When selecting a light fitting, I would only install where possible fittings with replaceable bulbs. A lot of fittings come with integrated LEDs and this can be ok until they stop working.
If this happens the full fitting has to be replaced which could cost an additional installation fee.
Light fittings can be tricky to find as there is so much choice. Its easier for me to say where not to buy.
Do not buy light fittings from Amazon or eBay Unless they are made by a recognised company.
Amazon and eBay do not need to abide by the same regulations as stores in the UK as it is classed as a market place, so most light fittings although a lot cheaper are not necessarily safe for installation here in the UK.
We don’t usually supply decorative light fittings, this is because, everyone has their own taste. I can almost guarantee that whatever I suggest will be wrong. So we always recommend you get your own light fittings in this case.
I would say I am reasonably priced for the service I provide and my prices are competitive with those of similarly qualified electricians.
Our prices are different to those of an unqualified electrician. We don’t compete with these electricians. They are not properly trained, have less reputable business practices, and are not registered with the NICEIC.
Yes, As part of being a member of the NICEIC it is a requirement that we are insured to carry out all aspects of electrical work in your property.
In fact, we are insured above the industry Norm to ensure that you are covered in case something does go wrong!
An RCD short for Residual Current Device, is a piece of electrical equipment designed to protect a person from a fatal electric shock. Unlike a standard circuit breaker that is designed to protect the cable.
Intermittent faults can be tricky to find, but not impossible. The key information we need is the time of day and is there a pattern when the fault occurs…for example when you use a certain appliance or every time it rains.
We can usually find and repair most faults within the first hour. Some trickier faults can take longer.
We can offer two services depending on the description of the fault:
We can come to your property for one hour to diagnose the fault, or come on our hourly rate to find and repair the fault.
Some faults take longer than an hour to repair if new wiring is required, or floors are to be lifted.
We provide a 2-year guarantee on all parts provided by ourselves and labour. We also provide 5-years on workmanship.
No, This is something we do not do unless specifically requested.
We do not hold a waste carriers license to carry commercial waste, which means we cannot transport it and dispose of it. If you do want us to remove all waste then we can arrange for a collection at an extra cost.
Buying LED is the most energy efficient lightbulb.
There was a time when choosing a lightbulb was a simple task. Now it seems that the introduction of LED Bulbs has made things a little confusing. Finding 2 wattages on the same package is a typical issue.
When it comes to LEDs your light bulb will vary between 3-10w so the lowest number of the two will be what you are looking at and what you need to be careful of when comparing to new light fittings and what bulbs they can have in them.
Warm white is a more inviting colour for the home and is the most common colour range is between 2.5-3k - we recommend this throughout the home.
Daylight / Cool White can be crisp and colder feeling and is typically used in Bathrooms and kitchens. Colour range can vary between 4k-6k.
In older electrical installation bathroom light fittings (specifically downlights) not only have a bulb to replace but also a transformer. These have been installed to keep you safe and depending on the condition of your fuse board you will more than likely need to replace the transformers.
In some cases these old box’s are still okay to use, but lack the necessary safety requirements like RCD protection that more modern consumer units now have.
Rewirable fuse boards are certainly a thing of the past and we recommend an electrical inspection be carried out to ensure it is still safe to be in operation.
Most house have electrical bonding to their gas and water pipes. A good indication that you have electrical bonding is a large Green and Yellow cable (Earth) attached to your Pipework.
In a typical house bonding is installed to your water pipes and Gas pipes.
Bonding can usually be found at your Water Stop tap, Typically under your sink, and Gas meter.
In most cases if this what you have in your property, Your water supply will not need an earth bond. It may be that your electrician will have to test this to confirm.
You can go to www.defibfinder.uk to locate any defibrillator near you.
According the Part P of the building regulations some types of electrical work should be registered with your local council. You can either use an NICEIC registered Electrician who will do the paperwork for you or you can apply for this yourself which can be quite costly.
You will need a Notification if you have a replacement fuse board, have a new circuit installed, a Full or part rewire and any modification works in your bathroom (excluding a like for like replacement of equipment).
As this is separate to your test certificate you can expect this to arrive a few days after the invoice, and direct from the NICEIC.
When we rewire a property we use a chasing machine with dust extraction. This means that most (but not all) fine dust will be removed from the work, making the work a little less messy.
We do try to catch the remaining debris using dust sheets and carpet protection.
In an ideal world it would be great for our customers to move out and have the house empty before we start a rewire, but we understand that this is not always possible.
We can and do work around our clients, but please keep in mind that your home will not be as it was while the work is carried out. Furniture and other bits have to be temporarily relocated to get to all sockets and switches.
At the moment we only accept Bank transfer, Cheque and Cash. Our preferred methods of payment are currently Cheques under £1000 or bank transfer.
When we arrive at the property we will need access to the area we are working, and this should be cleared to prevent any accidental damage of your household goods. We also need to access to your fuse board, again please make sure this area is a clear as possible for us to prevent any delays with the work.
We think that you should leave the shower switch on when not in use. If you feel more comfortable use it when you go away for a longer period of time like a holiday.
A loose connection in a shower pullcord switch is quite common, the internal connections can come loose over time and by pulling the cord every day it can increase the likelihood of this.
For most small jobs we do not, but larger jobs will require a power supply for things like power tools and battery chargers.
If we require the use of power for smaller jobs we will of course ask before we do so.
Yes we do. We provide a 2-year parts and labour guarantee on all our work, as long as we have supplied all the materials that have failed or require replacing.
You should have it installed to protect your electronic equipment at home. This could be washing machines, Tv’s Phones and even LED lightbulbs.
That said, You can opt out of having surge protection installed if you believe it will not be financial feasible for your electrical work.
This does affect most jobs at your home. If you are adding anything to your electrical installation it is important that your electrics are safe before we start our work. This allows us to install electrical work safely at your home and issue the relevant electrical certificates.
Depending on the type of electrical work you are having installed you may need to replace your RCD. This is due to recent electrical regulation changes (Sept 22).
Most properties have the incorrect type of RCD in place at the moment. Digital electronics may affect how the RCD operates and in some cases it may not do what its supposed to do, which is save lives.
Work that usually involve new wiring are affected by this, that said it is a good idea to have a look at what you have installed to make sure your electrics are up to scratch.
Unfortunately, nothing should be installed inside a meter cupboard except from your homes main switch, Henley blocks, electric meter and service fuse. This is according to the electrical power networks regulations.
Installing a fuse-board inside the electrical meter cupboard can bring its own issues and we have attended quite a few properties where we have had to relocate this work so that a smart meter can be installed.
Not necessarily, you can replace the heating element in most ovens and this is often the cause of the issue.
Always used an experience and registered electrician for this process, so that they can check that this is the only issue.
Yes, we are a proud member of the NICEIC, which means you are guaranteed a great job, and are protected by their platinum promise for 6 years if something isn’t quite as it should be.
Even though RCDs are more sensitive, you shouldn't be regularly resetting the unit. This indicates an issue with your electrics, and you should seek a registered and qualified electrician.
