How long does an EICR take and what does it cover?
Most domestic EICRs take 2–4 hours. A 3-bed semi is typically 3 hours; a 5-bed HMO or small office is half a day; a large warehouse or licensed HMO with multiple consumer units is a full day. The variable is circuit count, not square footage.
By Joshua Richardson & Benjamin Clurow · Co-Directors, JBRC Ltd · Last updated 12 April 2026
A 1-bed flat: 90 minutes to 2 hours. A 3-bed family home: 2.5–3.5 hours. A 5-bed HMO: 4–5 hours. A small office or shop: half a day. Anything industrial or with multiple distribution boards: a full day. The inspector tests every circuit (insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop, RCD timing), inspects every accessory, then writes the report — typically issued within 48 hours of the visit.
What we actually do during an EICR
Roughly 30% of the time is dead-testing — we isolate each circuit individually and test insulation resistance between live conductors and earth, polarity at every accessory, and continuity of protective conductors. This is the part that requires power off, usually scheduled around your day so the freezer doesn't suffer.
Around 40% is live testing — earth fault loop impedance at the origin and at the furthest point of each circuit, RCD trip times under x1 and x5 fault currents, and prospective fault current at the consumer unit. These confirm the circuits will safely disconnect under fault.
The remaining 30% is visual inspection — every socket, switch, light fitting, fixed appliance connection, the consumer unit interior, the main earthing arrangement, the meter tails, and any sub-mains. Damage, signs of overheating, missing fixings and incorrect polarity all get logged.
What can speed it up or slow it down
Things that speed it up: clear access to the consumer unit, labelled circuits, working RCD test buttons, accessible loft hatches and a cooperative tenant who knows the appointment time. We can do a clean 3-bed in 2.5 hours when the property is genuinely accessible.
Things that slow it down: blocked consumer units (we've moved sofas and stripped wallpaper to access them), unmarked circuits requiring tracing, broken RCDs that need replacing before testing can complete, hidden boards in airing cupboards under hoarded contents, and outbuildings with separate sub-mains that weren't mentioned at booking.
Older houses (pre-1985) with TT earthing arrangements take longer because the earth electrode itself needs testing and we may need to install a temporary supplementary bond.
When does power need to be off?
We can usually keep power on in unoccupied rooms while testing one circuit at a time — total full-property power-down is typically 10–15 minutes per circuit, not the whole day. For a 3-bed with 8 circuits that's about 2 hours of intermittent isolation, scheduled around your fridge, freezer and any home-working video calls.
For HMOs and offices we offer evening or weekend slots so trading hours aren't disrupted. We charge the same rate — we'd rather work around you than re-book if you've had to clear half a working day.
Typical EICR durations
These are real averages from our last 12 months of jobs across NG postcodes.
| Property type | Circuits | Time on site | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | 4–6 | 1.5–2 hrs | 24 hrs |
| 2-bed terrace | 5–7 | 2–2.5 hrs | 24 hrs |
| 3-bed semi | 7–9 | 2.5–3.5 hrs | 48 hrs |
| 5-bed HMO | 10–14 | 4–5 hrs | 48 hrs |
| Small office/shop | 12–18 | Half day | 48 hrs |
| Warehouse / industrial | 20+ | Full day | 5 days |
What you receive at the end
A signed EICR PDF (typically 8–14 pages depending on circuit count), a circuit schedule, all test result sheets, and any C1/C2/FI defect codes itemised with photographs. We also email a remedial quote separately so it's not buried in the report.
If we identify any C1 (immediate danger), we always communicate it on the day before leaving the property — and we make safe at no extra charge as part of the inspection visit. You shouldn't first hear about a C1 in a PDF the next morning.
We register the inspection with NICEIC's online Compliance Hub, which means your insurer or local authority can verify the certificate without needing the original PDF. That's a regular sticking point on insurance claims.
For the full service overview, see our EICR / Electrical Safety Certificate in Nottingham page, or browse all industrial electrical services.
Joshua Richardson & Benjamin Clurow
Co-Directors, JBRC Ltd · 30+ combined years (per Checkatrade)
Joshua Richardson and Benjamin Clurow are the joint co-founders and named directors of JBRC Ltd, a Nottingham-based electrical contractor (Companies House #17015285). The business is NICEIC Approved and a NICEIC Part-P Domestic Installer, working across Nottingham, Derbyshire and Leicestershire on domestic rewires, EICRs, EV charger installs, commercial fit-outs and three-phase work.
- NICEIC Approved Contractor
- NICEIC Part-P Domestic Installer
- Co-Directors, JBRC Ltd (Companies House #17015285)
Common questions on this topic
Want an EICR booked into your week?
Tell us your property type and postcode. We'll confirm a fixed price, book a slot that fits around your day, and email the report within 48 hours.
Or read the full EICR / Electrical Safety Certificate in Nottingham service page.