Commercial Electrician Liverpool
Shops, cafes, offices and units.
New equipment needing a circuit. Testing that is overdue. A unit that needs fitting out. Fixed rates from £80 an hour, with no commercial premium.
What We Do for Liverpool Businesses
Most of our commercial work is for small and medium premises. Cafes, takeaways, bars, salons, gyms, offices, co-working and units.
Circuits for new equipment
New oven, dishwasher, coffee machine or air conditioning. We run the circuit, connect it and certify it.
Commercial electrical testing
EICR and fixed wire testing, priced per circuit. A small shop pays small shop money. Certificate within 24 hours.
Emergency lighting
Installation, monthly function tests and the annual full duration test. Log book kept up to date.
LED upgrades
Replace old fluorescent and halogen with LED. Lower running cost, better light, less maintenance.
Sockets and lighting
Extra sockets for new stations or desks. Track lighting, display lighting, outdoor and signage.
Fit outs
Small and medium fit outs, from a single unit to a full installation. Priced from a site visit.
PAT testing
Portable appliance testing with a full asset list and certificates. See our PAT testing Liverpool page.
Out of hours callouts
Power down in a shop is lost trade. We attend 24 hours, at the same rates as domestic.
Additional circuits
Board full? We assess capacity and either free up a way or fit a bigger board. See fuse box replacement.
New Equipment? You Probably Need a New Circuit
Bought a deck oven, a dishwasher or a coffee machine? Here is what happens next.
Most commercial equipment cannot run off a normal socket. A 13 amp socket handles about 3kW. A deck oven or a glass washer usually needs more. It needs a dedicated circuit of its own.
Check the rating plate on the machine first. If it is above 3kW, assume it needs its own supply.
What we check
The load
What the appliance actually draws, from the rating plate rather than the brochure.
Your board
Whether there is a spare way, and whether the board can take the extra load.
Your supply
Single or three phase. Bigger kitchen kit often needs three phase to run properly.
What we get called out for most
Most are done in a day. We run the circuit, connect the appliance, test it and issue the certificate. If your board has no spare capacity we will tell you before we start, not halfway through.
Call 07399 676656What Your Premises Legally Needs
Four separate duties. Most businesses only know about one.
Commercial EICR
This covers the permanent installation. Wiring, distribution board, sockets and lighting. Most commercial premises are inspected every five years. Some are sooner. Higher risk premises such as pools and medical facilities may be annual. The report states your next date.
You will see this called several things. Commercial EICR, fixed wire testing, commercial electrical testing, or a commercial electrical inspection. They all mean the same report. We are an EICR contractor for commercial premises across Liverpool. For homes and rental properties, see our EICR Liverpool page.
BS 7671PAT testing
There is no law that says you must PAT test. What the law says is that you must keep electrical equipment in a safe condition. That comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. PAT testing is how most businesses show they have done it. Annual is the common policy. More on our PAT testing Liverpool page.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989Emergency lighting
Required in most premises. People must be able to leave safely in a power cut. Two tests. A monthly function test, which is a brief flick test. And an annual full duration test, three hours for most premises. Both go in a log book.
BS 5266Fire alarm testing
A call point is tested weekly by whoever is responsible on site. The system is serviced at least twice a year by a competent engineer. Records are kept for both.
BS 5839Not sure which of these you already have in place? Ring us and we will tell you what is missing. There is no charge for that conversation.
Commercial Electrician Prices
Published, so you can budget before you ring.
Commercial EICR and fixed wire testing, priced per circuit
A small shop costs small shop money. Commercial electrical testing is priced the same way whether it is a cafe or a workshop. We count the circuits and confirm the price first. Certificate within 24 hours.
Hourly rates
Weekday
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. One hour minimum.
Weekend
Saturday and Sunday mornings. One hour minimum.
Emergency Rate
Any time, 24 hours. On site within 30 minutes.
- No commercial premium. Businesses pay the same rates as households.
- No callout fee on top of the hourly rate.
- Parts charged at cost.
- Free site visit and written quote on any job over £200.
- Certificate on completion, every time.
Fit Outs and Full Installations
Taking on a unit, or changing what a space is used for.
A change of use means a change of electrics. A retail unit becoming a cafe needs kitchen circuits. It needs extraction and different lighting too. An office becoming a gym needs different loads in different places.
We price fit outs from a site visit, not over the phone. You get a written quote covering the whole job.
What a fit out usually includes
- Distribution board, sized for the new use
- Power circuits for equipment
- Lighting design and installation
- Emergency lighting to BS 5266
- Data and comms containment
- Testing and certification throughout
How we work around trade
- Early starts and evening work where it helps
- Staged so you can open sections
- One point of contact for the whole job
- Written quote before anything begins
- Any change agreed with you first
Emergency Commercial Electrician Liverpool
A shop with no tills is shut. A kitchen with no extraction cannot serve. We attend business emergencies 24 hours a day. Rates are the same as we charge households.
What we get called out to
Tills and card machines down
No power at the counter means no trade. Usually a tripped circuit or a failed socket run.
Chillers and freezers off
Stock is on the clock. We prioritise these and isolate the fault fast.
Extraction failure
A kitchen with no extraction cannot serve. Often the isolator or the fan supply.
Three phase supply fault
One phase down can take out half your equipment. The lights often stay on.
Board tripping repeatedly
Usually one appliance causing an earth fault. We trace it rather than keep resetting.
Lighting failure in a public area
A dark customer area is a safety problem. We get light back, then fix the cause.
For homes rather than premises, see our emergency electrician Liverpool page.
Premises We Work In
Different trades, different electrics. Here is what each one usually needs.
Cafes and coffee shops
Espresso machines and grinders need their own circuits. So does the dishwasher. We size the board for what you run at once.
Takeaways and restaurants
Deck ovens, fryers and griddles are heavy loads. Many need three phase. Extraction needs its own supply.
Bars
Cellar cooling runs constantly. Glass washers need their own circuit. Then display lighting, outdoor areas and till points.
Salons and barbers
Every station needs power. Usually more sockets than the last fit out allowed. Backwash water heaters are a heavy load.
Gyms and pilates studios
Cardio machines draw more than people expect. Studios need lighting zones, sound and air conditioning.
Offices and co-working
Co-working needs far more desk power than a standard office. Floor boxes, data containment and lighting you can zone.
Retail units
Certified electricians for retail units and shop fit outs. Display and track lighting, till points, signage and shutters. Changing the layout means moving power, not just lights.
Workshops and small units
Three phase machinery, distribution boards and high bay lighting. We check supply capacity before you commit to a machine.
We cover every Liverpool postcode. We also work across Wirral, St Helens, Warrington, Southport and Formby.
Commercial Electrical Questions
Straight answers to what business owners ask us most.
How often does a commercial property need an EICR?
Most commercial premises are inspected every five years. Some are sooner. Higher risk premises may need annual inspection. Pools and medical facilities are the usual examples. The report itself will state the recommended date for the next inspection.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement for businesses?
Not in itself. There is no law that says you must PAT test. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require you to keep electrical equipment in a safe condition. PAT testing is the usual way businesses show they have done that. Most premises test annually.
Do I need a new circuit for a commercial oven?
Usually yes. A standard 13 amp socket handles around 3kW. Most commercial ovens draw more than that. They need a dedicated circuit of their own, run from the board. We check the load. We check your spare capacity. We check whether your supply is single or three phase.
Can I plug a commercial dishwasher into a normal socket?
Often not. Domestic dishwashers are fine on a socket. Commercial and glass washers draw more. Many need their own circuit. Check the rating plate on the machine. If it is above 3kW, assume it needs a dedicated supply.
Do I need emergency lighting in my shop?
Almost certainly. Emergency lighting is required in most premises. People need to get out safely in a power cut. It is covered by BS 5266. It needs a monthly function test. It also needs an annual full duration test. That is three hours for most premises.
What is fixed wire testing?
It is another name for an EICR on a commercial property. Fixed wire means the permanent installation: the wiring, the distribution board, sockets and lighting. It does not cover anything you plug in. That is PAT testing, which is separate.
How much does a commercial EICR cost in Liverpool?
We price per circuit. It is £15 per single phase circuit and £25 per three phase circuit. That means a small shop costs a fraction of a large unit. We count the circuits and confirm the price before we start.
Who is responsible for electrical safety in a rented commercial unit?
It depends on your lease, so read it. The duty falls on whoever controls the premises. That comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. On a full repairing lease that is usually the tenant. On some leases the landlord keeps the fixed installation. If it is unclear, get it clarified in writing.
Do you work outside business hours?
Yes. Most testing in shops and cafes is done before opening. Some is done after closing. We would rather work around your trade than shut you down. Emergency callouts run 24 hours, every day.
Do you do emergency callouts for commercial premises?
Yes. An emergency commercial electrician is out 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Tills down, chillers off, extraction failed, or a board that will not reset. Emergency Rate is £150 an hour with a 30 minute response. There is no commercial premium.
What is the difference between a commercial EICR and a domestic one?
The standard is the same. The scale is different. A commercial electrical inspection covers more circuits, often three phase, and more equipment. That is why we price commercial per circuit. Domestic and landlord certificates are on our EICR Liverpool page.
How long does a commercial EICR take?
A small shop or cafe is usually half a day. A larger unit or a multi floor office can take longer. We can test in sections so you stay open. The certificate follows within 24 hours.
Tell Us What the Job Is
New equipment, testing that is due, or a unit that needs fitting out. Ring and we will tell you what it takes and what it costs.
NICEIC Approved Contractor. Every Liverpool postcode covered. Fixed rates from £80 an hour.