NAPIT
CHAS
City & Guilds
TrustMark
Part P
BS 7671Why every electrical job is priced individually after a free survey — and why fixed list-prices from national chains often end up costing more.
NAPITCHASCity & GuildsTrustMarkPart PBS 7671A like-for-like comparison of typical job pricing. DS Electrical figures are real “from” entry points drawn from our service pages. National-chain figures are indicative ranges based on publicly listed rates and reported quotes. “Cowboy ops” figures show what unaccredited operators sometimes charge for jobs that aren’t notified, certified or correctly specified.
| Job | DS Electrical (from) | National chains (typical) | Cowboy ops (be wary) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EICR — 1-bed flat~6 circuits, single-phase | from £180+ VAT @ 20% · per-circuit pricing | £220–£320+ VAT · flat “up to X circuits” | £80–£120cash, no certificate, no NAPIT |
| EICR — 3-bed semi~10 circuits, single-phase | from £300+ VAT @ 20% · per-circuit pricing | £320–£480+ VAT · flat banded rate | £120–£180cash, often unsigned report |
| EICR — 5-bed period propertyheritage, multiple boards | Quoted after walk-round+ VAT @ 20% | £500–£850+ VAT · rarely accept these | —typically refused or rushed |
| EV charger fit7.4kW, dedicated 32A circuit | from £350+ VAT @ 20% · Type A RCBO, OZEV-approved | £800–£1,200+ VAT · bundled charger + install | £250–£400often Type AC, not notified to DNO |
| Full house rewire3-bed semi, including consumer unit | from £4,500+ VAT @ 20% · full EIC certificate | £5,500–£8,000+ VAT · sometimes excludes making good | £2,500–£3,500no Part P notification, partial work |
| Fuse board change3-bed house, 18th Edition CU | from £750+ VAT @ 20% · bonding + RCBOs | £850–£1,400+ VAT · surveys often charged extra | £350–£500no bonding upgrade, unsigned |
| Emergency calloutin-hours, first hour included | from £120+ VAT @ 20% · director on the phone | £180–£300+ VAT · call centre booking | £80–£150cash, no make-safe certificate |
| Kitchen electricssockets, hob & oven, lighting | from £140+ VAT @ 20% · whole kitchen install from £750 | £220–£400+ VAT · often quoted per item | £100–£180not Part P notified, no certificate |
National-chain ranges are indicative figures gathered from publicly listed rates and customer-reported quotes — we’re not naming specific competitors. “Cowboy ops” figures illustrate what unaccredited operators sometimes charge; the apparent saving usually disappears once the work has to be redone, certified or repaired. Always check NAPIT, CHAS and TrustMark registration before booking.
Big national chains love a printed price list because it makes the upsell easier. Here’s why those headline figures rarely match the final invoice.
A 1930s detached with a Wylex board, a 2018 new-build with metal-clad CU, and a Grade II listed cottage on lath-and-plaster all look like “a house” on a price list — but the labour, parts and certification scope are nothing alike.
Rubber-insulated cabling, missing earths, undersized tails, no main bonding — all of these get found mid-job. A flat list-price assumes none of it exists; a per-job quote prices it in upfront after a survey.
An EICR on a 6-circuit flat is not the same job as an EICR on an 18-circuit period house with three sub-boards. Certifying every circuit properly takes time — per-circuit pricing reflects the actual work, flat-rate pricing rounds up the cheap jobs and rushes the expensive ones.
UK housing stock built since 2008 ranges from new-build estates to converted barns, with wildly different specs for solar, EV, heat pumps and battery storage. A list-price designed for “a typical install” rarely matches what’s actually on site.
Every DS Electrical quote includes the work that legally must happen on a domestic electrical job — not as an upsell line, just as standard.
Free survey, fixed written quote, NAPIT 66245 certified. One of the two directors answers the phone — you talk to a qualified electrician, not a call centre.
Dan Stevens 07889 334849 Dan Street 07983 106928 Free survey · written quote · NAPIT 66245 certified