Well obviously I`d take a peek initially to give the estimate.

The first item I`d allow for is inspect & test which is chargeable.

If remedials are required then an additional estimate.

Then the board change.

I`d never do a board change before I & T

if I get the job, it might be difficult to juggle the assessment date within the 30 days required to notify, (any penalties for late notifications?)


I was going to put something like this on quotes for cu changes


“The above quote for your cu change is based on a trouble free installation and subsequent testing, if during the testing stage any serious faults arise, these must be remedied before the work can be signed off.  Your agreement to go ahead with the said works, is also an agreement to remedy ant faults arising from the cu change and that you understand that these remedial works are chargeable and NOT included in the original quote.”

Thanks for all your input guys. 


So when I visit the customer tomorrow, I can quote that there is an initial inspecting & testing stage for £xxx, before I can quote for the actual cu change?  I’m not going to a full EICR, as I’m not experienced enough to do them yet, so I’ll just do the standard dead/ live tests to check for any faults etc. 


Is £100 too much for this initial inspecting & testing part?

Hi Fitzy,

i really couldn't answer that has I've very limited experience, maybe someone else could assist. 


I'd probably do this on an hourly basis and this shouldn't take more than an hour or two?

Regards TS

Is £100 too much for this initial inspecting & testing part?


NO!

I installed a new split load consumer unit once in a house many years ago. The new consumer unit had two R.C.D.s. After installation everything was fine....UNTIL the central heating programmer called for heat later in the day when I had left and tripped off an R.C.D. 


I returned the next day to troubleshoot. The customers were not happy and blamed me for the problem despite me saying the the new consumer unit was more sensitive than the old fuse box, and was likely to detect latent faults. I found the problem, a borrowed neutral for the gas central heating system or a crossed over neutral in the consumer unit, I can't quite remember, but I did rectify the fault.


Would I have discovered the problem before installing the new consumer unit? Probably not unless I had spent most of the day previously and carried out a thorough E.I.C.R. inspection and testing.


There may be latent faults that only come to light after the new consumer unit is installed, like a split immersion heater element sheath in a copper cylinder....that works on a non R.C.D.d circuit with a fuse wire, but trips off the new R.C.D. after the new R.C.D.s are installed. Or a faulty appliance that only shows a fault during a particular part of a cycle, like a washing machine. Or something on a time switch. These latent faults are easy to miss and difficult to locate.


Always insert a get out of jail clause in your estimates. Extra work will be charged for. Or you will end up rewiring the whole house for free when the customer says "It worked o.k. before you came and fiddled."


Explain everything to the customers very clearly before you jump in with both feet. Some will be understanding if things go wrong, others will try to screw you. It is impossible to identify which type your customer is until the bad event. Some sweet dear little old ladies can be demons, and old boys very demanding.


Z.

Well guys


i visited my customer tonight to quote for the cu upgrade, the current board is an old Wylex board from the 70’s with button pop out mcb’s, all in very good condition, but no visible bonding in place, 16mm tails and 10mm earth, so a problem there.  Board all works fine, only problems they’ve had is when a luminaire blows, the mcb pops.  They were told by the electrician that installed a light in the loft/office (last year) that their fuseboard is “dangerous & illegal) under the then current regs ?.  They accepted my quote of £90 for an initial inspecting & testing visit first, before they decide whether to go for the upgrade.  They’ve already had a quote of £840 for a 14 way RCBO board plus £350 for an EICR, then charges for any found faults ?.  But they said I explained things better than him too. 


I’m going to quote for both an RCBO & split load board, for them to choose which one they want.