Electrical Installation Condition Report in Swindon

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a thorough assessment of all fixed electrical installations in a property - the consumer unit (fusebox), wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings, and any hardwired appliances such as electric showers or cooker connections. Our engineers do not test portable appliances (that is a separate PAT test) but everything built into the fabric of the property falls within scope.

During the inspection we check that the installation meets BS 7671 requirements, that circuits are correctly rated and protected, that earthing and bonding arrangements are adequate, and that there are no visible signs of deterioration, overheating, or unsafe DIY work. We also verify that RCDs (residual current devices) are present and functioning on circuits protecting sockets and bathrooms - a common gap in Swindon properties built before the 1990s.

• Consumer unit and fuse/circuit breaker ratings
• Earthing and main protective bonding to gas, water, and structural steel
• Supplementary bonding in bathrooms and kitchens
• RCD protection on relevant circuits
• Socket outlet polarity and earth continuity
• Visual condition of all accessible wiring
• Light fittings and fixed luminaires
• Hardwired appliances: showers, cookers, towel rails
• Smoke alarm wiring where hardwired
• External/outbuilding circuits including garages and garden sockets

The report codes every observation using a standard traffic-light system: C1 (immediate danger), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended), and FI (further investigation needed). Only C1 and C2 findings prevent us from issuing a satisfactory certificate. C3 observations do not fail the report but are good practice improvements to consider.

Swindon's growth in distinct waves means our engineers encounter very different electrical installations depending on the neighbourhood. Victorian and Edwardian properties in Old Town (SN1 3, SN1 4), Rodbourne (SN2 1, SN2 2), and Even Swindon typically have wiring dating from multiple eras - original 1900s cloth-insulated cables occasionally found behind older walls, overlaid with 1950s-1960s PVC rewires, with more modern additions to kitchens and bathrooms.

The largest proportion of Swindon's housing stock dates from the post-war expansion of 1945-1975. Estates across Park North (SN3 2), Park South (SN3 1), Walcot (SN3 3), Penhill (SN2 5), and Pinehurst (SN2 7) were built to serve the expanding Great Western Railway works workforce and later the emerging manufacturing sector. Properties from this era frequently have original wiring in good physical condition but lacking modern RCD protection. Consumer units are often older rewireable fuse boards that accept modern MCBs but may not have space or earth continuity for a full RCD upgrade without replacement.

1970s-1980s properties in Covingham (SN3 5), Nythe (SN3 4), and Liden (SN3 6) often feature aluminium wiring or aluminium-conductor twin-and-earth cables. Aluminium wiring is not inherently dangerous but requires specialist connectors and careful maintenance. Standard brass terminal screws can cause high-resistance joints over time, which is a fire risk. Our engineers specifically note aluminium wiring in these postcodes and test terminal connections carefully.

Newer Swindon developments - Tadpole Garden Village (SN25), Wichelstowe (SN5), and Peatmoor (SN5 5) - generally have 17th or 18th Edition compliant installations with RCDs and modern consumer units. Even here, we check for early 17th Edition boards that may lack the AFDD (arc fault detection device) provisions now recommended, and verify that extension to garages or outbuildings has been correctly certified.

Our EICR prices for Swindon properties start from £149 for a one-bedroom flat and scale with the number of circuits, bedrooms, and outbuildings present. A typical three-bedroom semi-detached in Park South or Penhill costs £195-£230. A larger detached property in Wroughton (SN4) or Blunsdon (SN25) with a garage, outbuilding, or electric vehicle charge point typically falls in the £230-£280 range.

Factors that add to the base price include: additional circuits above the standard count for the bedroom number, a detached garage or workshop fed from the main property, a swimming pool or hot tub installation, and commercial-use circuits in mixed-use properties. All quotes are fixed before booking, so there are no surprises on the day.

• 1-bed flat (SN1-SN5): from £149
• 2-bed house or flat: from £175
• 3-bed semi or terrace: from £195
• 4-bed detached: from £225
• 5+ bed or property with outbuildings: from £265
• Landlord multi-property discount: available on request

If your EICR identifies remedial work, we can provide a separate quote for the rectification. We separate the inspection and remedial costs so you can obtain comparison quotes for any repairs required. Our engineers do not have a financial incentive to find defects.

The streets of Old Town Swindon - Newport Street, Cricklade Street, Bath Road, and the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian terraces - present our engineers with some of the most varied electrical histories in the town. Many of these properties were originally built without electricity and wired for the first time in the 1930s-1950s. Subsequent rewires in the 1960s and 1970s, plus incremental additions by successive owners, mean the typical Old Town house has wiring from at least two distinct eras.

Common findings in Old Town properties include original vulcanised rubber cables hidden within lath-and-plaster walls (these become brittle with age and can crack when disturbed), single-pole switching on the neutral conductor rather than the live, and missing earth continuity on lighting circuits - a very common feature of pre-1960s wiring practice. We also frequently find that cellar conversions and loft extensions in Old Town houses have been wired without the appropriate earthing or without proper notification under Part P of the Building Regulations.

For buyers considering Old Town properties, we always recommend an EICR as part of the pre-purchase due diligence, even if a relatively recent EICR is already provided. An EICR carried out for the seller's compliance purposes uses the same technical standard but our inspection specifically assesses condition for a new owner - including noting any C3 improvements that the previous EICR may have carried over without action.

Swindon is one of the fastest-growing towns in the South West, with major housing developments ongoing at Tadpole Garden Village (SN25, with Taylor Wimpey and Redrow delivering 3,300 homes), Wichelstowe (SN5, a joint venture between Swindon Borough Council and Persimmon/Vistry), and Peatmoor (SN5). Properties in these developments have modern electrical installations certified under Part P when built, but the EICR cycle still applies - rental properties need their first inspection within five years of a new tenancy, regardless of the property age.

New build buyers sometimes assume that a new property is exempt from EICR requirements. This is not correct. The Building Regulations Completion Certificate (or Minor Works Certificate for smaller installations) certifies that the original installation complied with the regulations at the time of construction. An EICR assesses the condition of the installation after use - a different purpose. Our engineers carry out new-tenancy EICRs for landlords in Tadpole Garden Village regularly and occasionally find issues with connections made during construction (loose terminals, incorrect cable sizing for extensions) that the original certification did not cover.

We also carry out pre-purchase EICRs for buyers of new build properties who want independent verification before completing their purchase. This is particularly relevant for properties at Wichelstowe and Tadpole Garden Village where some buyers are purchasing from the open market rather than directly from the developer.