If you have never had an EICR before, you might be unsure about what actually happens during the inspection. Will the power be off all day? Do you need to move furniture? How long will it take? This guide answers all your questions and walks you through every stage of a typical domestic EICR inspection.
Step 1: Arrival and Initial Discussion
Your electrician will arrive at the agreed time and introduce themselves. They will ask about any known electrical issues, the age of the installation, any recent electrical work, and whether there are any specific concerns. If tenants are present, the electrician will explain what will happen during the inspection and how long it will take.
At Infrastructure Environmental, all our engineers are DBS checked and trained in tenant communication. We understand that having work done in your home can be disruptive, and we make every effort to minimise inconvenience while maintaining thoroughness.
Step 2: Visual Inspection of the Consumer Unit
The inspection begins at the consumer unit (fuse board). The electrician will visually inspect:
- The condition of the enclosure — is it damaged, cracked, or incorrectly installed?
- Correct labelling of circuits — can each breaker be matched to the correct area of the property?
- RCD presence and condition — are the required Residual Current Devices installed and functional?
- MCB ratings — are circuit breakers correctly rated for the circuits they protect?
- Compliance with Amendment 2 — is the consumer unit of non-combustible construction?
- Signs of overheating, burning, or water damage
Step 3: Visual Inspection of All Accessible Points
The electrician will then inspect every accessible electrical point in the property — sockets, switches, light fittings, extraction fans, cooker connections, shower units, and any fixed appliances. They are looking for signs of damage, deterioration, incorrect installation, and non-compliance with current standards.
Step 4: Electrical Testing
This is the most technical part of the inspection. The power will need to be turned off for a period while the electrician performs:
- Continuity of protective conductors — ensuring all earthing connections are intact
- Insulation resistance testing — verifying that cable insulation has not degraded
- Polarity checking — confirming that live, neutral, and earth are connected correctly at every point
- Earth fault loop impedance — measuring how quickly a fuse will blow or an RCD will trip in a fault condition
- RCD functionality and trip time testing — ensuring life-saving protection operates within the required 40ms
The power outage typically lasts 30–60 minutes depending on the number of circuits. The electrician will work methodically to minimise downtime. If you have vulnerable occupants or essential medical equipment, please inform us in advance so we can plan accordingly.
Power will be turned off for testing, but our engineers work efficiently to minimise disruption. Most inspections are completed within 2–4 hours, with power restored as soon as testing is complete.
Step 5: Report Compilation
After testing, the electrician compiles the full EICR report. This includes a Schedule of Inspections, a Schedule of Test Results, a page for observations and recommendations (with classification codes), and a summary page stating whether the installation is Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.
Step 6: Report Delivery and Discussion
At Infrastructure Environmental, your report is delivered within 48 hours of the inspection. We are always happy to discuss the findings over the phone and explain any observations in plain English. If remedial work is needed, we provide a clear, itemised quote with no obligation.
