Usually two to four hours for a normal house. But that range hides a lot, and if you are planning a void period or arranging access with a tenant, you want something firmer than that.
The honest version is that time on site is driven by the number of circuits, not the number of bedrooms, and by how easy it is to get at things. Here is what to plan for.
Typical timings
| Property | Time on site | Power off for |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bed flat | 1.5 to 2 hours | Most of the visit |
| 2 bed house or flat | 2 to 3 hours | Most of the visit |
| 3 bed house | 3 to 4 hours | Most of the visit |
| 4 to 5 bed house | 4 to 5 hours | Most of the visit |
| HMO, 6+ bedrooms | 5 hours to a full day | In stages |
| Communal areas of a small block | 2 to 4 hours | Landlord supply only |
| Small commercial unit | Half to full day | Often arranged out of hours |
Add time for older properties. A 1930s house that has never been rewired takes longer than a new build with the same number of bedrooms, because there is more to examine and more that needs a considered decision rather than a quick pass.
Why it takes as long as it does
An EICR is not a look round with a screwdriver. Roughly half of it is visual inspection and half is electrical testing, and both parts are methodical.
The visual side means opening the consumer unit, checking the earthing and bonding arrangements at the incoming supply, gas and water, sampling sockets and switches by removing faceplates, looking at accessible cable runs in the loft and under floors, and checking that what is installed suits the conditions it is in.
The testing side is done circuit by circuit. Continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD trip times. Every circuit gets its own set of readings and those readings go in the schedule of test results. On a three bed house that might be ten or twelve circuits. On an HMO it can be thirty.
That is where the hours go, and it is why an inspection that takes forty minutes on a family home has not been done properly.
The power has to go off
This is the part that surprises people, so it is worth flagging when you arrange access.
Insulation resistance testing cannot be done live. The supply has to be isolated, usually for most of the visit, though a good electrician will work circuit by circuit where they can and give you warning before anything goes off.
What that means practically. Anyone working from home needs to know in advance. Fridges and freezers will be off for a few hours, which is normally fine but worth mentioning if someone has a freezer full of food. Fish tanks, medical equipment and anything on a timer need thinking about. Alarm systems and boilers will want resetting afterwards, and door entry systems in flats can need a reset too.
If any of that is a problem, an empty property or an out of hours visit solves it.
What slows a job down
Access. Sockets behind wardrobes and beds, a loft with no ladder, a meter cupboard that is locked and nobody has the key. Anything the electrician cannot reach either takes longer or becomes a limitation on the report, and limitations weaken the report.
Clutter. A property packed with belongings takes noticeably longer than a clear one.
Multiple boards. Converted houses often have two or three consumer units in different places. Each one adds time.
Faults found on the day. If something dangerous turns up, that stops the run of testing while it gets assessed and made safe. That is the right thing to happen, and it extends the visit.
Nothing labelled. An unlabelled board means working out what feeds what before testing can start.
You can shave real time off by clearing access to the consumer unit and to sockets, having keys for meter cupboards and outbuildings ready, and telling the electrician up front if there is a second board somewhere.
Getting the report back
Time on site is one thing, the paperwork is another. Ours goes out within one working day, usually the same evening, because landlords are frequently waiting on it for a tenancy start or a licence application.
Be a bit careful with anyone promising the report on the spot. Filling in a schedule of test results properly takes time, and a report handed over before the van has left is either very rushed or was mostly pre written.
If remedials are needed, you should get those priced separately and clearly, with each item tied to its observation code so you can see what has to be done and what is only recommended.
Planning around it
If you are working to a deadline, build in more than the inspection itself. Say the property needs to be ready for a tenancy on the first of the month. Book the EICR at least three or four weeks before, not three days. That way if anything comes back C1 or C2 you have room inside the 28 day remedial window to get it sorted and get the written confirmation, without paying a premium to rush someone.
Doing it in a void is the easy version. Empty property, power off with nobody to consider, and no coordinating diaries. It is quicker for the electrician and it usually prices better.
Booking it
We cover Liverpool and the whole of Merseyside, we give you a fixed price before we start, and we tell you honestly how long we will need at the property so you can arrange access properly. Most of our work is with landlords and letting agents, and there is more detail on what we check on our electrical inspection and testing page.
Common questions
Does the tenant need to be there for the whole inspection?
Someone needs to let us in and be there, or you can arrange for us to hold keys. They do not have to follow us round. They should be aware the power will be off for a good part of it.
Can an EICR be done in one day on an HMO?
Usually yes for a six or seven bed, though a large HMO with multiple boards, emergency lighting and fire detection can run into a second visit. We will tell you which before we start.
How long is the EICR valid once it is done?
Up to five years for a rented property, unless the report specifies a shorter interval, in which case that shorter date applies.
Is a quick inspection ever legitimate?
For a very small flat with few circuits, ninety minutes can be perfectly proper. For a three or four bed house it cannot be. The circuit count is what tells you.
What if you cannot finish in one visit?
We would rather come back than cut corners. Anything we could not access is recorded as a limitation, and we will arrange a second visit to close those out so the report is complete.