An electrical installation condition report, usually shortened to EICR, is the standard way to check the safety of your home's wiring. In and around Manchester, most homeowners pay somewhere between £125 and £300 for one, but the honest answer is that it depends on the size and age of your property. Here is what actually drives the price, and what you should get for your money.
For a straightforward one or two bedroom flat with a modern consumer unit, expect quotes in the region of £125 to £180. A typical three bedroom semi, which makes up a large share of housing across Greater Manchester, usually falls between £150 and £250. Larger four or five bedroom houses, or older properties with several consumer units, can reach £250 to £350 or more.
Landlords sometimes see slightly different pricing because rental EICRs are a legal requirement in England and some firms offer volume rates for portfolios. If you are a homeowner rather than a landlord, an EICR is not legally required, but it is strongly recommended when buying a house, after a flood or renovation, or if the wiring has not been inspected for ten years or more.
The biggest factor is the number of circuits, not the number of bedrooms. A small house with electric showers, an EV charger, outbuilding supplies and a loft conversion can have more circuits than a larger, simpler property. Each circuit needs its own set of tests, so more circuits means more time on site.
Age and condition matter too. A Victorian terrace in somewhere like Levenshulme or Chorlton that still has older rubber or fabric insulated cable takes longer to inspect carefully, and access can be awkward if floorboards are carpeted over or the consumer unit is buried in a cupboard. A well documented modern installation with an accessible board is quicker, and that shows in the quote.
A genuine EICR is not a quick glance at the fuse board. The electrician should carry out a visual inspection of accessible accessories, dead testing of circuits including insulation resistance and continuity, live testing such as earth fault loop impedance, and RCD trip testing. A typical three bedroom house takes two to four hours on site, plus time afterwards to write up the report properly.
You should receive a formal report listing any observations with codes: C1 for danger present, C2 for potentially dangerous, C3 for improvement recommended, and FI where further investigation is needed. The report is then marked satisfactory or unsatisfactory overall. Only C1 and C2 items, or FI, make a report unsatisfactory. C3 items are advisory, and a decent electrician will explain the difference rather than pressuring you into unnecessary work.
If you see EICRs advertised around £60 to £80 for a whole house, be cautious. At that price the testing is often rushed or partly skipped, and some operators use a cheap report as a way in, then inflate the cost of remedial work. Given the hours involved, a thorough report on a typical house simply cannot be done profitably at that level.
Before booking, check the electrician is registered with a recognised scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT, ask how long they expect the inspection to take, and confirm the price includes the written report. It is also worth asking whether minor fixes found on the day, like a loose connection, can be sorted while they are there and at what cost. If the report comes back unsatisfactory, get an itemised quote for the remedial work rather than a single lump sum, so you can see what each item involves and compare prices if you want to.
Guidance recommends every ten years for an owner occupied home, or sooner if you are buying a property, have had building work done, or notice problems like tripping circuits or scorched sockets. Rented homes in England must have one at least every five years.
No, the quoted price covers inspection, testing and the written report only. Any remedial work is priced separately once the electrician knows what is needed, and you are free to get other quotes for that work.
Partly, yes. Dead testing requires circuits to be switched off one at a time, so expect short interruptions over the visit rather than a full day without power. Tell the electrician in advance if anything, such as medical equipment or a freezer full of food, needs special care.
A quick call with Gary is usually enough to establish scope. For anything more involved, we’ll come out to measure up at a time that suits you.