One of the first things people ask when they book an EICR is how long it’ll take. The honest answer is: it depends on the property, but here’s a sensible guide.
How long does an EICR take?
A one-bedroom flat typically takes around an hour. A standard three-bedroom house is usually two to three hours. A larger property or one with an older installation can take up to four hours. The main variables are the number of circuits, how accessible the sockets and consumer unit are, and the age of the installation (older wiring takes longer to test thoroughly).
What actually happens during the inspection
The electrician will work through the installation methodically. There’s a visual check first — looking for obvious damage, signs of overheating, or anything that’s clearly not right. Then dead testing (power off) to check wiring integrity, followed by live testing to check performance and safety. Earthing and bonding are also verified. It’s thorough but not disruptive — the power will be off for some of it, but not the whole time.
What you get back
After the inspection, you’ll receive a written report. Each part of the installation gets a code: C1 means danger present and needs urgent attention; C2 means potentially dangerous and needs fixing; C3 is a recommendation for improvement but not urgent; FI means further investigation is needed. If everything is fine, the report comes back satisfactory.
For homeowners, an EICR is recommended every ten years (or when buying a property). For landlords, it’s a legal requirement every five years. If anything comes back as C1 or C2, remedial work is required — landlords have 28 days to fix it.
We’ll work around you on timing and keep the disruption to a minimum. Get in touch to book or call us on 01454 633 336.
