How to compare commercial electrical maintenance quotes

Start with the premises and the equipment boundary

A facilities manager needs to know which installation the contractor is being asked to maintain. Supply a site plan, available circuit schedules and previous reports. Identify landlord areas, tenant areas and any equipment maintained by a specialist. If the boundary is unclear, ask for a survey to establish it before treating the quote as complete.

For example, a workshop tenant might be responsible for its lighting and sockets while the landlord manages shared distribution. A machine supplier may maintain the machine itself. That is a hypothetical example, not a rule for every lease: ask who is responsible for the supply to the machine, the connection and the equipment beyond it. Do not assume that one maintenance appointment covers all three.

The HSE's electrical maintenance guidance explains that equipment must be maintained to prevent danger, with checks, inspection and testing determined by the equipment, its environment and previous results. A generic visit frequency without those details is a question to resolve, not a complete maintenance plan.

Send the same scope sheet to each contractor

Use these six headings in your enquiry. Beside each one, ask for included, separately priced or excluded, followed by the relevant assets, assumptions and deliverable. This is a buying checklist, not a technical inspection schedule.

• Planned visits: which boards, circuits, lighting or other agreed assets are included; what tasks are proposed; and how the programme will be reviewed when the premises or equipment changes.
• Inspection and testing: whether a periodic electrical installation condition report (EICR) is included, when it is due, and its proposed extent. Identify emergency lighting and portable equipment separately so they cannot disappear inside a vague testing allowance.
• Repairs: whether the quote includes any labour or materials for faults found during a visit. Ask how further investigation, replacement parts and follow-up attendance are priced and approved.
• Fault response: how to report a fault, the hours the arrangement covers and any agreed attendance target. Ask what happens outside those hours. A response target and a guaranteed repair time are different commitments.
• Access and interruption: who arranges keys, tenant access and any necessary shutdown window; whether agreed out-of-hours work or specialist access equipment is included.
• Records and follow-up: what you receive after each visit, how outstanding actions are identified and who confirms that each action is completed.

Do not ask a contractor to tick “all included” without detail. A useful answer might state that the inspection is included but remedial work requires a separate quotation. That can be a clear, workable offer if you understand the boundary and have a process for acting on findings.

An EICR and a repair allowance answer different questions

An EICR assesses the installation within its recorded extent and limitations. It does not tell you, by itself, which subsequent work a maintenance price includes. Keep the report, the proposed repair scope and your approval record distinct. Our guide to EICR follow-up investigation and repairs explains the next decision after findings are reported.

Ask who receives urgent findings and who can authorise the necessary response. Do not leave a safety issue waiting for the next routine visit simply because a budget approval is outstanding. The competent contractor should explain the immediate implications and any restrictions on use.

Check the proposed schedule rather than buying automatic annual tests

Ask why each activity is proposed at that interval and which information would cause the plan to change. A previous report, equipment instructions, the way the premises are used and existing findings can all be relevant inputs for the contractor to consider.

For portable appliances specifically, HSE says annual PAT is not a universal legal requirement; inspection and testing depend on equipment and its environment. That does not remove the need for an appropriate maintenance regime. Equally, portable appliance testing is not a substitute for assessing the building's fixed electrical installation.

If the proposal includes an EICR, use our commercial testing visit checklist to discuss operational constraints. Do not promise occupants uninterrupted power before the contractor has assessed the work.

Make the records useful at the next visit

Ask for a visit record identifying the assets attended, work completed, findings, limitations and agreed next actions. Name someone in your organisation to review it. Keep a simple action list with the item, responsible person, agreed next step and completion evidence, so a recommendation is not mistaken for a completed repair.

When you change contractor, pass on the available reports and unresolved actions. When you change the layout, equipment or operating hours, tell the contractor so the maintenance scope can be reviewed. These are practical management steps, not a claim that a single document proves every obligation has been met.

Discuss your premises with Crest

Crest Electrical Contractors handles commercial electrical work and maintenance enquiries across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire. Send your site address, type of premises, available reports, equipment boundaries and access constraints through our quote enquiry form. We can discuss the work and suitability for your site; attendance arrangements and any ongoing service need to be agreed for the actual job.

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