Commercial EICR in Bearsted

CJA Electrical does commercial EICR and fixed wire testing across Bearsted and the wider Maidstone area. The legal framework for commercial premises is the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 — and the EICR (also called fixed wire testing or periodic inspection) is the standard documentary evidence that the duty-holder is meeting that obligation. Whether you’re an office tenant, a retail unit operator, or a building owner with multi-tenanted commercial property, the inspection runs out of our Rochester base.

What Commercial EICR actually is

A commercial EICR is a periodic inspection and test of the fixed wiring in a commercial premises — the distribution board, sub-circuits, sockets, lighting, and fixed equipment connections. It’s the same fundamental process as a domestic EICR, but typically covers larger installations, three-phase supplies, and the kind of building services (emergency lighting interface, fire alarm interface, plant equipment) that don’t appear in residential. The output is a written report against BS 7671 with observation codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) on anything that doesn’t meet the regulations, plus a schedule of test results documenting what was actually measured. The duty-holder uses the report to plan remedial work and demonstrate compliance.

When you need Commercial EICR in Bearsted

Frequency is set by IET Guidance Note 3 based on the building’s use, the environment, and the population at risk. Five years is the starting point for offices, small retail, and light commercial in Bearsted. Three years for premises with significant equipment loading (industrial, workshops, server rooms, plant rooms). One year for any premises where loss of power presents a serious risk or where the building hosts high public throughput. The duty-holder can shorten these intervals based on a risk assessment but rarely lengthens them. In practice, the most common triggers for a non-scheduled EICR are insurance renewal, change of tenancy, and post-incident investigation after a near-miss or documented fault.

Standards and what compliance looks like

The two pieces of regulation that sit behind a commercial EICR are BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the IET Wiring Regulations — the technical standard the inspection works to) and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (the legal duty on the employer or building owner to keep the installation safe and maintained). The EICR document itself follows the format set out in BS 7671 Appendix 6 — schedule of inspections, schedule of test results, list of observations with codes. Reports formatted to that standard are accepted by every insurer, every Maidstone local authority, and every commercial landlord we’ve worked with.

Testing schedule and remedials

The testing itself splits into dead testing (with the circuit isolated) and live testing (with the supply restored). Dead tests cover continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance between live and earth, polarity, and ring final continuity on sockets. Live tests cover earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. Each circuit gets recorded individually on the schedule of test results that accompanies the certificate. On a typical Bearsted commercial installation, the testing takes anywhere from half a day for a small office to two or three days for a multi-board industrial unit. We schedule the work around your trading hours — most offices and workshops can be done outside business hours, and retail units are usually best done early morning before opening.

Why Bearsted property owners book CJA Electrical

We work with commercial clients across Bearsted the same way we work with domestic clients: same-day quotes, clear communication on what the inspection involves, transparent pricing, and a written report inside 48 hours. The difference on commercial is just the scheduling — most jobs run outside trading hours or in phased blocks during quieter periods. Reports are formatted to the standard BS 7671 template that insurers, managing agents, and HSE inspectors expect. Remedial work — if the report is unsatisfactory — is quoted separately so the duty-holder can plan the budget and prioritise C1 and C2 observations first.

How the work runs

Step one is a scoping call — usually 10 minutes — to establish the size and complexity of the installation. We’ll ask about the distribution board count, circuit count, three-phase vs single-phase, and any specialist equipment. From that we put a fixed-price quote together, usually within a working day. Step two is the actual testing visit, scheduled to fit around your operations. Most commercial EICRs in Bearsted take half a day to two days on site, depending on the installation size. We can phase the work across multiple visits if the premises can’t sustain a single block of testing. Step three is the report — a PDF within 48 hours of testing completing, with the BS 7671 standard format and all observations coded. If the report is unsatisfactory, step four is a separate remedial quote so you can plan the work to bring the installation back to compliance.

What affects the price

Pricing is transparent: a fixed price for the inspection and report, separate quoting for any remedial work. The fixed price is set after a quick scoping conversation about the installation — circuit count, board count, three-phase or single-phase, any specialist equipment to handle. What the price includes: the on-site inspection, dead and live testing, schedule of test results, BS 7671-formatted report, PDF delivery within 48 hours. What’s separate: remedial work (quoted line-by-line against the report observations), any re-testing needed after remedials are completed, and any additional reports if the duty-holder wants the original split into board-specific certificates.

FAQs

Can testing be done out of hours so we don’t shut the business?

Yes. Out-of-hours testing is the default for retail units, restaurants, and most Bearsted commercial premises. We can also phase the testing across multiple visits if the building can’t sustain a single block. Tell us when you’re closed (or quietest) and we’ll plan the work to fit.

What’s a sampling EICR and is it appropriate for our building?

Sampling is when the duty-holder specifies a percentage (often 10–20%) of circuits and accessories to be tested rather than 100%. The remaining circuits are visually inspected only. The sample is documented on the report and the duty-holder accepts responsibility for the un-tested portion. Appropriate for large, low-risk premises on tight inspection cycles. For most Bearsted commercial, full testing is the right call.

Who’s legally responsible — landlord or tenant?

Depends on the lease. In a typical full-repairing-and-insuring (FRI) commercial lease the tenant carries the duty for the installation within the demise. In shorter leases the landlord usually retains the duty. For multi-tenanted buildings, the landlord normally holds the duty for shared common parts and main supply. We can read the lease with you on a quick call and clarify who needs to commission the EICR.

How long does a commercial EICR take?

Half a day for a small Bearsted office (single board, ~20 circuits) up to two or three days for a multi-board industrial unit. Premises that need phased testing across weekends will take longer in calendar time but the same total testing hours. We give a realistic estimate at quoting stage based on the circuit count and access conditions.

What happens if the report comes back unsatisfactory?

Unsatisfactory just means the inspection has flagged C1 or C2 observations — items that need putting right to bring the installation back to compliance. The report lists each item, and CJA Electrical can quote separately for the remedial work. Once the remedials are done, the affected circuits are re-tested and a fresh, satisfactory certificate is issued.

Will the testing damage anything?

No. The tests are non-destructive — insulation resistance and earth fault loop are low-current measurements that don’t stress the installation. The most disruptive part is the brief power cuts during dead testing, which is why we schedule around operations. We do power-down sensitive equipment (servers, control systems) properly before testing the circuits that feed them, and we coordinate with you on anything that can’t be cleanly isolated.