Common Questions About Our Electrical Services
Here are the questions we get asked most often by customers across Kingston, Surbiton, Leatherhead and Epsom. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, give us a call on 07890 440 890 or use the contact page and we will get back to you the same day.
Electrical Safety & EICR Certificates
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal assessment of the electrical installation in a property. Landlords legally require one every 5 years for rental properties. Homeowners should consider one when buying a home, after major renovations, or every 10 years.
For rented properties, an EICR must be carried out every 5 years by law. For owner-occupied homes, every 10 years is generally recommended, or when buying a new property. Commercial premises should be tested every 5 years or after any major electrical work.
A tripping fuseboard usually means there is a fault somewhere in the circuits. Common causes include overloaded sockets, faulty appliances or moisture in outdoor sockets. If it is tripping repeatedly, switch off connected appliances first and contact a qualified electrician to investigate further.
Old wooden or fabric-covered fuseboards, fuseboards that use rewireable fuses rather than circuit breakers, frequent tripping, scorch marks around the unit, or fuseboards over 25 years old are all signs that a replacement may be due to bring the installation up to current 18th Edition standards.
House Rewiring
A full house rewire typically takes 5 to 10 working days depending on the size of the property. Smaller flats can be completed in 3 to 5 days. Larger homes or properties needing complete strip-back can take longer. A realistic timeline should always be agreed before work starts.
Common signs include flickering or dimming lights, sockets that feel warm or look discoloured, frequent fuseboard tripping, old wooden or fabric-covered fuseboards, or wiring with cloth or rubber insulation. If a property is over 25 years old and has not been rewired, an inspection is worth considering.
Lighting & EV Chargers
A standard home EV charging point installation usually takes 3 to 4 hours. The job includes a site survey, supply and fit of the charger, electrical testing and final certification. Most installations are straightforward unless significant cabling or fuseboard upgrades are needed.
Outdoor lighting circuits use weatherproof fittings, IP-rated cables and protective devices designed for exposure to moisture. They are usually fed from a dedicated circuit with RCD protection. Indoor lighting can use standard fittings but should still be installed to current wiring regulations.
Commercial & General
Commercial electricians work on offices, retail units and industrial premises where electrical loads, three-phase supplies and compliance requirements differ from domestic settings. Domestic electricians work primarily in homes. Many qualified electricians are competent in both.
The 18th Edition (BS 7671) is the current set of UK wiring regulations covering electrical installation safety. Any new electrical work in homes or businesses must meet these standards. Older installations remain legal but may need updating during major work or to meet landlord requirements.