the country, agents are seeing more and more people list an electric car-charging point as one of their ‘must-have’ items. Eventually, much like heating systems, wifi points and television aerials, they will be considered as essential items for homes across the UK. So perhaps it’s time to consider ‘charging up’ your own property, so you can reap the returns.