Cost of simple electrical job

littlerock

I am trying to get a relatively small electrical job done in my Victorian house. The house is well maintained and was rewired about twenty years old, professionally and to a good standard. We had a major kitchen upgrade last year including new electric hob and new lighting, a new CHB 3 years ago and a new bathroom 4 years ago, again with new lighting and an electric towel rail, all professionally installed. None of the tradesmen raised any queries about the wiring or said it needed checking for safety before they would work on it.

Yet two separate local electricians approached for the electrical job, want a large call-out fee - £65-75 - and say for that they will first have to check the house's wiring is safe. I feel a bit nervous about this. The electricians both appear to have good testimonials. One was recommended by the local lighting shop and another by a friend. But I cannot help feeling this may be a try on to get more work. Views?

On a web site called Price My Job it says "Electricians will often work in pairs for safety reasons but will also work in pairs simply if the job will take one man for than a couple of days to complete. As such you should expect a labour cost of around £150 per day for one electrician or £250 per day for two." It also says to add a single socket will cost around £180. Is this about right?

lewisa

Sparks will/should always checked safety first. I think they will want to see how its earthed, ie on your mains water and if you have it on the gas meter/pipes.

Never had to pay a callout fee for a quote though.

bris

As a gas engineer I can't just turn up at a job and assume the gas installation is safe. I have to do checks first before I start work.


This is the same for electricians. "Last man frees all" is a well known saying in the trades. if I don't check, fix a boiler then later on I am told there is a gas leak then as last man on the job I get blamed regardless of the fact it was already like that.


So yes they will want to make sure the electrics are safe before they start work, and FIY £65-75 call out fee is not huge. But I don't charge it if I get the job.

Alter_ego

littlerock wrote: »

" It also says to add a single socket will cost around £180. Is this about right?

Depends on the run of the new wiring.
If it's back to back with socket in the next room I'd expect much cheaper.

PS why get a single added? A double would cost the same.

littlerock

yes you are right.

Heedtheadvice

See also your post in techie forum!
Costs look about right but socket could be a lot less. It depends upon the amount of work required but will seldom be less than a half hours charge if part of a bigger job...and yes go for twin if it suits the location.

littlerock

Yes I posted it in the wrong forum initially. Thanks for the advice.

Risteard

littlerock wrote: »

. As such you should expect a labour cost of around £150 per day for one electrician or £250 per day for two."

You should expect higher labour rates than those quoted.

Any Electrician is required to verify that the installation will not impair the safety of their alteration/addition, and that their alteration/addition will not impair the existing installation. That is a fundamental requirement. With ADS systems this also means verifying Earthing and bonding.

The fact that no-one has highlighted defects with your installation or that it was professionally installed 20 years ago do not alter the fact that you are required by the Wiring Regulations to have it inspected and tested periodically.

There should be a label notifying you of when it was last inspected and giving a suggested date for the next inspection (which will long have passed). If there is no notice then this is a flagrant breach of the Wiring Regulations and would therefore call the work into question.