Testing during a consumer unit change

[TJC1]

Evening all

When doing a consumer unit change, how much dept do you all go into? Do you treat it like an EICR with 20% ish and spot checking?

Normally we do end to end, r1 or r2 and IR test once the old board is off and Zs when the new board is on. We try and find end of the line on each circuit and also spot checking.

Didnt know if there is an offical reg/ruling of how much you should do

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I do not usually carry out R1+R2 tests on board changes. That test is really initial verification and obviously the circuit has already been energised. As long as Zs readings are as expected then that is normally sufficient to verify compliance IMO.

 

[JK-Electrical]

Do you charge that separately, or is that inclusive of the price for a CU change?

The EICR is included within the overall cost of the upgrade, not charged for separately.

 

[JK-Electrical]

My point is, I'm not sure I would of got away with charging for a full EICR, and then full price for a CU, in the domestic market.

I don't win every CU upgrade that I quote for as there is always going to be someone cheaper. But the same is true of every other type of job, not just CU upgrades.

 

[Midwest]

Do you charge that separately, or is that inclusive of the price for a CU change?

I only ask, as some, for an EICR, appear to charge fixed price & in addition price per circuit?

As we're in open forum, lets say a silly price of £500 & £50 per circuit for the EICR, then £1000 for the CU change (normal 3 bed domestic property, dual RCD CU).

I just used just charge the £1000. However, I'd carry out some suitable testing, the day or so before.

The EICR is included within the overall cost of the upgrade, not charged for separately.

So you have an additional charge for the EICR, and then the charge for the CU change?

Therefore you charge £1500+ for your CU changes, whereas I charge £1000.

 

[JK-Electrical]

So you have an additional charge for the EICR, and then the charge for the CU change?

Therefore you charge £1500+ for your CU changes, whereas I charge £1000.

No.

I allocate a whole day for the job to be done. I carry-out a full EICR in the morning. Assuming that all is well and remedial work is not required; the actual board change, final testing and certification is done in the afternoon. If remedial work is required, it will be quoted for separately and completed before I proceed with the board change.

To determine the price that will be charged for the EICR and CU upgrade, my hourly rate is multiplied by the hours that I'm likely to be on the job then added to the cost of materials. Most of the time I complete the job ahead of schedule, but there will be times when I have to work longer than intended. Swings and roundabouts.

If only I could charge £1500 or even a grand for a CU upgrade and EICR. In my dreams! Alas, the market in the Glasgow area won't pay anywhere near those prices. My business operates in a marketplace and geolocation that is absolutely saturated. One way that I deal with this intense competition is to trade on my good reputation and emphasise the quality and safety of my workmanship. While the cost of a job is obviously an important factor when deciding who to hire, customer confidence is equally important.

This is my model. Works for me.

 

[Midwest]

No.

I allocate a whole day for the job to be done. I carry-out a full EICR in the morning. Assuming that all is well and remedial work is not required; the actual board change, final testing and certification is done in the afternoon. If remedial work is required, it will be quoted for separately and completed before I proceed with the board change.

To determine the price that will be charged for the EICR and CU upgrade, my hourly rate is multiplied by the hours that I'm likely to be on the job then added to the cost of materials. Most of the time I complete the job ahead of schedule, but there will be times when I have to work longer than intended. Swings and roundabouts.

If only I could charge £1500 or even a grand for a CU upgrade and EICR. In my dreams! Alas, the market in the Glasgow area won't pay anywhere near those prices. My business operates in a marketplace and geolocation that is absolutely saturated. One way that I deal with this intense competition is to trade on my good reputation and emphasise the quality and safety of my workmanship. While the cost of a job is obviously an important factor when deciding who to hire, customer confidence is equally important.

This is my model. Works for me.

The figures I gave were hypothetical; we are in an open forum, don't want to give away our prices & measly profit!

I know some charge £--- for an EICR, then charge £--- for a CU replacement. I wouldn't of been able to do that. So my price was just the price for the CU replacement, which varied on the size of the new CU, number of circuits, bonding etc. Testing before & after was included in that.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

No.

I allocate a whole day for the job to be done. I carry-out a full EICR in the morning. Assuming that all is well and remedial work is not required; the actual board change, final testing and certification is done in the afternoon. If remedial work is required, it will be quoted for separately and completed before I proceed with the board change.

To determine the price that will be charged for the EICR and CU upgrade, my hourly rate is multiplied by the hours that I'm likely to be on the job then added to the cost of materials. Most of the time I complete the job ahead of schedule, but there will be times when I have to work longer than intended. Swings and roundabouts.

If only I could charge £1500 or even a grand for a CU upgrade and EICR. In my dreams! Alas, the market in the Glasgow area won't pay anywhere near those prices. My business operates in a marketplace and geolocation that is absolutely saturated. One way that I deal with this intense competition is to trade on my good reputation and emphasise the quality and safety of my workmanship. While the cost of a job is obviously an important factor when deciding who to hire, customer confidence is equally important.

This is my model. Works for me.

I very much doubt I could do a full EICR and a board change in a day, unless it was a very small house.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I have known of people conducting EICERs then offering to deduct the cost of the EICR from the work.
Whether they do that, or just add the cost of the EICR to the cost of the work, I don’t know.

 

[Pete999]

I have known of people conducting EICERs then offering to duct the cost of the EICR from the work.
Whether they do that, or just add the cost of the EICR to the cost of the work, I don’t know.

What size duct SL

 

[Deleted member 26818]

What size duct SL

De.

 

[Pete999]

De.

I know Mate just had to

 

[JK-Electrical]

The figures I gave were hypothetical; we are in an open forum, don't want to give away our prices & measly profit!

I know some charge £--- for an EICR, then charge £--- for a CU replacement. I wouldn't of been able to do that. So my price was just the price for the CU replacement, which varied on the size of the new CU, number of circuits, bonding etc. Testing before & after was included in that.

Those of us who run our own business will adopt different approaches to pricing. As you point-out, some charge for an EICR prior to a board change separate to the actual board change itself whereas others like myself price both as one inclusive job. Some prefer to price their EICRs on a per circuit basis whereas I prefer to charge according to the size and type of property. Indeed, I have two major EICRs on the horizon, one in a city-centre seven-floor office block, the other in a medium-sized industrial environment. Both will be charged on an actual hours worked basis (plus daily parking expenses for the office block job). I have worked for both clients before and they trust me enough not to overcharge, or bill them for hours that weren't worked.

Even with general domestic work, some will price on a per item basis whereas others simply add the cost of the materials to the estimated time that the job(s) will take to complete. I don't think there is a right way or a wrong way of pricing for domestic work, it's very much a case of each to their own and whatever works for you.

 

[JK-Electrical]

I very much doubt I could do a full EICR and a board change in a day, unless it was a very small house.

A full EICR in a 3/4 bedroom property rarely takes me longer than 3-4 hours to complete. That leaves 4-5 hours for the board change, final testing and certification. This is adequate more often than not.

 

[mhar]

I have known of people conducting EICERs then offering to deduct the cost of the EICR from the work.
Whether they do that, or just add the cost of the EICR to the cost of the work, I don’t know.

I do similar ish. As a rough guide on a £350 board change I will agree a non-refundable £150 worth of testing, sufficient for me to be certain that I will not have any ir issues and that the circuits connected are continuous (RFCs) and cpcs on radials (Zs all points). Also look for borrowed neutrals. Normally done by lunchtime and then board change inc final tests and record results.
If problems are encountered they are encountered within the £150 and customer advised of remedials meaning I can leave existing board as was