Domestic electrical testing

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by RAY O'BRIEN, Oct 12, 2019.

  1. RAY O'BRIEN

    RAY O'BRIEN New Member

    Hi

    My daughter is in the process of selling her house and had a request that she allow an electrical test to be carried out at her property, this was done today.
    My question is why did the guy not do any testing from the fuse board?
    All he did was plug some kit into the all kitchen sockets and one on the down stairs ring, none up stairs and not interested in the lighting circuits.
    The kit he used caused the breakers to trip at some point and he seemed happy with what he found.
    Is this kind of testing normal ??
     
  2. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    Any test should include testing at the fuseboard. At the very least the test should check the continuity of the various circuits. I’m guessing he didn’t take off any sockets or light switches?
    A lot will depend on the type of test requested, but it sounds like a shortcut test. I’m surprised he even came in the house.

    Do come back if this thin excuse for a test causes any issues with the sale. We love this sort of thing!!
     
  3. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    What has been done is a limited scope EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report), I quite often get asked to do these for prospective buyers, you can't really do a full EICR on a house you don't own without permission to start dismantling fittings to make tests.
    He will have checked the earth loop impedance, polarity, RCD operating times etc plus a visual look round - it's not comprehensive testing, but all a buyer can have done without getting express permission to start taking things apart. I charge a flat £30 for such a visit and give a typed report on the installation as far as it can be seen rather than an EICR form as you don't have enough data for that. I equate it to homebuyers 20 minute survey vs. full survey.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2019
  4. RAY O'BRIEN

    RAY O'BRIEN New Member

    Thanks for the quick reply, no he didn’t unscrew any thing, he had no tools with him just his test kit.
    He seemed more interested in the kitchen as he plugged into every socket there but only one on the downstairs ring and he never even went upstairs.
     
  5. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    He couldn't legally unscrew anything without your daughters written permission - the buyer doesn't own the house - I always ask permission of the homeowner to open the consumer unit, however I wouldn't do anything further without written consent, I have heard of fellow sparks being chased through small claims by sellers angry that the paint got chipped round a socket that came off for testing.

    Often the buyer will ask the seller to have an EICR done, in that case it's all good to go because the seller is my customer.

    Doesn't sound like he was being very efficient though, you can test all socket points and even some light fittings to some extent without dis assembling them.
     
  6. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    Selling so why worry? As a tester it would worry me, as the buyer could expect me to put right any items missed, and as the buyer it would worry me, but as seller no problems.
     
  7. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    Yes. We are not told who requested that the test should take place. Maybe a buyer?
     
  8. RAY O'BRIEN

    RAY O'BRIEN New Member

    Not worried just curious as the test was not that thorough.
     
  9. RAY O'BRIEN

    RAY O'BRIEN New Member

    Requested by the buyers mortgage lender apparently.
     
  10. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    Ahh. OK. They may be coming back with a request for a reduction to cover works as the result of the test.
    Do let us know if this happens. Your daughter should ask for a copy of the report if they do...
     
  11. Bogle Crag

    Bogle Crag Screwfix Select

    I did one the other week, a chap who works for one of my customers asked me to give a house he wanted to buy a once over, ex council re wired in the 80s, a few loop tests, could not remove any accessories as they were painted in, £40
     
  12. RAY O'BRIEN

    RAY O'BRIEN New Member

    Cheers everyone, we will see what happens.
     
  13. glob@l

    glob@l Active Member

    As a matter of interest, what would the EICR (complete test) consist of and what would the fee be for that?
     
  14. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Complete test would be all the incoming stuff Ze, Nominal voltage etc. plus on each circuit continuity tests, Zs, Insulation Resistance, RCD time etc, I charge £10 per circuit for domestic, minimum fee of £100 to cover admin time.

    I doubt the OP's daughter will get any come back, if the electrician does it like I do he will issue a letter to the mortgage firm clearly stating that he has done a visual inspection of what can be seen and some non invasive "plug in" tests - She clearly has RCD protection because he tested them, assuming that the place doesn't have bakelite lightswitches on wooden patresses and old rubber cable he will likely give a clean bill of health - the only other option he has is to stipulate he suspects a problem and suggest further investigation by the buyer upon possession. - all the best for a smooth sale, stressful time I know!
     
  15. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Thats a big 10-4, if there is any issue raised she should request a copy to see what was raised, she could then engage her own spark to review the findings and do a full EICR
     
  16. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    I charge a minimum of £150 for a 3 bed semi for a full EICR but that's mainly because I don't like doing them. I like to do things properly but that means it takes at least half a day to do a proper test plus the time spent at home filling in the cert etc. The majority of test certs and periodics I see its obvious that most of the readings are just dreamed up.
     
    Bazza likes this.
  17. Tony Goddard

    Tony Goddard Screwfix Select

    Did a school recently, over the summer, 56 distribution boards, three weeks work for two of us, I asked to see the last EICR report for info, it was done by the DNO, every Zs and RCD trip time was entered as the maximum permissable in the book, every insulation resistance was >299MOhms.
    Another school that I quoted for but didn't get expressed surprise that two men did the whole lot (46 Distribution boards) in a week - I got the job of the repairs, and guess what, most of the faults did not exist or were wrongly coded, most of the test results were just book maximums, again DNO handywork.

    I pride myself on doing this right, but it does not help in getting jobs when "respected" big firms are doing poor work for cheap!
     
  18. Comlec

    Comlec Screwfix Select

    I generally quote £75 + £15 per circuit and but cap it to a day rate if a larger job. I also ask for access for at least 3 hours and offer same day report by email.
     
  19. Alan sherriff

    Alan sherriff Active Member

    A check of bonding and generall condition of wiring at consumer unit will give an idea of suitability to remain energised if consumer unit so cramped to get at final sub circuits check a couple of sockets for end to end continuity against circuit breaker and if metal fittings r2 on a couple to verify and knowing your dates for 14 th to 18 th regs against age of installation is a great asset as regs as stated are not retrospective a check of zs at sockets against disconnection times and circuit breaker size against cable the rest will be hard going as there will be lots of c3 if an older installation main thing is earthing as that has not changed much only cable bonding size when I first rewired houses there was not earths to lights just singles no bonding to services that was around 1970 and a four way rewirable fuse board normally wylex so from there on all installations have got more complex and harder to test so if your have that type of installation to do an eicr just wants improvement and you would say not dangerous but any comments on earthing as metal fittings fitted now would make those installations dangerous and no bonding to extraneous parts so no metal fittings then when wired, but gas and water were in place so bonding wires have to be in place today so in one way the regs are not retrospective ??? So would you state satisfactory as no bonding wires installed and no bonding were in the regs at that time no bonds for today would be a c1 for me sorry to labour on nothing do do with origanal enquiry
     
  20. Comlec

    Comlec Screwfix Select

    No Main Bonding can only be a C2 observation.
     

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