Burying the cable to a post or a garage is normal on longer UK drives. Steel wire armoured cable is the usual choice. Depth, warning tape, ducting under vehicle routes and avoidance of other services are design choices the installer should specify. There is no prize for the shallowest trench that still looks neat on the day the turf goes back.
Write burying armoured cable for an EV charger into the quote
The quote should state depth, duct or direct burial, warning tape, length, and who makes good which surface.
Burying armoured cable for an EV charger
Drives that are about to be resin-bound or block-paved should get the cable in before the finish, or in a duct that can be pulled later. Digging up a new driveway is the expensive version of the same job.
- SWA is the usual buried cable
- Depth and warning tape should be specified
- Ducts help if the drive is new
- Reinstatement must be in the price
Check burying armoured cable for an EV charger before you accept a price
Walk the route with the installer. Mark where a lawn, a tree root, a gas pipe or a soakaway sits. A CAT scan for other services matters in older plots.
The price effect of burying armoured cable for an EV charger
Trenching, duct, tape, reinstatement and any edging are the cost. A quote that says 'cable to post' without saying who reinstates the gravel or the slabs will be argued later. Gardeners and groundworkers are sometimes a separate contractor. Name them.
A miss that shows up later: burying armoured cable for an EV charger
The mistake is burying a non-armoured cable, or leaving a coil of SWA in a flowerbed with a promise to bury it 'when the weather is better' after you have paid. Another is forgetting a draw cord in a duct.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should it be?
Follow the installer's design for the route and the ground. Vehicle crossings and garden borders are not the same. Get the figure on the quote rather than from a forum.
Can I dig the trench myself?
Sometimes, if the installer sets the line, depth and duct and still takes responsibility for the cable they install. Agree it first. Striking a service is your risk if you dig blind.
Do I need a manhole?
Not usually for a simple run. You do need a route you can describe later when someone else gardens or builds.
What about mole ploughing?
Unusual for a short domestic run. A proper trench or duct is the normal domestic method.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.