Electrical Repair, Inspection or New Installation: Which Do You Need?

Which electrical service is the right starting point?

Use the purpose of the work to choose an initial route. You do not need to diagnose a component or decide how a circuit should be designed. Those decisions follow a competent electrician's assessment.

On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to read all three columns.

Deal with warning signs before a routine booking

London Fire Brigade identifies scorching, flickering lights, hot plugs or sockets and unexplained tripping as possible warning signs requiring a qualified electrician's attention. See its electrical safety advice [1]. Stop using a suspect fitting, do not remove covers or bypass protective devices, and seek prompt professional advice. Do not repeatedly recreate the fault to demonstrate it. If there is a fire, leave safely and call 999.

Choose fault finding when a particular problem needs explaining

If a circuit keeps tripping, a group of lights stops working or a fault comes and goes, the first question is what is causing that behaviour. Ask for help with electrical fault finding rather than requesting a replacement part based only on the symptom.

For example, a socket that does not work does not prove that the socket faceplate needs replacing. Explain what you noticed during normal use and let the electrician establish the relevant checks. Fault finding may lead to a defined repair, further investigation or a separate proposal; the outcome cannot always be fixed before assessment.

Confirm what the initial appointment is intended to achieve. “Investigate the fault” and “complete the repair” can be separate stages. Restoring operation at one point also does not provide a condition report covering the rest of the installation.

Choose an EICR when the required outcome is a condition report

An EICR records the findings of inspection and testing of an existing fixed electrical installation. Electrical Safety First explains that it identifies observed deterioration, defects and potentially dangerous conditions. It should be carried out by an electrically competent person. See its periodic inspection guidance [2].

If you need a formal assessment, ask about an electrical installation condition report. That service page also explains the distinction between condition reporting and investigating a particular fault.

Tell the provider why the report is needed and identify any known symptoms separately. Agree which installation is being assessed and ask how limitations will be recorded. Repairs identified by the inspection should not be assumed included in the report appointment; clarify the follow-up work.

Choose installation or alteration work when you want something changed

Adding a power point, changing lighting provision or connecting equipment with specific supply requirements starts with the intended new use. Describe what you want to power and where, rather than prescribing a cable, protective device or circuit arrangement.

A new fitting does not automatically mean a new circuit. Equally, an existing circuit should not be assumed suitable simply because there is a nearby socket. The electrician needs to assess the proposed work and existing installation before confirming the design.

For work involving a dedicated supply, circuit changes or a new circuit, start with electrical alterations. A straightforward accessory or lighting enquiry can be directed to the corresponding service once its scope is clear.

Replacing existing wiring is a different question from adding a point. If the findings support wider wiring replacement, review the electrical rewiring service and ask the provider to explain the extent required. This guide does not attempt to decide repair versus full rewiring from a symptom or the property's age.

What if you need more than one service?

One enquiry can contain several needs, but each should remain clear. Use separate sentences for the fault, report and proposed change so none disappears behind a general request for “an electrical check”. These examples show how to frame the decision:

• A recurring fault and a report requirement: explain both. Ask which issue needs attention first and whether the inspection and targeted investigation require separate arrangements.
• A kitchen change and unreliable existing sockets: identify the current problem as well as the proposed additions. Do not assume the new work includes resolving every existing defect.
• An existing report with observations: provide the report and explain that you need advice on its outstanding findings. Ask whether the next step is investigation, remedial work or another clearly defined assessment.

A clear scope might read: “Investigate the recurring fault first, then discuss the proposed new supply.” That is an example of sequencing, not a promise that either task can be completed in one visit. The provider should confirm the appropriate order and any dependencies.

Check that the outcome matches your request

Before agreeing to the work, ask the provider to state what you will receive: an explanation of a fault, a condition report, completed installation work, or an agreed combination. “Testing included” does not by itself explain which of those outcomes is covered.

Documentation also follows the task. An EICR reports on existing condition; installation work may require an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate, depending on the work. Ask the electrician to confirm the appropriate record and any separate building-control notification. Electrical Safety First explains the distinction between installation certification and Building Regulations compliance in its building regulations guidance [3].

For a London home, the relevant jurisdiction is England. Approved Document P [4] provides guidance on electrical safety in dwellings, including notification and information to be provided. Do not assume every small job has the same notification requirements.

Choose someone competent for the specific inspection or installation involved, and verify any registration they claim. If the broader question is whether a job belongs with a handyman or a specialist, see Handyman or Specialist Tradesperson: Who Should You Book?