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I know this is a vague question but I have just had a safety check done on a house and there were 19 electrical circuits in a 3 bed house, this seems a lot as I have had to pay for each circuit separately. If the electrician had told me this before he started I would not have undertaken this survey as it's cost me over £400. Is this normal?
 
It's usual to be aware of the costs before work commences. Were you aware you were being charged per circuit ?
All circuits should be detailed in the report in the schedule of test results. If there are not 19 then you need to have words.
19 circuits sounds about double the average amount for a house that size, and the price paid seems a tad expensive.
 
It's usual to be aware of the costs before work commences. Were you aware you were being charged per circuit ?
All circuits should be detailed in the report in the schedule of test results. If there are not 19 then you need to have words.
19 circuits sounds about double the average amount for a house that size, and the price paid seems a tad expensive.
Wow 19 circuits?! How old is the property?
Thanks for both replies, I was aware of the charge per circiut but had no idea a house could have so many. It's a small converted granite cottage - converted from a stables in the 1950's ish.
 
Check the report issued to verify the number of circuits present. This should correspond with the description of and number of circuits in the fuse board/s in the property.

I am doubtful of there being 19 individual circuits, and also slightly suspicious of the working practices involved and the definition of a circuit as presented by the person testing.
 
Thanks for both replies, I was aware of the charge per circiut but had no idea a house could have so many. It's a small converted granite cottage - converted from a stables in the 1950's ish.

I was aware of the charge! sorry my typo
 
19 circuits sounds about double the average amount for a house that size, and the price paid seems a tad expensive.

It's not one of these houses where every appliance has been put on its own Radial cct?
I vaguely remember discussions where some were proposing that it should be that way!
 
It's not one of these houses where every appliance has been put on its own Radial cct?
I vaguely remember discussions where some were proposing that it should be that way!
It's certainly possible, but my spidey senses are tingling..... We'll have to wait for the OP to confirm the number of circuits.
 
I check the report and come back to you - however thanks so much for the input thus far, I would have hoped that the company may have rung me to tell me how many circuits before undertaking the work as it's double the price I was expecting.
 
I don't think it was unreasonable for them to proceed given that they had already arranged when they were going to be there. It wouldn't have been much use to them had they arrived and said there were more circuits than you had expected only to be told that you were not going to proceed then!

If there were indeed 19 circuits then I think the charge was fair.
 
As a matter of interest how long was he on site for.
 
What was the overall result of the Checks, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory?
Any recommendations?

Has it got lots of small fuse boxes?

Is it a rented property?
 
Screams storage heating to me. We tested a 3 bed property recently with storage heating that had 16 ccts all in.
 
My house has 15 circuits. 3 bedrooms, 3 storeys plus cellar:
Basement skts
Kitchen skts x 3
Lounge skts
1st floor skts
2nd floor skts
Mains skt and emergency light
Lighting x3
Shower
Towel rail
Washing machine
Freezer
 
My house has 15 circuits. 3 bedrooms, 3 storeys plus cellar:
Basement skts
Kitchen skts x 3
Lounge skts
1st floor skts
2nd floor skts
Mains skt and emergency light
Lighting x3
Shower
Towel rail
Washing machine
Freezer
That seems a lot of circuits - do you really need 3 socket circuits in the kitchen, a circuit for each floor, or a separate circuit for the lounge sockets? You have an emergency light on it's own circuit with one socket?
Could the washing machine not have gone on one of the 3 kitchen finals, or with the "mains skt"?

I appreciate the need to segregate circuits, but there is such a things as too many, especially when it comes to paying by the circuit to have them tested.
 
That seems a lot of circuits - do you really need 3 socket circuits in the kitchen, a circuit for each floor, or a separate circuit for the lounge sockets? You have an emergency light on it's own circuit with one socket?
Could the washing machine not have gone on one of the 3 kitchen finals, or with the "mains skt"?

I appreciate the need to segregate circuits, but there is such a things as too many, especially when it comes to paying by the circuit to have them tested.
He probably knows somebody who can get them tested for free. Ha
 
That seems a lot of circuits - do you really need 3 socket circuits in the kitchen,

I've got 7
Total of 16 in the house /Garage in a 2 bed 2 story house.

Washer
Drier
Cooker (Electric oven + hob ignitor)
Dishwasher
Freezer
Fridge/Microwave
Other Kitchen sockets ring
Bedrooms / Lounge ring
Lights Up + Smoke + Em
Lights down + Smoke + Em
Immersion heater
Radial for computer / Router sockets.
Garage /External Lights
Garage ring
2nd ring in Garage
Radial to small workshop sockets.
 
He probably knows somebody who can get them tested for free. Ha
I was thinking something along the same lines - I'm kind of assuming he wired it himself judging by things like the freezer on it's own circuit (a good idea) the emergency light (another good idea, although I'd probably have had it on a lighting circuit) and because there are so many circuits.

It would be nice to think that buying a house from an electrician would be a great thing because you know the electrics are the best they can be, not that it would be a bad thing because you need to pay his mate a fortune for an EICR.
 

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