How Much Does an EICR Cost?

It is the first question almost everyone asks, and the honest answer is that it depends on the size of the installation rather than the size of the house. What actually drives the price is the number of circuits, because every circuit has to be individually tested. That is why a one bedroom flat costs less than a four bedroom house, and why a commercial unit is priced differently again. We would rather explain how the number is arrived at than quote a headline figure that changes the moment we arrive.

What Drives the Price

The number of circuits comes first. A small flat might have five or six. A large house with a garage, an outbuilding and an extension might have twenty. Second is access, because a consumer unit boxed into a cupboard behind shelving takes longer to work on than one on an open wall. Third is the age and history of the installation. A property that has been extended and part rewired by several different people over forty years takes longer to test and trace than one wired in a single go.

Why Very Cheap Quotes Are Worth Questioning

An EICR takes time, because testing is not the same as looking. If a price seems far below everyone else, the usual explanation is that the inspection is a visual check with a few sample tests rather than a full test of every circuit. That produces a document, but not a reliable one, and it is you who carries the consequence if something was missed. Ask what proportion of circuits will actually be tested before you compare prices.

Beware the Report That Generates Work

The other thing to watch for is a very cheap inspection followed by a long list of expensive remedial work. It is a known pattern in the trade. We quote remedial work separately and we are happy for you to get other prices or use your own electrician, precisely so that the report can be trusted on its own terms. A report you cannot trust is worse than no report at all.

What You Should Get for the Money

A full test of every circuit. A written report listing every observation with a code against it. A clear overall verdict of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. A recommended date for the next inspection. And someone willing to talk you through it afterwards so you understand which items genuinely need action. If any of that is missing, you have not had a proper EICR.

What Affects the Final Figure

Number of Circuits

The single biggest factor. Every circuit is tested individually, so more circuits means more time on site and a higher price.

Type of Property

Flats, houses, houses in multiple occupation and commercial premises are all priced differently because their installations differ.

Age and History

Older installations that have been altered repeatedly take longer to trace and test than a straightforward modern one.

Access

If the board or the circuits are hard to reach, the job takes longer. Clearing access before we arrive genuinely saves money.

How We Price It

A Figure Before We Travel

Tell us the property type and the number of bedrooms and we can give you a price in advance rather than after we have arrived.

The Report Is Included

You get the full report whatever it concludes. We do not charge separately for the document or for explaining it to you.

Remedials Quoted Separately

Any work needed is quoted on its own, with no obligation. That keeps the inspection honest and lets you compare prices.

No Charge for Questions

If you want to go through the report afterwards and understand what each code means, that conversation is part of the service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an EICR cheaper for a flat than a house?

Usually yes, because a flat normally has fewer circuits to test. A large converted flat with its own outbuilding or an unusual supply arrangement can cost more than a small house, so the property type alone does not settle it. The circuit count is what matters.

Does it cost more if the property fails?

No. The price covers the inspection and the report, and it is the same whether the verdict is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Any remedial work needed is a separate quote that you are free to accept or decline.

Do I need one if the house is new?

A new installation comes with an Electrical Installation Certificate, which is a different document. You would not normally need an EICR straight away, but you will when the recommended interval comes round, and if you rent the property out the five year rule still applies.

Get a Price for Your Property

Tell us what the property is and how many bedrooms it has and we will give you a figure before we come out, with no obligation. We test across Bridgwater, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea and the wider Somerset area, and every inspection is carried out by a NAPIT registered electrician with over eighteen years of experience.