Electricians near me

Electricians are skilled professionals who work with electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. They install, maintain, and repair electrical components and systems to ensure they work safely and efficiently. In short, electricians have a varied role with many duties.

The installation work electricians handle includes adding wiring, outlets, switches, light fixtures, and various other electrical components. They can also set up electrical systems for appliances, heating and cooling systems, and even entertainment setups.

Typical repairs include faulty wiring, malfunctioning electrical outlets and switches, and circuit breaker issues. Of course, they can also assist you with lighting problems, appliance repairs, electrical panel repairs, and various other issues.

While many electrical repair issues can be resolved without the need for urgency, there are times when you simply cannot wait. In those situations, 24-hour electricians and their emergency electrician services are more than ready to help.

Yes, almost all electricians offer emergency callouts. You should request an emergency electrician in situations where electrical issues pose a threat to the safety of you or your property.

It is not always easy to judge whether you need an emergency electrician, but it’s best to err on the side of caution. You should call an emergency electrician if you have a power outage, when you smell burning coming from your electrics, or when your property’s electrics have contact with water.

If you're not sure whether your situation is an emergency, you can always contact an electrician to check. It's better to be safe than sorry. These services are essential and incredibly helpful but expect to pay more for them. All across the UK, you’ll be charged more for emergency callouts.

On average, electricians charge around £50 per hour – but this amount can vary depending on the nature of the work, your location, and the electrician’s experience. Electricians in London, for example, are highly likely to charge more than in other parts of the UK.

If the work is likely to take most of the day, electricians will sometimes charge a day rate of around £400, since they will not be able to work on any other jobs. Again, the amount you'll pay will depend on factors like your location, the type of work, and the electrician's experience.

Sometimes, electricians do not charge an hourly rate, but instead set a price depending on the task. For example, some services charge per socket installation they’re providing. Or they may charge per item for PAT testing. These price structures can vary considerably with each service, so ask for specific details early on.

In the case of electrical repairs, you also need to consider the cost of parts. Finding components for older electrical systems can be difficult and costly, which in turn increases the amount you’ll need to pay. It might be more economical to simply replace the faulty unit.

Remember that these estimates do not consider the cost of touching up or repairing walls, floors or ceilings, all of which could be damaged to gain access to your electrics. Take a moment to ask electricians about the restorative work that might be needed following their intervention.

You should expect to pay between £80 and £100 per hour, on average, when hiring an emergency electrician. This is because they come to your property at short notice, whenever you need them. Emergency electricians work on holidays and outside normal working hours. They’re available on weekends, throughout the night, and basically any time you need them.

While this amount is a fairly sharp increase on the typical cost of hiring an electrician, in urgent situations it's simply unavoidable. Electrical emergencies will grind your property to a halt, and could actually result in dangerous situations, like electrical fires.

If you are not experiencing electrical issues or adding to your electrical infrastructure, completing thorough electrical inspections every 10 years should be sufficient. In the UK, though, many properties have electrics with wiring and components cobbled together from previous decades of work.

This is why having electrician inspect your property after first moving in is always a smart idea. From there, regular inspections will help you keep ahead of problems and avoid more expensive repair and maintenance bills in the future.

Older homes that are more likely to have electrical issues should be inspected more frequently, but this is still only needed every 5 years, assuming you are not experiencing electrical problems. Once problems start to emerge, you should take them seriously.

There are several factors to consider when deciding if your home needs an electrical inspection. The age of the home, existing and previous electrical issues, ownership changes, and ongoing or completed home renovations and extensions could all be cause for electrical inspections.

While you would expect newly built homes to have fine, working electrical systems, that's not always the case. It’s prudent to have an electrical inspection completed after moving in to ensure everything is in working order and no flaws exist.

Generally, it’s a bad idea to try to fix electrical issues yourself, unless you’ve undergone formal training and gained a qualification as an electrician. If you are not educated in these matters, you could cause yourself serious injury or damage your property – and then still have to pay for a professional electrician for a fix.

Besides the matter of safety, you should also remember that only electricians can carry out certain types of work in properties. Building regulations state that in certain matters, work must be carried out and confirmed by a qualified electrician. You can get specific advice on what is permitted from your local authority.

With that said, there are some tasks you can handle on your own. You probably won’t need an electrician to change lightbulbs, nor to reset circuit breakers. Handy homeowners might be able to change light fittings, outlets, and switches – providing they follow safety guidelines in the strictest manner – but if you’re unsure, it’s better to hire an electrician.

Many people use the terms electrician and electrical contractor interchangeably but, despite the common misconception, they aren’t the same thing. Electricians are professionals you hire for electrical installation, repair, and maintenance tasks. Electrical contractors are business entities – from small businesses to large firms – that work on larger projects.

Electrical contractors oversee projects and, in many cases, employ electricians to carry out the required work. As such, some individuals are both licensed electricians and operate as electrical contractors. This is part of why there's confusion between the two terms.

Yes, many electricians are equipped to assist with home automation and smart home installations. In fact, these are increasingly common requests for electricians, as the spread of smart thermostats, smart lighting, and smart doorbells has accelerated.

While many electricians can install or repair these systems, that isn’t always the case. When hiring an electrician, make sure you choose one who has experience in home automation and a familiarity with the specific smart systems you want to integrate.

An electrical emergency is a situation involving an electrical system or component that poses an immediate risk to safety, property, or system functionality. There is a spectrum of severity when it comes to electrical emergencies, but the chief point is that they require prompt attention to prevent injury or property damage.

If an electrical system is sparking, smoking, or smells like burning, you have an emergency on your hands. Bring an emergency electrician in immediately. If you have an electrical fire, evacuate the area and call the emergency services, but arrange for an electrician to visit the property once the immediate danger is over.

Other emergency situations include outlets or switches that are hot to touch, water contact with electrical infrastructure, or an isolated power outage. In each of these cases, turn off the power and call an emergency electrician immediately.

Yes, emergency electricians are available outside of business hours. These professionals are not just characterised by the fact they visit your property and resolve issues with urgency, but by the fact they’re available around the clock, including on weekends and holidays.

You will have to pay premium prices for emergency electricians, so consider whether you’re really in an emergency situation before calling one for urgent help – while remembering that it’s always better to act cautiously.

Many people underestimate the importance of electrical inspection and testing, but it’s something you ought to care about. In short, these processes ensure the safety, reliability, and compliance of your electrical installations.

When you have inspections and testing carried out, you can feel sure that your electrical systems do not pose a safety threat – including the risk of electrical shocks, fires, and other accidents – that they meet safety standards, and that you’re aware of any possible upcoming issues.

This is important for living in your home with peace of mind and for identifying opportunities to make your home more energy efficient. This will, along with helping you avoid repairs, result in you saving money.

Outdated, faulty wiring commonly leads to faults and accidents that undermine the safety of you and your property. But how can you know that your home’s wiring needs to be replaced? Here are a few key warning signs:

• Circuit breaker trips. If your circuit breakers trip frequently, it might indicate that your electrical system is overloaded or there’s a fault in the wiring. An electrician can take a closer look and find out what's going on.

• Flickering or dimming lights. When lights flicker or dim regularly, it’s sometimes a sign that there’s loose or damaged wiring – though it could also be a problem with your electrical panel.

• Hot or discoloured outlets and switches. Faulty wiring or overloaded circuits are often to blame for outlets or switches that feel hot to touch. These could result in a fire, so deal with this quickly.

• Burning smells. Persistent burning smells – particularly near switches and power outlets – are a serious indication of overheating electrical systems. Turn off the power and call an emergency electrician immediately.

• Frayed or chewed wiring. If you see frayed or chewed wiring, this could be hazardous. You’ll need to replace the faulty wiring after removing the rodents that have caused the issue.

• Inadequate electrical capacity. Frequent power outages might be a sign that your electrical system cannot handle your modern appliances and electronics – and that it’s time for an upgrade.

If you note any of these signs, hiring an electrician to rewire your home is probably needed.

Want to know more about what you'll need to pay? Read our guide on the cost of rewiring a home.

Yes, many electricians are happy to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. As with other electrical installations, EV charging stations require careful wiring and compliance with specific UK safety standards and regulations.

While some residential electricians will be happy to install EV charging stations, it’s best to find a professional with specific knowledge or qualifications in EV charger installation work. Naturally, many EV charging station providers offer installation as part of your purchase agreement, too.

The rules about adding hardwired smoke detectors to your home or replacing your existing detectors with new hardwired smoke detectors vary by local regulations. Still, generally, you'll need a qualified electrician to handle the work and deliver a working smoke detector.

Most of your local electricians will have installed hardwired smoke detectors at some point. While hiring an electrician is an additional cost, you'll have real peace of mind knowing that your smoke detectors work, having been fitted by an experienced professional.

Certain electrical works can only be completed by qualified electricians. For these types of work, electricians must always provide an electrical installation certificate (EIC) to the person who ordered the work. This gives you confidence that the work is safe and compliant.

It doesn't matter whether the electrician has completed a large or small job. Whether they rewired your entire home or simply changed a couple of light fittings, you're entitled to an electrical installation certificate. Every time.

This certificate confirms that the work meets the British Standard for Electrical Safety (BS 7671) and that it was carried out by a qualified electrician. All licensed electricians can self-certify their work, so there's no need to bring in a third party for validation.

If you're having notifiable electrical work completed at your property, you'll need a qualified electrician to handle the job. The easiest way to check whether electricians are certified is to verify that they're registered with competency schemes like the Registered Competent Person Electrical or NICEIC.

Electricians working on construction site must also hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. This shows that they've gone through the training needed to safely and compliantly work on building sites.

They should carry proof of their qualifications on their person (in the form of ID cards or business cards) or on their website. Still, the most reliable method is checking these registers directly. This way, you can have complete confidence that the electrician you're hiring is Part-P certified and knows what they're doing.

You should also consider checking whether they belong to any industry bodies or trade associations. For electricians and electrical contractors, these are the most well-known organisations:

• National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)

• National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT)

• Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA)

• Joint Industry Board (JIB)

• The Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland (SELECT)

If electricians are registered and accredited with some or all these industry competency schemes and trade associations, you can feel much more confident that you're hiring a reputable, reliable service provider that will give you quality work.

Electrics are hugely important for any property, and you can never take electrical safety too seriously. Accordingly, you need to do everything you can to hire the best local electricians and electrical contractors. Here are the questions to keep in mind when you're next hiring.

• What qualifications and certifications do you hold?

You should always ask electricians about their formal training and current certifications. While there are many routes to becoming an electrician, fully qualified electricians must pass the Achievement Measurement 2 (AM2) assessment to prove their practical skills.

You can ask for evidence of their qualifications and formal training, and verify the details they supply with the issuing body who assessed them. If they're unwilling or unable to supply proof of their certifications, stop considering them and move onto professionals who can deliver evidence.

• Are you registered with any competency schemes or trade associations?

Take a moment to ask electricians whether they're registered or accredited by any well-known bodies that uphold electrical safety standards or work quality. If they're not registered, it does not necessarily mean they're unqualified or unsafe to use, but it means you're taking a risk.

While it isn't a legal requirement, most reputable electricians take the time to register with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) to prove their competency in practical electrical work.

If your chosen electrician is not NICEIC registered or a member of trade bodies like the ECA or NAPIT, it's a worrying sign. Consider moving ahead with other local electricians who can prove their competency through registration with these bodies.

• Can you provide references from previous clients?

Technical skills are enormously important for electricians but, when hiring, you need to know about the full package. You should find out about customer service quality, communication style, and the value for money they bring to the table. The easiest way to discover these details is through reviews and references.

Unsurprisingly, it's a worrying sign when electricians are unwilling to give you their references. It suggests that previous customers have had negative experiences, or that the electrician is actually inexperienced. In both cases, you might consider hiring a different electrician.

• Do you have public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance?

If electrical work goes awry, there's a reasonable chance it could result in property damage or harm to people in the vicinity. This can be both serious and costly, so it's always important to check if electricians hold public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance.

These insurance coverages help make sure you'll be compensated when something goes wrong. If an electrician doesn't have insurance in place, they're leaving themselves (and you) open to harm. In cases like those, it's best to find a different electrician who is more prepared.

• Can you provide a written quote and detailed scope of work?

Before agreeing to hire an electrician, make sure you get a written quote with a detailed scope of work that lays out all the relevant terms and conditions. You need to know what you're going to receive, how much it's going to cost you, and payment terms covering deposits, cancellations, changes, and any potential surprise costs.

By getting a written quote that includes every detail, you're giving yourself something to point to if there's a dispute with your professional later on. For electricians, this also helps protect them from any customers who might attempt to behave dishonestly.

• Do you offer any guarantees or warranties?

When getting electrical projects completed, you need to know that it's working properly. If electricians provide guarantees or warranties, and many do, then you know they'll handle flaws or quality issues when they arise during or after the work.

Not all electricians give warranties or guarantees, and terms and conditions can differ considerably. As such, you need to find out everything you can about how the guarantees or warranties work, and what the process is if you need it.

• How do you handle disputes?

Getting a detailed scope of work and even a written contract is a great idea and gives you protection, but you still need to know what happens if a dispute arises at a later date. Take a moment to ask electricians how they handle disputes before one appears.

For situations like these, it's important to understand any warranties or guarantees you've been offered by electricians ahead of time. Armed with that information, you're in a much better position to navigate disputes fairly and quickly.

Need help with an ongoing disagreement? Read TrustMark's guide on what to do if a project goes wrong.

• What is your availability?

Whether you're arranging installation work or need help with an electrical emergency, you need to ask about availability. You won't want to wait months for electrical work to be completed, while urgent situations need to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

For emergency electricians, you shouldn't just check whether they're available, but how long it's going to take them to reach your property. If it's going to be a while, you might consider using an alternate emergency electrician who can reach you more quickly.

• Do you perform safety checks after completing the work?

Competent electricians should take the time to test their work and check it's safe and compliant. If you've gone through the right process and asked the right questions, you should have hired a competent, certified electrician – but they can still make mistakes.

For peace of mind going forward, make sure to ask your electrician if they complete checks after finishing the work. If that's not part of their normal process, it's a sign that they're not overly concerned with the safety and wellbeing of their clients.