UK Extremely detailed EICR resulting in £7000 remedial works quote

[ldngbc]

Good evening,

This pertains to a four-bedroom property that is vacant due to minor redecorating. As part of this we employed a sizeable electrical company who completely went to town with the report and came back with 18 C2s for a non-period property that was redone in 2012. Furthermore the quote to remedy the 18 C2s exceeds £7,000. If that's the price, the property will not be able to recoup that cost even with many months of rent and we may as well give up and sell it.

Once an EICR report has been completed, is it allowed to ask another electrician to do another EICR report? If this second opinion flags up, say, 6 C2s, would I be done for the other 12 that the first electrician "spotted"?

Amidst the quote are:

• £900 to replace two fire alarms. Apparently battery alarms are not sufficient; they must be wired in.
• £1600 to replace 20 "class 1 construction" downlight fittings, as the extraneous parts aren't earthed. Apparently plastic replacements won't pass.
• Up to £1000 to investigate loss of continuity in ground floor ring circuit. Apparently it may take a whole day to find where the continuity is lost.

We're at a loss and any comments by anyone who knows anything would be incredibly helpful!

Thank you so much.

 

[LewisM]

Look up Thomas Nagy he's London based

 

[ldngbc]

For the OP.... regarding the consumer unit being plastic... page 15....

https://www.----------------------------/media/2149/bpg4-1.pdf

Ultimately it's the spark carrying out the inspection who decides how to classify each particular issue but the Best Practice Guides are supported by some big names and they only recommend a C3 for the plastic consumer unit and even that has caveats, like being in the only escape route or under a wooden staircase.

In the past I've gone and worked through the list of issues on an EICR for a client, checking they were actually issues. I fixed the real problems about 25% of the items on the EICR and simply wrote a report supported with pictures and test results to clarify the other things were not in fact problems. Was for a house sale and everyone seemed happy, especially the client as it saved her £100s.

Thank you for the document @SparkyChick - that's so appreciated.

 

[ldngbc]

Thank you so much to you all for your thoughts and comments. It has given me hope for humanity again. You're all kind-hearted for your reassurance and giving us an idea of what we should reasonably expect.

It's clear that we should get a second quote for it all. A loss is a loss but not if we can save several thousands of pounds. Now we know that noting "discolouration" isn't the only thing that's ridiculous about what we've received from them.

Thank you and I wish you all a lovely evening!

 

[Dustydazzler]

Look up Thomas Nagy he's London based

Electrical Contractors, North London, Wembley, Harrow, Watford

Commercial & Residential Electrical Contractors, covering Central London and areas within the M25.

www.thomasnagy.co.uk

 

[littlespark]

You’re very welcome. We all try to help when we can.

When you do get a second quote, please come back to us with the differences in price.

 

[i=p/u]

His price is his price , lets say as said above, someone can do it for less than quote, doesn't mean they on same level of pricing, I.e size of buisness., office staff , offices, pensions, tax

 

[Vortigern]

The price is a bit cheeky true. What must not be forgotten is the EICR market has gone into overdrive at the moment. Prices will rise to put the brakes on work from that area. You may find it difficult to get someone to address the EICR remedials due to the above. I presume you knew the price of the EICR beforehand? Should shop around always!

 

[SG_Electrical]

£1000 for an EICR is robbery by anyone's standards. I don't care where you live, no electrician should be charging that much for less than a days work, testing and inspecting. All of the prices they have given are far too high, London or not.

 

[Dustydazzler]

imo and this is just my experience but the pandemic has pushed rates sky high because people dint necessarily want 3 or 4 or 5 trades round quoting for the job In the covid.
they get 1 contractor in , take their price as gospel and tell them to do the work at what ever cost. Get them in and get them out as quickly as possible

I myself had new double glazing quite recently and only got 2 quotes, pre covid world I would have likely got 3 or 4 companies round. I would have and probably should have haggled harder etc

 

[i=p/u]

They must of agreed, others are saying day rate is 600 for london as it is

 

[Vortigern]

This is business though if the market bears the prices you are going to charge them. If I look at mechanics, gas fitters, painters, builders and many other trades we as electricians are way below what they are charging. Considering the technical nature of our work I think we should be earning a lot more personally. In Germany if you say you are an electrician you get a lot of respect as they recognise the complexity of the work and training. That is not to say other trades are not "technical" it's just the price differential is low for us I think. If I could get a £1000 for an EICR I would be doing them day in and day out!

 

[i=p/u]

Yes people get caught sometimes for high price, brother just payed 15k to get his house wired.. I could of done it for less as just myself to entertain, the other guy has Van's, quality tools, office, office staff , niceic subscriptions, electric safe , pays for his staffs courses.. always bigger picture.

 

[UNG]

And this is the total quote, which totals £7332:

View attachment 65461

I wonder what the mark up on the materials is
£114 to replace a 60p back box

 

[naylorpd]

Seems to me that the problem underlying both the cost of the EICR and the cost of the remedial work is the day rate of £800 plus VAT. That is probably because you are using a big firm and not a self-employed tradesman.

In principle you shouldn't give the rectification work to the same firm/person that did the EICR because they have a vested interest in the result. For this I would consider either getting three quotes, or finding a forum member near you. If doing the former, I'd also consider getting a new EICR, again avoiding a big firm - I agree with the suggestion that about £300 should be reasonable

Although some faults can be very tricky to find, continuity on a ring main should be pretty straightforward and I agree with others that to find the fault should not take a day. So if you halve the day rate, and halve the time, you might be in the right ballpark. Fixing it is a different matter though - and they haven't even quoted you for that.

 

[telectrix]

just wondering if the firm the OP got in for this is JAWS Electrics. coz. theys deffinitely a load of sharks.