How Much is PAT Testing?
Let's calculate the cost of an EICR certificate!
In this article, we'll look at the average cost of an electrical safety certificate and PAT testing. We will discuss the pricing ranges of a certificate for both a house and a flat as well as the cost per item being tested for a PAT test.
While it varies from building to building...
Electrical safety certificates usually cost somewhere in the range of £100 to £350.
For a normal-sized home, whether a house or an apartment, you can expect the price to be around £100-200.
Most PAT testing charges will land between £1 and £2 per appliance tested.
There are some providers who may charge you a little bit less than £1 per item. Most testers will set a minimum fee so that the journey is worth their while.
If you only require several appliances be tested, you will likely incur a standard fee on top of the price of the appliances tested.
More detailed information about electrical safety certificates and PAT testing is available below!
Electrical Safety Certificate & PAT Testing Costs
Check out the tables below to find out how much an electrical safety certificate will cost you:
Electrical Safety Certificate Prices
Check out the tables below to find out how much an electrical safety certificate will cost you:
| Housing | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom apartment | £100 to £200 |
| Two-bedroom apartment | £120 to £250 |
| Three-bedroom apartment | £180 to £250 |
| 1-2 bedroom house | £150 to £200 |
| 3-4 bedroom house | £200 to £250 |
| 5+ bedroom house | £300 or more |
PAT Testing Prices
Check out the tables below to find out how much PAT testing will cost you:
| Number of Appliances Tested | Average Pricing Range |
|---|---|
| Less than 60 items | Minimum standard fee of £50 to £70 |
| 60 - 75 items | £60 to £150 |
| 75 - 100 items | £75 to £200 |
| 100 - 200 items | £100 to £400 |
| 200+ items | £200+ |
- How Much is PAT Testing?
- Electrical Safety Certificate & PAT Testing Costs
- Prices for Different Types of Electrical Safety Certificates
- What Extra Costs Could You Incur?
- Cost Depending on Location
- PAT Testing Cost Depending on Location
- Tradesmen Prices for an Electrical Safety Certificate & PAT Testing
- FAQs
- Sources
Prices for Different Types of Electrical Safety Certificates
There are several types of electrical safety certificates which we will break down in this section. We will look at Part P of UK building regulations, electrical installation condition reports (EICR) and landlord electrical safety certificates.
Part P Certificate Cost
Part P of UK building regulations refers to any electric installation work for a new building. Part P also applies to changes made to any existing electrics such as rewiring.
These rules apply to England and Wales while Scotland has equivocal regulations in the form of the Building Standards system while no equivalent rules exist in Northern Ireland.
Part P of the regulations is designed to ensure that residents are protected from electrocution and fires. You can obtain a Part P certificate by employing a self-certified electrician who has joined a Part P scheme to certify your building’s work.
Alternatively, you can hire an electrician who hasn’t joined a Part P scheme to perform the work before allowing Building Control to inspect your property’s electrics.
Usually, it won’t cost you anything extra for a self-certified electrician to certify the work on your building although having Building Control inspect and certify your electrics may cost somewhere from £200 to £400.
You should contact your local council for a better idea of how much Building Control Part P certification will cost in your area.
Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate Cost
This certificate is applicable to landlords. While landlords are not legally obligated to obtain this certificate with the exception of those who own a house in multiple occupancy, obtaining this certificate can increase safety for tenants and help a landlord to meet their legal requirements. A landlord electrical safety certificate cost will usually stand around £175.
Electrical Installation Condition Report Cost
An EICR results from recurring inspections of the safety of a property’s fixed wiring. The main objective of an EICR is to protect residents from electric shocks and fires. For an average home, EICR costs will be roughly between £100 and £200.
The larger the premise, the more an inspection and report will cost. For a large school for example, they’d need to budget for an electrical installation condition report cost of between £3000 and £5000.
What Extra Costs Could You Incur?
In obtaining a certificate or having a PAT test undertaken, problems which need fixing may be discovered. If this is the case, repairs, changes or upgrades will likely come with a fee which we will explore in this section.
House Rewiring Cost
A full house rewiring can be costly. A significant factor in pricing is in relation to where you live. Rewiring a house is a complicated process and for an average, 2-bedroom house this could cost between £2300 and £3500.
For a 3-bedroom house, the price range increases to £3000 to £4500 while it goes up to between £3750 and £5500 for a house with four bedrooms. The larger the house, the longer the job will take.
If you just want a kitchen extension to be rewired, this may be priced at somewhere in the £1000 to £1500 range.
Fuse Board Upgrade Costs
If you need to replace your fuse box, it will likely cost hundreds of pounds to install a new one. Usually a new installation will cost between £250 and £500.
A 40-amp rated fuse box should cost about £250 to £300 while a fuse box with a 100-amp rating will likely be in the range of £470 to £510 with other options falling in between.
Socket Replacement Cost
The cost of replacing a socket will range in price from £85 to £165 and should involve between 1 and 4 hours of work.
Light Switch Replacement Cost
A standard light switch replacement will likely cost between £35 and £55. It’s usually the type of job that can be done in an hour or less. If you wish to install a new dimmer switch, this might cost you between £35 and £65.
Power Cable Repair Cost
If you intend to have a power cable repaired on an appliance at home, this will probably cost you between £35 and £55. It would also be the type of job that would take 60 minutes or less to complete.
Cost Depending on Location
Where you live in the UK can impact the cost of getting an electrical safety certificate and PAT test. The tables below break down the pricing ranges estimated on the basis of your locality.
In our breakdown of electrical safety certificates, we show estimates of prices for a Part P certificate, landlord electrical safety certificate as well as the region by region electrical condition report cost.
The cost of living in your region of the UK will affect the pricing that individuals or firms will set while supply and demand levels in your area will also be a factor in the total cost.
Another consideration is how easily the nearest providers can access your property. The longer their journey, the higher their fuel costs will be which may increase your overall bill.
Electrical Safety Certificate Cost Depending on Location
The table below shows some examples of electrical certificate cost range estimates for different regions across the UK. For more information, contact providers or the council (where applicable) in your local region to request a quote.
The price ranges below are averages and will not reflect the prices offered by all providers in the regions listed.
| Location | Part P | Electrical Safety Certificate | EICR |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of London | £80 to £400 | £90 to £200 | £60 to £200 |
| Greater Manchester | Up to £400 | Up to £175 | £80 to £100 |
| Merseyside | £180 to £450 | £100 to £180 | £100 to £200 |
| Tyne and Wear | £130 to £150 | £100 to £150 | £100 to £150 |
| Essex | £80 to £110 | £90 to £110 | £100 to £250 |
| Cardiff | £100 to £400 | £100 to £120 | £70 to £100 |
PAT Testing Cost Depending on Location
Here are some examples of PAT testing prices with cost range estimates by region for the UK. You can calculate estimated prices for more regions using the Great Manchester PAT Testing price calculator.
| Location | Average Pricing Range (per 60 items) |
|---|---|
| City of London | £220 to £240 |
| Greater Manchester | £60 to £80 |
| Merseyside | £75 to £95 |
| Tyne and Wear | £160 to £180 |
| Essex | £225 to £245 |
| Lancashire | £70 to £90 |
| Yorkshire | £135 to £155 |
| Westmorland | £160 to £180 |
| Northamptonshire | £160 to £180 |
| Hampshire | £230 to £250 |
| Cambridgeshire | £190 to £210 |
| West Midlands | £130 to £150 |
Tradesmen Prices for an Electrical Safety Certificate & PAT Testing
For this section we will analyse the prices that an electrician may set for undertaking an electrical safety certificate or a PAT test. Various factors will determine the price.
As mentioned earlier location will play a role but other factors that will make up the total cost include labour expenses and installation costs.
Labour costs can vary depending on the size of the house since a larger home will require more time and work. The more time a labourer must spend at a given house (over multiple days) will also increase their fuel expenses which may bring up the total cost further.
The number of appliances being tested for a PAT test will play a key role in determining the price of such a test. Most providers will set a standard fee then charge per appliance after a certain number of items.
FAQs
Q: How much does PAT testing cost per appliance?
A: PAT testing will usually cost between £1 and £2 per appliance.
Q: Am I legally obligated to get an electrical safety certificate?
A: There are generally no legal requirements to have an electrical safety certificate. However there are exceptions such as landlords who own a property with multiple occupancy.
Landlords of single occupancy homes are still obliged to ensure that the electrics in their property are safe and up to standard.
Q: What is an EICR?
A: An EICR is a report produced after an assessment is undertaken by an appropriate professional (such as a qualified electrician) regarding the safety of the electrics in a given property.
Q: How fatal are electric shocks in the UK?
A: Electrical accidents are responsible for roughly 70 fatalities per year in the UK.
Q: How often should a landlord of a single occupancy home get a new EICR?
A: Roughly every five years.
Sources
- https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-an-electrician/part-p/
- https://www.tnr.co.uk/how-to-get-part-p-certificate/
- http://first-action.com/electrical-certificates/
- https://eicrtesting.com/often-landlords-eicr-birmingham/
