Ask five electricians what a commercial EICR costs and you’ll get five different answers, and a few will just say “it depends”. It genuinely does, but it depends on specific, predictable things. Here’s what drives the price, so you can compare quotes properly.
1. The number of circuits
This is the biggest factor. Every circuit has to be inspected and tested, so a small office with one board and 20 circuits is a very different job from a school with 15 distribution boards and 400 circuits. Most commercial EICRs are priced on circuit numbers or on the number of boards.
2. Access and disruption
Testing involves switching circuits off. If the building is empty, that’s straightforward. If it’s an occupied office, a live data centre or a school in term time, the work has to be planned around people, which can mean evenings, weekends or splitting the job across several visits.
3. Out-of-hours working
Night and weekend working costs more than normal working hours. If you can give access during the day, even in sections, you’ll usually get a better price.
4. The state of your records
Up-to-date board schedules and drawings make testing quicker. If nobody knows what’s on which circuit, the inspector has to trace it, which takes time.
5. The type and age of the installation
Older installations, specialist areas like kitchens and plant rooms, and large three-phase systems all take longer to test thoroughly.
How to compare quotes
- Check what’s included: is it a full test or a sample?
- Ask how many circuits or boards the price covers, and what happens if there are more.
- Check whether remedial work will be quoted separately and itemised.
- Make sure it’s done to the current standard, BS 7671:2018+A4:2026.
- Look for NICEIC or similar accreditation.
Get an accurate price first time
The quickest way to an accurate quote is to send us your last EICR if you have one, or tell us roughly how many boards and circuits there are. We’ll come back with a fixed price, so there are no surprises.
Martin Cook Electrical Services has been carrying out EICRs and fixed wire testing since 1998, for offices, schools, warehouses, landlords and data centres across London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Request a free quote or call us on 01525 582582.
