Multi-occupancy meter cupboard with separate consumer units and smart meters

Developer compliance for electrical work splits into two streams. New installations — circuits added during build, refurb, or conversion — produce an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) at commissioning. Existing installations being inspected periodically produce an EICR. We work with Margate developers on both: EIC for new work signed off as it goes in, EICR on existing installations inherited through purchase or returned to service after refurb.

What an EICR involves for Developer

The technical inspection runs to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 — same standard as any other domestic EICR. What differs for developer work is the trigger and the handover. A refurbishment EICR captures the state of an existing installation at the start or end of the works, so the developer has clean evidence of what was inherited and what was kept. Where new circuits are added to an existing installation as part of the works, those new circuits also get an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) at commissioning — separate document, separate purpose.

When you need this in Margate

Common developer scenarios for an EICR in Margate: - Acquisition due diligence on a property being purchased for refurbishment - Pre-refurb baseline EICR documenting the existing installation’s condition - Post-refurb EICR confirming the kept-and-adapted wiring is still satisfactory - Change-of-use conversion EICR — house to flats, commercial to residential, etc. - Periodic inspection on completed phases of a development already in service - EICR alongside an EIC on a project mixing new circuits and retained existing wiring

Smaller domestic consumer unit with each circuit clearly labelled
Smaller domestic consumer unit with each circuit clearly labelled

What the report contains

The deliverable is a standard three-part EICR PDF — form, schedule of inspection, schedule of test results — plus, where relevant, a project cover note explaining how the EICR relates to the wider build documentation. On a refurbishment with both retained and new wiring, the EICR covers the retained sections and an EIC (or set of EICs) covers the new circuits. Findings are coded C1/C2/C3/FI. Unsatisfactory results need remedying within 28 days under BS 7671 best practice; on developer work we typically coordinate the remedials with the wider project programme.

Why book CJA Electrical for your Margate EICR

What developers usually want from an EICR partner is precision and timing. Precision because the EIC vs EICR distinction matters and gets it wrong on BC sign-off. Timing because the inspection slot has to fit a wider project programme, often with multiple trades on site. City & Guilds 2391 qualified for the inspection and testing, ten years on Thanet domestic projects, comfortable working alongside other trades on a live site. Same-week turnaround typical for Margate projects.

Main service fuse, cutout and smart meter on the incoming supply
Main service fuse, cutout and smart meter on the incoming supply

How the inspection runs

The developer flow: Initial conversation about the project — what’s existing, what’s new, where on the programme the inspection sits. Quote and appointment options out the same day. Inspection coordinated with the site lead. Report PDF inside 48 hours. EIC for new circuits issued separately as work is commissioned. Remedial work, if needed, scoped and quoted to fit the wider build cost.

What affects the price

No standard rate card for developer work — the variability between projects is too high. We’ll quote on receipt of the scope (number of dwellings, refurb vs new vs mixed, programme dates, access constraints) and the price is fixed at that point.

FAQs

Do new builds in Margate need an EICR or an EIC?

New builds need an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), not an EICR. The EIC is issued by the installing electrician at the point the new installation is commissioned and forms part of the Building Control sign-off documentation. An EICR is a periodic inspection document that applies to existing installations after they’ve entered service — typically five years or more after the EIC was issued.

When during a refurb do I need an EICR vs an EIC?

Existing wiring being kept and adapted as part of a refurbishment is the EICR domain — the report documents the condition of what’s being retained. New circuits added during the refurbishment get their own EIC at the point they’re commissioned. A typical refurb often produces both documents — EICR for the retained installation, EIC for the new circuits.

What’s the difference between a Minor Works Certificate and an EICR?

A Minor Works Certificate (MWC) is issued for small additions to an existing installation that don’t constitute a new circuit — for example, adding an extra socket on an existing ring main. The MWC documents the modification and confirms it doesn’t compromise the installation’s safety. An EICR is a full periodic inspection of every accessible part of the installation; the two cover very different scopes.

Do you handle EIC issuance alongside EICR work on a project?

Yes. Most developer projects mix retained and new installation work. We’ll issue the EICR for the retained sections and EICs for the new circuits, with both documents formatted for Building Control sign-off and for the eventual buyer’s conveyancing. Single point of contact for both, single project invoice.

Can you work alongside other trades on a live site in Margate?

Yes. Most of our developer work happens on live sites with other trades present. We coordinate with the site manager or principal contractor to fit the inspection slot into the wider programme, and we work to the site’s H&S and access protocols. Margate sites are reached from our Rochester base in around 70 minutes.

Do you supply documentation in a format Building Control accepts?

Yes. EICs and EICRs follow the standard BS 7671 formats that Building Control bodies accept across England. Standard three-part EICR PDF — form, schedule of inspection, schedule of test results — and standard EIC for new circuits with the matching schedule of test results.

How quickly can you turn EICR work round on a developer project?

Same-week appointments are typical for Margate projects, with the report PDF in the project inbox within 48 hours of the visit. For phased developments where multiple plots need inspecting, we batch the visits to keep the cost down and the turnaround tight. Tighter timelines are possible where the project programme demands it.

Developer EICR in nearby towns

EICR for other audiences in Margate

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