Emergencies until 10pm. Ring first.Call

The journal

Journal

Plain explanations of what is behind the faceplate: inspections, consumer units, rewires, kitchens and gardens, from an electrician working across Bromley and south east London.

Multifunction tester and test schedule beside an open consumer unit

Featured · Inspections What the EICR codes mean: C1, C2, C3 and FI An Electrical Installation Condition Report tells you whether the wiring in a property is safe to keep using. It does not tell you whether it looks tidy. By Joseph Lawrence · 4 min read

Consumer unit with every circuit labelled by hand

Consumer units · 5 min read Old fuse board? You may not need a full rewire Testing first can show that a new consumer unit makes an installation safe, without lifting a floorboard.

Consumer unit with a row of RCBOs and surge protection

Safety · 3 min read Electrics can look fine and still not be safe Most faults are hidden behind a faceplate or inside a wall. Why every job starts with testing.

Panelled hallway with the consumer unit cupboard

Landlords · 6 min read The 2020 landlord electrical regulations, plainly Every five years, a copy to tenants within 28 days, remedials within 28 days. What it means in practice.

Kitchen extension with three brass pendants lit at dusk

Kitchens · 5 min read When the electrician should arrive on a kitchen extension Early. First fix happens before plastering, so socket and lighting positions need agreeing first.

Weatherproof outside socket on a brick wall

Gardens · 4 min read Garden lighting: plan it before you landscape Cables run more easily before new paving and planting. What to decide on the walk round.

Three old fuse boxes on a wooden backboard

Faults · 3 min read Trip switch won't stay up: what to try before you ring Three things to try in the right order, and when to stop.

New double sockets fitted behind a TV stand

Faults · 3 min read One socket is dead Why a single socket stops working, and what it usually means.

Three brass pendants lit over a dining table

Faults · 3 min read Lights that flicker or bulbs that keep blowing Usually a connection, sometimes the bulb, occasionally the supply.

Kitchen extension at dusk with every light off

Faults · 2 min read A burning smell from a socket or switch Switch it off at the board and ring. Here is why.

Consumer unit with a row of RCBOs and surge protection

Prices · 4 min read How I price a job Photos for small jobs, a visit for big ones, and a written quote before anything starts.

Consumer unit with every circuit labelled by hand

Paperwork · 4 min read The paperwork you should get from an electrician Every job produces a document. Here is which one, and what to do with it.

Two ways to start

On a job? WhatsApp me and I'll reply the same day.

Small job? Send a photo.

Extra sockets, lights, faults that keep tripping. Send a few photos on WhatsApp and I can often price it the same day.

WhatsApp a photo

Bigger job? Get a quote.

Consumer units, rewires, kitchens, extensions and garden lighting. I visit, look at the installation properly, and send a written quote.