When was the last time someone checked your electrical system? Most people never think about it till something goes wrong. But getting a proper electrical safety inspection can find problems before they cause fires power outages or worse.
Last week I did an inspection on a house in Fendalton that the owners were selling. Found the old fuse board still had ceramic fuses no RCD protection and a bunch of dodgy DIY wiring someone had done years ago. The buyers building inspector flagged it so they needed it sorted before settlement. We replaced the whole switchboard and fixed the wiring and now its safe.
What Is An Electrical Safety Inspection
An electrical safety inspection is where a licensed electrician checks your whole electrical system to find any faults or safety issues. We look at your switchboard test your safety switches check wiring look for overloaded circuits all that stuff.
Its different from just fixing a problem. An inspection is a proper thorough check of everything to make sure your electrical is safe and up to code.
Why Get An Electrical Inspection
Lots of reasons to get your electrical inspected. Maybe you're buying or selling a house. Maybe your house is old and you want to make sure everythings safe. Maybe you've had some work done and want to check it was done right. Or maybe your insurance company wants an inspection.
Old houses specially ones built before the 90s often have electrical thats not up to modern standards. No RCD protection old wiring not enough circuits. An inspection finds these problems so you can fix them before they cause issues.
Pre-Purchase Home Inspections
If you're buying a house you should get the electrical inspected before you settle. Building inspectors usually do a visual check but they're not electricians so they miss stuff.
We do proper electrical inspections for house buyers. We check the switchboard test everything look for faults and give you a written report saying whats what. Then you know if theres any electrical problems before you buy.
I inspected a villa in St Albans for someone buying it. Old place looked nice but the electrical was a mess. Still had old cloth covered wiring in some rooms. Switchboard was ancient. No RCD protection. I told them it needed a full rewire which would cost like $15,000. They used that to negotiate the price down with the seller.
Pre-Sale Electrical Inspections
If you're selling a house getting an electrical inspection before you list it can save hassles later. Find any problems early and get them fixed so buyers don't try to knock your price down.
Real estate agents sometimes recommend getting inspections done before listing specially for older houses. Shows buyers the house is well maintained and you got nothing to hide.
What We Check During An Inspection
We check the whole electrical system top to bottom. Here's what we look at:
Switchboard - Is it modern or ancient. Does it have RCD protection. Are the breakers the right size. Any signs of overheating or damage. Proper labeling.
RCD testing - Every modern switchboard should have RCD safety switches. We test them to make sure theyre working and tripping at the right speed. RCDs save lives by cutting power if theres a fault.
Wiring - We look for old wiring that needs replacing. Check for DIY wiring that's not done properly. Look for overloaded circuits. Check earthing.
Power points and lights - Test outlets to make sure theyre wired right. Check lights work properly. Look for any damaged fittings.
Hot water - Check the wiring to hot water cylinder. Make sure its on the right tariff. Test any timers or controls.
Smoke alarms - Check you got enough smoke alarms and theyre wired properly. Test them.
Common Problems We Find
Old switchboards are real common. Houses from the 70s 80s 90s often still got the original fuse board or early circuit breaker boards without RCD protection. These need upgrading.
DIY wiring is another big one. Someone added an extra power point or light and didn't do it properly. Sometimes its dangerous.
Overloaded circuits - old houses weren't designed for all the stuff we use now. Youll have one circuit trying to run the lounge kitchen and bedrooms all at once. Needs more circuits.
In older villas and bungalows around Christchurch we often find old rubber or cloth insulated wiring that should be replaced. Its brittle and the insulation breaks down over time.
Rental Property Electrical Inspections
If you own rental properties you need to make sure the electricals safe for your tenants. Landlords have legal obligations to provide safe housing.
We do electrical inspections for landlords. Check everythings working and safe. Test RCDs. Make sure smoke alarms are installed and working. Give you a report you can keep for your records.
Some property managers require electrical inspections every few years. Smart landlords do them regularly cause its way cheaper than dealing with problems later.
Did an inspection on a rental in Linwood. Found the hot water wasn't wired properly and the RCD wasn't working. If a tenant had got a shock the landlord would have been liable. We fixed it all up and now its safe.
Insurance Electrical Inspections
Sometimes insurance companies want an electrical inspection specially for older houses or if you're getting a new policy. They want to know the electrical is safe before they insure you.
We can do inspections for insurance purposes and provide a written report. Usually pretty straightforward unless we find major problems.
How Long Does An Inspection Take
Depends on the size of the house. Small house or unit might take an hour. Big house with lots of circuits could take two or three hours. We're thorough cause theres no point doing a half job.
We bring testing equipment to check everything properly. Not just a visual look - we actually test that stuff works how its supposed to.
What You Get After The Inspection
We give you a written report saying what we found. If everythings good we tell you. If theres problems we list them and let you know how serious they are.
Some things are urgent safety issues that need fixing right away. Other things are just recommendations to bring stuff up to current standards.
We also give you a quote for any work that needs doing. Then you can decide what you want to fix and when.
RCD Safety Switch Testing
RCDs are probably the most important safety device in your switchboard. They detect faults and cut the power in a fraction of a second. Can save your life if you get a shock.
Problem is RCDs can fail or get sluggish over time. We test them with proper test equipment to make sure theyre still working right. If they fail the test they need replacing.
You should press the test button on your RCDs every few months yourself just to check they trip. But a proper test with equipment checks the trip time which is what really matters.
Older Homes Without RCD Protection
Houses built before the mid 90s often don't have RCD protection at all. Just circuit breakers or fuses. This is legal cause it met the rules when the house was built but its not as safe as modern standards.
We recommend upgrading to RCD protection specially if you got young kids or elderly people in the house. Doesn't cost heaps and gives you way better protection.
Commercial Building Electrical Inspections
Commercial buildings need electrical inspections too. Different rules than houses but same idea - check everythings safe and working properly.
We inspect offices shops warehouses all sorts of commercial properties. Check the switchboards test safety switches inspect wiring and equipment.
Commercial buildings often need more regular inspections than houses. And you need test and tag on appliances too which is separate.
Building Warrant of Fitness
Some commercial buildings need a Building Warrant of Fitness which includes electrical checks. We can do the electrical part and provide the paperwork you need.
How Much Does An Electrical Inspection Cost
For a house electrical inspection you're looking at around $250 to $500 depending on size. Commercial buildings cost more cause theyre bigger and more complex.
Pre-purchase inspections are usually at the cheaper end cause we're just checking for major issues. Full detailed inspections with testing everything cost more.
If we find work that needs doing thats a separate quote. But at least you know what needs fixing and what it'll cost.
When Should You Get An Inspection
Good times to get an electrical inspection:
When you're buying a house specially an older one. Before you sell a house. Every 10 years or so just to check everythings still good. If you're doing renovations. If you're having electrical problems. If your insurance company wants one. For rental properties every few years.
Even if you don't need an inspection right now its good to get one done at some point so you know your electricals safe.
Electrical Code Compliance
The electrical code changes over time. What was legal 30 years ago might not meet current standards. An inspection tells you if your electrical meets current codes.
You don't have to upgrade to current code unless you're doing work. But its good to know where you stand specially for safety things like RCD protection.
DIY Electrical Work
Sometimes we find DIY electrical work during inspections. People add power points or lights themselves without getting an electrician. This is illegal and often dangerous.
All electrical work needs to be done by licensed electricians and needs proper paperwork. DIY work doesn't have that and we often find its not done safely.
If you're buying a house and we find DIY work you might want to get it fixed cause it could be a safety issue. And technically it shouldn't have been done without permits.
Areas We Cover
We do electrical safety inspections all over Christchurch and surrounding areas. From the city out to Rolleston and Lincoln. Beach suburbs like Sumner and New Brighton. Hill suburbs like Cashmere and Westmorland. Everywhere.
We see all sorts of houses from brand new builds to 100 year old villas. Each ones different but we know what to look for.
Why Choose WeDo Electrical For Inspections
We're licensed electrical inspectors with years of experience. We know what to look for and we're thorough. We give you a clear written report that explains whats what.
We're not trying to scare you or sell you work you don't need. We just tell you honestly what we find. If your electricals fine we tell you. If theres problems we explain them and let you make informed decisions.
Our inspections are competitively priced and we do them properly. And if work needs doing we can quote to do that too so you don't need to find another electrician.