New Consumer Unit - post installation test cost

AJMCK

Hi,

We had an electrician quote for and install a new consumer unit for £330 (Z2 London). He then conducted an EICR (further £300) that identified that the earthing was very high and quoted £850 to install a new TT earth, which we thought was far too high. We had another electrician install it a much more reasonable price (NICEIC registered with all paperwork).

The first electrician is now asking for a further £250 to test the system again before he will register the installation of the new consumer unit with building control.

I think this is completely unreasonable but interested in people's views on this.

Thanks

MonsieurFrugal

Do you have a copy of the report ?

Quiet_Spark

Did the guy have the decency to kiss you first?

You are having your pants pulled down big time, common practice is to test BEFORE any work is carried out to identify any potential underlying faults.

I recently did a job that consisted of a test before installation, CU (17th) supplied and fitted, upgraded incoming tails to 25mm, upgraded earth to 16mm, tested the entire house afterwards (pfc, ze, zs, RCD trip times, etc) and supplied all materials for £425 (location was SW6, and I live in Farnborough).

Owain_Moneysaver

AJMCK wrote: »

We had an electrician quote for and install a new consumer unit for £330 (Z2 London). He then conducted an EICR (further £300) that identified that the earthing was very high and quoted £850 to install a new TT earth, which we thought was far too high. We had another electrician install it a much more reasonable price (NICEIC registered with all paperwork).

Is ithe earth, or the consumer unit?

AJMCK wrote: »

The first electrician is now asking for a further £250 to test the system again before he will register the installation of the new consumer unit with building control.

If the 2nd electrician installed only the earth, the first electrician who does the consumer unit is entitled to test, and charge for testing, the earth before using it.

If the first electrician did not install the consumer unit then he cannot register the installation with building control as it is not his work. He can only use his scheme membership to register his own work.

if the first electrician installed the consumer unit there shouldn't be a separate charge for test and registration as he is legally required to do both as part of the job. He should also have tested the earth before connecting the consumer unit, and included that testing as part of the job.

DavidF

I was stuggling to answer until i "got" the implied way the work was carried out.
So 1st electrician gets job to install consumer unit - As stated the job of installing a new CU is done in order
Test all circuits and earthing arrangements BEFORE removing/renewing consumer unit. IF any of these tests indicate a problem then you the client has to decide how to proceed (Extra money for remedial work as the new consumer unit cant be fitted and energised until any problems are corrected by whoever (Spark 1 or any other suitably approved electrician)
After the above is completed then you install new CU
Then you retest the installation and issue certificate.
The way your 1st spark has worked it means HE has to now retest the new earth because he is going to connect it to the new CU that HE is going to sign off...anything else happens then he is signing off someone else's work....nobody in their right mind would ever sign off on someone else's work.
Just to confirm though electrician 1 is a bit naughty and I certainly would have him on my avoid list.

fluffpot

I agree - first 'spark' should not have started fitting the new consumer unit until after the earthing problem was resolved. It sounds like he didn't test and I suggest he can't/doesn't know how to test and the £250 is to pay someone else to test it and sign off. He sounds like muppet

Do you have an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) from the second electrician? This is exactly the same tests as an installation cert - the only problem is that you won't have a Part P (Building Regs) cert.

Risteard

fluffpot wrote: »

Do you have an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) from the second electrician? This is exactly the same tests as an installation cert

Not necessarily. If an Electrical Installation Certificate relates only to the installation of a new distribution board then it may well not contain inspections and tests of all final circuits but only what is relevant to the change of the distribution board.

Likewise the inspection and testing for a periodic inspection as recorded by an Electrical Installation Condition Report may be subject to all manner of agreed limitations.

NICHOLAS_2

I think the electrician we use charges about £120 to test and fill out the NIC paperwork.

£250 is pricey, but i guess London prices are always steeper than the rest of the UK.