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myEICR Certificate Cost Calculator
An EICR is produced following a safety check of a property’s electrical installation by an approved inspector. It is a legal requirement for landlords to obtain an EICR every 5 years. A copy should be given to the current tenants.
Homeowners are not obliged by law to have this certificate, but an inspection is recommended at least every 10 years for safety reasons.
The EICR cost calculator offers an approximate price for this electrical safety inspection based on the information you provide, including the type of property, number of circuits and your location within the UK.
EICR Certificate Cost Calculator
An Electrical Inspection, or to give it its proper title, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), is a thorough check of the electrical system of a property.
During this inspection, a qualified electrician is going to have a look at the electrical items, such as fuse boards, wiring, sockets and the like, to make sure everything is working as it should and not putting anyone at risk.
The EICR is meant to spot any potential hazards, like dodgy wiring or out-of-date systems that could cause a problem before they become serious issues.
For people renting a place out in the UK, having an up-to-date EICR certificate is not just a good idea; it's actually the law. Even if you own your home, getting one of these inspections done every 10 years or so is a good idea to ensure everything is safe and catch any problems before they spiral out of control.
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Average Cost of an EICR Certificate
The average cost of an EICR certificate will vary depending on several factors such as the size of your home, your location and the complexity and scale of your electrical installation.
As a general guide:
- 1 bedroom flat - £70 - £150
- 2 bedroom terraced house - £100 - £180
- 3 bedroom semi-detached home - £150 - £250
- 4 bedroom detached house - £200 - £350
- Large house or commercial property - £350+
Older homes with dated wiring and large properties with more circuits will take longer to inspect, adding to the cost. Location also affects the price, with London and the southeast of England being more expensive.
What Does an EICR Involve?
An EICR is an extensive inspection of the electrical installation in a home and includes looking for:
- Signs of wear, including cracks in sockets and switches
- Broken/missing covers or equipment
- Signs of burning or overheating
- Problems with earthing or bonding
- Damaged or outdated consumer unit
- DIY repairs or alterations
- Incorrect labels on circuits
- Worn or frayed cables/wires
The electrician will then test the wiring, including insulation resistance, polarity tests, and verify that the system will trip quickly if a fault occurs. The circuit breakers and Residual Current Devices (RCDs) in the consumer unit are similarly tested.
Inspections can take from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the home, the number of circuits, the complexity of the electrical installation, accessibility and any issues encountered by the electrician. Very large or commercial properties can take a whole day.
Benefits of EICR
Having an EICR done on your property can really pay off in a number of ways. To start with, it can help you find any electrical hazards, such as dodgy wiring, circuits running at full capacity, or an outdated electrical kit that's no longer up to date.
If you don't catch these potential problems early on, they can quickly escalate into a huge risk of electrical fires or people getting a shock. But by spotting them in time, you can sort out the necessary repairs or upgrades, which means everyone in the property should be a lot safer from then on.
For people running rental properties or businesses, getting an EICR done also gives them peace of mind and protection from the law, as it proves they are sticking to all the relevant safety rules.
On top of that, the report can also highlight areas where you could make some improvements to the energy efficiency of your electrical system, which might help trim your energy bills and reduce your property's carbon footprint.
All in all, getting an EICR done is a sensible precaution if you want to keep your electrical installation running safely, efficiently, and in line with all the relevant laws and regulations.
Factors Affecting the Cost
The cost of an EICR is subject to many factors, and the price you pay can vary depending on several elements.
Property Size and Number of Circuits
A larger property will clearly have more circuits, and in these cases, an inspection will take longer and increase the final cost.
Age and Condition of the Electrical System
The electrician will make a note of the age of your electrical installation. Older wiring, outlets and fuseboards need more careful examination, extending the time it takes for the inspection and thereby affecting the cost.
Accessibility of Electrical Components
Where wiring or outlets are not readily accessible, the extra time taken to reach and test them will be charged by the inspecting electrician. Awkward spaces, heavy furniture blocking outlets and limited loft access can impede the inspection, costing you more.
Location and Call-out Charges
As with many trades, your location has an effect on how much you will pay for an EICR inspection and certificate. London and other large cities are typically more expensive than rural areas or small towns. Registered electricians will also charge extra if they are called out of hours or as an emergency.
Additional Costs to Consider
Remedial Work
Faults found as part of an EICR inspection are assigned a classification code. The codes are:
- C1 - There is a dangerous issue requiring immediate action
- C2 - potentially dangerous faults requiring urgent remedial work
- C3 - improvement is recommended, but there is no imminent danger
- F1 - indicates further investigation is needed.
Any remedial work will be an extra cost; the extent of the necessary work will impact how much you pay.
New Consumer Unit/Fuse Box
A fusebox that is faulty or not up to regulation compliance standards needs to be replaced, adding a minimum of around £500 to the cost of your EICR certificate.
Rewiring
In the event that the inspecting electrician finds that all or part of your electrical installation needs to be rewired, this will incur high costs. A partial rewire will be less expensive if only one circuit or area is affected. A full rewire costs around £3,000.
VAT or Certification Fees
Don’t forget that you will pay VAT at 20% on the cost of an EICR certificate. The cost of other certificates, such as a Part P, is most often included in an electrician’s quoted price.
Do I Need an EICR?
An EICR is mandatory for landlords and must be completed every 5 years or before a new tenancy commences. A fine of up to £30,000 is possible for non-compliance.
Householders are not legally required to have an EICR, but it is recommended for safety and insurance reasons to have an inspection done every 10 years or so.
How to Find a Qualified Electrician
All electrical work should be carried out by a registered electrician, and an EICR is no exception. Electricians should be listed on the Registered Competent Person Electrical website, or you can verify them via NICEIC and NAPIT.
Getting recommendations from family, friends and colleagues is great, but you should still check that the electrician is still registered and qualified to carry out the work.
It’s advisable to obtain at least three quotes for your project. This allows you to gauge what an average price is for the work and gives you the opportunity to choose the best electrician to do the job. Check reviews and feedback on their website or social media accounts before deciding.
