Scope and sampling agreement
Confirming what is being inspected, how many distribution boards and circuits are involved and whether the report covers the full installation or an agreed sample.
EICR & Testing
Commercial EICR and Fixed Wire Testing
An Electrical Installation Condition Report — usually shortened to EICR, and often called fixed wire testing — is a formal inspection of an existing electrical installation. It records the condition of the wiring, boards and accessories, and lists any observations with a code indicating how urgent they are.
Businesses commonly need one for insurance, lease obligations, health and safety duties, funding or accreditation audits, or simply because the previous report has expired. GridGuys is a matching platform: describe the site and we pass the enquiry to a contractor who carries out commercial inspection and testing.
Scope
What an EICR involves
Testing is a structured process, and knowing the shape of it makes it easier to plan around your operation.
Visual inspection
Checking accessible parts of the installation for damage, deterioration, unsuitable equipment, missing labelling and unsafe alterations.
Dead and live testing
Circuits are isolated for testing, which is why a testing programme has to be planned around occupancy, IT equipment and production.
Coded observations
Findings are recorded with classification codes indicating danger present, potentially dangerous, improvement recommended or further investigation required.
The report and schedules
You receive the report with circuit schedules and test results — the document insurers, auditors and duty holders normally ask to see.
Remedial works
Any items that need correcting can be quoted separately, and a satisfactory report usually follows once the coded items are resolved.
Practicalities
Common testing project requirements
These are the points that most often shape the programme, the method and the price on this type of project.
- 01
Access to every board and circuit
Testing needs physical access to distribution boards, accessories and equipment. Locked risers, stock stacked against panels and blocked cupboards are the usual causes of a return visit.
- 02
Planned isolations
Circuits must be switched off to be tested. Servers, refrigeration, production equipment and security systems normally need agreed arrangements in advance.
- 03
Accurate board and circuit counts
The number of distribution boards and circuits is the main factor in the duration and price of a report, so an approximate count helps quoting enormously.
- 04
Clarity on remedials
Decide in advance whether you want minor items corrected during the visit or priced separately once the report is issued.
Where it applies
Premises that commonly require an EICR
Fixed wire testing applies across almost all business property, though the frequency and scope vary by use.
- Offices and multi-tenant buildings
- Retail units and hospitality venues
- Warehouses and distribution sites
- Factories and workshops
- Schools, colleges and nurseries
- Healthcare and care premises
- Commercial landlord portfolios
- Community, sports and public buildings
Related work
Related electrical requirements
Testing usually leads somewhere — either into remedial works or into an ongoing maintenance arrangement.
Electrical maintenance
Planned maintenance keeps an installation in the condition a report expects, and keeps the paperwork current.
Commercial electricians
Remedial works, board replacements and upgrades following the observations in a report.
Three-phase electrical installation
Where a report highlights loading or capacity problems, distribution work may be the next step.
Useful information when requesting an EICR quote
You do not need all of this to submit an enquiry, but the more you can include, the more accurately a contractor can respond.
- Type of premises and approximate floor area
- Number of distribution boards on site
- Approximate number of circuits, if known
- Whether a full report or an agreed sample is required
- Date and outcome of any previous report
- Whether circuits can be isolated, and when
- Equipment that cannot be switched off without notice
- Whether you also want remedial works priced
How GridGuys works
A lead-generation and contractor-matching service
GridGuys does not carry out electrical work. We take your enquiry, review what is needed and introduce you to an electrical contractor working in that category. From the introduction onwards, the contractor deals with you directly.
- 01
Describe the project
Give the site details, the works required and anything you already have such as drawings or photos.
- 02
We review the enquiry
We look at the scope, location and timeframe so the enquiry goes to a contractor set up for that work.
- 03
You are introduced
We connect you with an electrical contractor whose capabilities match what you have described.
- 04
You receive a quotation
The contractor prices the works and deals with you directly from that point onwards.
FAQs
EICR and testing questions
Request an EICR or fixed wire testing quote
Give us the premises type, an approximate board count and your preferred testing window, and your enquiry goes to a contractor carrying out commercial inspection and testing.