Domestic Electrical Testing Cost: UK Prices By Home Size
If you're a homeowner looking into domestic electrical testing cost, the short answer is that most properties in the UK pay between £150 and £350+ for an EICR, depending on the size of the home and the number of circuits. But the long answer has a few more moving parts worth understanding before you book.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is the standard inspection used to assess whether your home's wiring and electrical systems are safe. It's not just a box-ticking exercise, it identifies faults, deterioration, and anything that falls short of current regulations. For landlords it's a legal requirement, and for homeowners it's one of the smartest ways to catch problems before they become dangerous or expensive. At Electrical Testing London, we carry out EICRs across London and the South East daily, so we see firsthand how pricing varies based on property type and location.
This article breaks down what you can realistically expect to pay in 2026, with costs split by the number of bedrooms, the number of circuits, and where you are in the UK. We'll also cover what's included in the price, what can push costs higher, and how to avoid overpaying.
What domestic electrical testing means
Domestic electrical testing refers to a formal inspection of the fixed wiring and electrical installations inside your home. This covers everything from the consumer unit (your fuse board) through to the sockets, light fittings, switches, and the circuits that connect them. The inspection is carried out by a qualified electrician who checks whether everything meets the UK standard set by BS 7671, also known as the IET Wiring Regulations. The result is a document called an Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR.
What the inspection actually covers
The inspector works through your property circuit by circuit, testing each one for faults, deterioration, and non-compliance with current regulations. They use specialist equipment to check insulation resistance, earth continuity, and polarity at every point in the system. Consumer units, socket outlets, light switches, and visible wiring are all examined both visually and with testing equipment where accessible. The inspection does not involve breaking into walls or lifting floorboards unless there is a specific reason to do so.
An EICR does not just check that your electrics work. It checks that they are safe under fault conditions, which is a very different standard.
A typical EICR covers the following:
- The consumer unit and its protective devices (RCDs, MCBs, fuses)
- All fixed wiring, including ring final circuits and radial circuits
- Socket outlets, switches, and light fittings
- Earthing and bonding arrangements
- Any visible signs of damage, overheating, or deterioration
What the results mean for you
Once the inspection is complete, every observation is coded according to its severity. A C1 code means there is immediate danger and the issue needs fixing before you use that circuit again. A C2 code indicates a potentially dangerous fault that requires urgent remedial work. A C3 is a recommendation for improvement rather than an urgent safety concern. Your report will also carry an overall outcome, listed as either "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory."
Understanding the domestic electrical testing cost in context means understanding what you are actually paying for: a thorough, documented assessment of every circuit in your home, carried out to a nationally recognised standard. A low price is not always a bad thing, but a rushed inspection that skips circuits will leave you with a report that is not worth the paper it is printed on.
Domestic electrical testing cost by home size
The most reliable way to estimate your domestic electrical testing cost is to look at property size, because the number of circuits in your home determines how long the inspection takes. A one-bedroom flat typically has six to eight circuits, while a four-bedroom house can have fifteen or more. More circuits require more testing time, and that is the main reason prices vary so much between property types in the UK.
Typical EICR prices by number of bedrooms
The table below shows indicative price ranges for domestic EICRs in the UK in 2026. London and the South East generally sit at the higher end of each band, while the Midlands and North tend to come in lower.
| Property size | Typical circuits | UK price range |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | 6-8 | £150 - £200 |
| 2-bed house/flat | 8-10 | £175 - £250 |
| 3-bed house | 10-14 | £225 - £300 |
| 4-bed house | 14-18 | £275 - £350 |
| 5-bed house or larger | 18+ | £350+ |
These figures are a guide. Your actual quote depends on the number of circuits, not just the number of bedrooms.
What drives the time on site
Labour is the primary cost in any EICR, and inspectors price by the circuit rather than by the hour. Each circuit needs individual testing, so a property with an older consumer unit or additional circuits for electric showers, ovens, or garden outbuildings will naturally take longer to inspect and cost more.
Always ask your electrician to confirm the circuit count before agreeing a price. That one step prevents the most common cause of quotes coming in higher than expected on the day.
What affects EICR prices in London and the UK
Several factors beyond property size influence your domestic electrical testing cost. Knowing what pushes a quote up or down helps you compare prices more effectively and avoid being surprised when the invoice lands.
Age and condition of your wiring
Older wiring systems take longer to test safely. Properties with pre-1970s wiring, rubber-insulated cables, or outdated fuse boxes require the inspector to spend more time identifying and documenting non-compliant arrangements before testing can proceed. That extra time directly increases the price. If your home still has a rewireable fuse board rather than a modern consumer unit with RCD protection, expect to sit at the higher end of the price range for your property size.
Wiring age is often the single biggest factor separating a straightforward EICR from a complex one.
Common issues in older properties that add inspection time include:
- Rubber or fabric-insulated cables requiring careful handling
- Lack of earthing or inadequate bonding arrangements
- Mixed wiring resulting from partial rewires carried out over the years
Location and access
London and the South East consistently attract higher prices than other UK regions, which reflects the higher labour costs and overheads for electricians operating in the capital. Beyond geography, poor access to circuits also affects the final cost. If sockets, consumer units, or wiring runs sit behind heavy furniture or in locked rooms, the inspection takes longer and the price reflects that.
Properties with outbuildings, garages, or external circuits such as garden lighting or EV chargers need those additional circuits tested too. Each extra circuit adds to the total inspection time and, by extension, the overall price.
How to get an accurate EICR quote
Getting a price that actually reflects your property starts with giving the electrician the right information upfront. Most inaccurate quotes happen because the inspector estimates the circuit count based on bedroom numbers alone, then discovers more circuits on the day. If you want your domestic electrical testing cost to match your final invoice, you need to approach the quote process more precisely.
Information to have ready before you call
Before you contact any electrician, take a few minutes to gather some basic details about your property. This does not require any technical knowledge. Simply note the number of bedrooms, the approximate age of the property, whether you have a modern consumer unit or an older fuse board, and any additional circuits you know about such as an electric shower, an oven on a dedicated circuit, a garage, or outdoor lighting.
The more specific you are upfront, the less likely you are to receive a quote that changes on the day of the inspection.
Questions to ask before you confirm
Once you have a quote in hand, ask the electrician to confirm what circuit count they have based the price on. This single question protects you from unexpected additions to your final bill. You should also check that the price includes the written EICR report rather than just the inspection visit, since some contractors price these separately. Ask whether VAT is included in the figure, and confirm the expected timescale for receiving your completed report after the inspection takes place.
How often you need testing and what comes next
The standard recommendation for domestic EICR inspections is every ten years for owner-occupied properties. For rented properties, the legal requirement in England is every five years, or at every change of tenancy if that happens sooner. If your property has older wiring, previous reports with C2 observations, or you have recently carried out major electrical work, your inspector may recommend a shorter interval than the standard ten-year cycle.
When your EICR result is unsatisfactory
An unsatisfactory result does not mean your home is about to catch fire, but it does mean remedial work is required before the property can be signed off as compliant. C1 codes require immediate action, while C2 faults need addressing promptly, typically within 28 days for rental properties under the Private Rented Sector Electrical Safety Standards. Once the work is complete, a qualified electrician issues a minor electrical installation works certificate to confirm the faults have been resolved, and your report is then considered satisfied.
Remedial costs vary widely depending on the fault, so always get a separate quote for any work identified in the report before agreeing to proceed.
Planning your next inspection
Once you have a satisfactory EICR, keep a copy somewhere accessible along with any other electrical certificates for your property. If you are thinking about your domestic electrical testing cost for future inspections, note the date of your current report and set a reminder well before the recommended reinspection date. Booking in advance typically gives you more flexibility on appointment times and avoids the premium pricing that comes with urgent or short-notice requests.
Next steps
You now have a clear picture of what domestic electrical testing cost looks like across different property sizes, what drives the price up or down, and what to do with the result once the inspection is complete. The most important takeaway is that the circuit count, not the bedroom count, determines your final price, so always ask your electrician to confirm that figure before you commit to a booking.
If your property is due an inspection, or you are not sure when the last one was carried out, the sensible move is to get a quote from a qualified electrician who covers your area. Electrical Testing London carries out EICRs across London and the South East, with engineers who have at least ten years of experience and provide written reports as standard. Request your EICR quote today and get a clear price based on your actual property, not a rough estimate.
