Kingswood
Fuse box upgraded to a modern RCBO board
Old rewireable board out, full RCBO protection in, everything labelled and certified.
About this service →An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is the formal inspection of your home's fixed wiring: the consumer unit, the circuits, the sockets and switches, everything behind the walls. I carry out EICRs across Bristol and South Gloucestershire myself, City & Guilds qualified in inspection and testing (2391-52), and certify every one under my NICEIC registration. If you've been told you need an "electrical safety certificate", this is almost always the document being asked for.
What an EICR inspection covers
The inspection tests a sample of every circuit in the property against BS 7671, the UK wiring regulations. That means the consumer unit and its protective devices, earthing and bonding, the condition of accessible cables, and a schedule of test results for each circuit: continuity, insulation resistance, and whether the safety devices trip when they should. You get the full report, not a one-page summary, and I'll walk you through what it says in plain English.
C1, C2, C3 and FI: what the codes on your report mean
Every observation on an EICR carries a code, and the codes decide what happens next. C1 means danger present, and it gets made safe on the day, before the inspector leaves. C2 means potentially dangerous, and the report can't be satisfactory until it's fixed. C3 is a recommendation: the installation doesn't meet today's standards but isn't dangerous, and fixing it is your choice. FI means further investigation needed. Any C1, C2 or FI makes the report unsatisfactory. For the full picture, the EICR guide covers the codes in depth.
Buying, selling, or due a landlord check?
Send the address and rough size of the property and you'll get a fixed written price — most EICRs are booked within the week.
What an EICR costs in Bristol
These are estimates, not quotes. Final costings always follow a free site inspection — and jobs often come in under the estimate, never over without you agreeing it first.
| Property | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 1–2 bed flat | £200 |
| 2–3 bed house | £200 |
| 4–5 bed house | quoted per property |
What moves the price inside those ranges: the number of circuits, the age of the installation, whether previous records exist, and access. These are indicative ranges, not quotes; your price is confirmed in writing before any work is booked. Full detail, including what suspiciously cheap EICRs leave out, is in the EICR cost guide.
Buying a house? Pre-purchase electrical surveys
A homebuyer survey barely looks at the electrics; "recommend inspection by a qualified electrician" is boilerplate on nearly every one. An EICR before exchange tells you what that sentence is hiding, and an unsatisfactory report is negotiating leverage measured in thousands. If you're mid-purchase and the clock is running, say so when you get in touch and I'll prioritise the booking. If you're selling rather than buying, read do you need an EICR to sell a house first.
Minor works and installation certificates
Not every job needs an EICR. Smaller alterations get a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate, and new circuits get an Electrical Installation Certificate, both issued by me on completion. If you've had work done and never received paperwork, that's worth fixing: the Part P guide explains what should exist and what to do when it doesn't.
Recent EICRs
Longwell Green
Garden lighting, designed then wired
Lighting positions planned with the customer before a single cable went in the trench.
About this service →
Fishponds
Unsatisfactory EICR turned around in a week
Two C2s found at a landlord inspection; both remedied and a satisfactory report issued five days later.
About this service →What happens if my EICR fails?
Strictly it doesn't "fail", it comes back unsatisfactory. You get a costed list of the C1s and C2s, and once they're fixed you receive confirmation the installation is satisfactory. I quote remedials from the report itself, so you're not paying for a second inspection just to get a price.
Can you do the remedial work as well?
Yes, and that's usually the efficient route: the person who found the faults prices them from the schedule rather than starting again. You're free to take the report to anyone, it's your document.
How quickly will I get the certificate?
The report is normally with you within one working day of payment, by email, with the schedule of test results attached.
What do you need from me before the visit?
Access to the consumer unit, and ideally a photo of it with your enquiry. Clear the cupboard it lives in, and if it's a rental, tell your tenants the power will be off in stages.
