Table of Contents
What do you do when there is electrical work to be done at your home? You call the electrician.
But did you know that all electrical work is not the same and, depending on the type of property, equipment used, and the purpose, scale, and objective of work, there are different types of electricians to carry out the job?
The three types of electricians are: residential, commercial, and industrial. As their names suggest, they work in residential, commercial, and industrial properties, respectively. Let’s look at each one in detail, focusing on their key differences:
The worksite for residential electricians is usually people’s homes and apartments, and their typical tasks include common electrical repairs, installing lights and fixtures, wiring new and existing builds, portable appliance testing (particularly in rental properties), and general electrical work.
They use single-phase power supplies (120 or 240 volts) and work to ensure that the installations in residential properties are safe and compliant, and do not pose a risk to the homeowners.
Their wiring approach is to minimise exposure and damage, which is why their wiring is hidden from plain view.
To become a residential electrician, you need to complete a domestic installer course that covers the wiring regulations, Part P of the Building Regulations, electrical installations, and electrical inspections and testing.
In some cases, you will receive a City and Guilds qualification upon completing a domestic installer course. While it won’t make you a professional electrician, it will allow you to carry out electrical tasks in homes and apartments, and possibly get affiliated with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC).
The worksite for commercial electricians is commercial buildings such as offices, restaurants, shopping centres, and retail stores, and their typical tasks include common electrical installations and repair, and working on lighting, heating, and general building requirements.
Their wiring approach follows a three-wire system where two smaller “legs” run one voltage and a larger “leg” runs a higher voltage. This could be 120 volts/208–240 volts, or 277/480 volts, depending on the property’s electrical needs.
As opposed to residential wiring that is hidden from plain view, commercial wiring remains exposed running along walls and ceilings, using conduits for protection.
To become a commercial electrician, you need to receive an electrotechnical qualification with either a Level-3 NVQ Diploma in Electrotechnical Services or Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment.
You may also start an apprenticeship where your time would be divided between studies and working in a professional environment, getting hands-on experience.
Simply put, industrial electricians are commercial electricians working in heavy-duty industrial environments such as factories, chemical plants, power plants, and mines,
Due to the scale of work that they undertake, they require specific knowledge of the industry they are working in. Wiring done in an automotive factory is vastly different than wiring done in a food factory, and industrial electricians need to know and understand that.
Their typical tasks are working on an extensive range of electrical systems that include electrical system installation, troubleshooting controls and electronics, performing inspections on machinery and equipment, proper grounding of manufacturing equipment and machinery, and regular maintenance and repair of electrical components and systems.
Almost everything runs with electricity and it is nearly impossible to not have an electrical system, or a properly-installed one, in place.
To ensure that you have safe electrics on your property, it is advised to always hire a professional electrician for the task.
Following are the benefits provided by professional electricians, as opposed to uncertified and unregistered ones, or attempting to do the work yourself:
A professional electrician will have received the necessary training and expertise over the years, along with lots of experience working in the field.
Faulty electrics can pose a serious risk to the safety of a property and its inhabitants. They might result in accidents, injuries, and electric fires causing harm to both life and property.
Knowing that the work is done by an experienced professional will guarantee unmatched services in the level of protection and safety they will provide.
As mentioned above, incorrect electrical work can expose you to shocks, burns, electrocution, and fires causing damages to property and costing precious lives.
Professional electricians always put safety first and are well-versed with the rules and regulations governing electrical installations in residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
They can also easily pinpoint issues through inspections and fix them before they become a serious, maybe life-threatening hazard.
Electrical issues can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint and resolve, taking up a huge chunk of your resources, both in terms of time and money.
If they are not solved correctly, they can become a recurrent issue causing you distress and costing you a hefty fee upon every visit by the electrician.
A professional electrician, thanks to their deep understanding of the subject, will be able to rectify the situation ASAP, and without burning a hole in your pocket.
Additionally, professional electricians use state-of-the-art equipment with warranties to ensure you get the best service without facing any difficulties. What’s great is that, due to their experience, they know where to find the best stuff at the most reasonable rates providing you with great value for money.
When doing electrical work, sometimes the electrician can get hurt due to their negligence. If they are uninsured, the responsibility to pay for their medical bills will fall on your shoulders since it happened on your property.
Also, if any damages to the property are done while working on the electrical installations, they will be considered your responsibility in the event of no insurance coverage.
With a professional electrician, you don’t have to worry about these added costs since all their work is always fully insured.
Certificates are legal documents used as a declaration of safety of the electrical circuits, appliances, and installation works carried out in residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
They are relied on by homeowners, business owners, landlords, and building control authorities to determine the electrical safety of a property.
To get them, you must hire a professional registered electrician since a regular uncertified one won’t be able to provide you with the correct certification at the end of an inspection.
There are four types of certificates of electrical compliance that professional electricians can provide you with at the end of an electrical installation, maintenance, or inspection:
An EIC states that the electrical installations are safe to use and are required for all major installations including new consumer units, circuits, and additional sockets, switches, and light fixtures in special areas of the property such as bathrooms and kitchens.
This is similar to an EIC; however, it is used when the installations are minor such as light fittings and socket installations in non-special areas of the property.
Previously called a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR), an EICR is a detailed report that identifies any damage, defect, or deterioration that may turn into a potential hazard. It also records several observations in line with the BS 7671 along with providing recommendations for improving the installations.
Once the EICR check is completed, a certificate is provided classifying the condition of the installation into three codes:
As a requirement of Part P of the Building Regulations, all electrical installations must be safe, meet the set standard, and give room for safe maintenance and future alterations.
To ensure that all your electrical work meets the current regulations and you receive a certificate of compliance, you must choose a registered electrician to do it for you.
Here’s how you can choose the best residential, commercial, or industrial electrician for your electrical installations, maintenance, and inspections:
As is with any product bought or service rendered, make sure you get a written confirmation in the form of a receipt after you’ve made the payment. This protects you from any kind of disputes that might arise.
We have been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, and testing.
We have experienced and fully qualified electricians on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service which is fully insured and certified.
Our electrical installation services include:
If you are looking to undertake a refurb of a kitchen or bathroom, build an extension, or a new build property, we can help design, install, and commission it. We will also notify any work to the relevant authorities and departments to make sure you are fully covered in meeting the wiring regulations.
The consumer unit and distribution board are designed as a means of fault protection to not only protect the wiring and circuit but also prevent the user or machinery from shock or overload.
We can survey any existing installations and advise on the best way to increase their safety and use by upgrading the consumer unit/distribution board or the protective devices inside them.
We can help in all aspects of commercial electrical installations and offer a wide range of skills to help achieve whatever your commercial property may need, whether it is to design and plan a new install or add in extra data and socket points.
Under the new 18th edition wiring regulations BS7671, it is now recommended that surge protection must be incorporated into domestic dwellings, as before it was only commonplace in commercial and industrial installations.
It is a device that is installed in line with a circuit or installation to protect electronic equipment sensitive to surges such as an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS), laptops and computers, TVs, consoles, phones etc, saving hundreds or thousands in damages in homes and businesses.
Our electrical testing services include:
It is recommended in the wiring regulations BS 7671 that a domestic property must be regularly inspected and tested after an electrical installation every 5 to 10 years, or if you are buying/selling the property.
It is a requirement under the Electricity of Work Act 1989 that as a business or commercial space, you must make sure that the electrical installations are deemed safe for use by your employees and the public. This is done by carrying out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at regular intervals, which can range from 3 to 5 years.
A Landlords Safety Certificate, which provides an electrical installation condition report to identify any issues and to make sure the property is safe for use and up to electrical standards and regulations, must be carried out every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
Portable Appliance Testing tests items that are not part of the fixed wiring, and so do not fall under the electrical testing of the premises. It is, however, recommended that they are tested between 3 to 12 months depending on their type and usage.
We also offer services for:
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to hire our certified residential, commercial, and industrial electricians right away. Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you!
Photo by Антон Дмитриев on Unsplash
What do you do when there is electrical work to be done at your home? You call the electrician.
But did you know that all electrical work is not the same and, depending on the type of property, equipment used, and the purpose, scale, and objective of work, there are different types of electricians to carry out the job?
The three types of electricians are: residential, commercial, and industrial. As their names suggest, they work in residential, commercial, and industrial properties, respectively. Let’s look at each one in detail, focusing on their key differences:
The worksite for residential electricians is usually people’s homes and apartments, and their typical tasks include common electrical repairs, installing lights and fixtures, wiring new and existing builds, portable appliance testing (particularly in rental properties), and general electrical work.
They use single-phase power supplies (120 or 240 volts) and work to ensure that the installations in residential properties are safe and compliant, and do not pose a risk to the homeowners.
Their wiring approach is to minimise exposure and damage, which is why their wiring is hidden from plain view.
To become a residential electrician, you need to complete a domestic installer course that covers the wiring regulations, Part P of the Building Regulations, electrical installations, and electrical inspections and testing.
In some cases, you will receive a City and Guilds qualification upon completing a domestic installer course. While it won’t make you a professional electrician, it will allow you to carry out electrical tasks in homes and apartments, and possibly get affiliated with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC).
The worksite for commercial electricians is commercial buildings such as offices, restaurants, shopping centres, and retail stores, and their typical tasks include common electrical installations and repair, and working on lighting, heating, and general building requirements.
Their wiring approach follows a three-wire system where two smaller “legs” run one voltage and a larger “leg” runs a higher voltage. This could be 120 volts/208–240 volts, or 277/480 volts, depending on the property’s electrical needs.
As opposed to residential wiring that is hidden from plain view, commercial wiring remains exposed running along walls and ceilings, using conduits for protection.
To become a commercial electrician, you need to receive an electrotechnical qualification with either a Level-3 NVQ Diploma in Electrotechnical Services or Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment.
You may also start an apprenticeship where your time would be divided between studies and working in a professional environment, getting hands-on experience.
Simply put, industrial electricians are commercial electricians working in heavy-duty industrial environments such as factories, chemical plants, power plants, and mines,
Due to the scale of work that they undertake, they require specific knowledge of the industry they are working in. Wiring done in an automotive factory is vastly different than wiring done in a food factory, and industrial electricians need to know and understand that.
Their typical tasks are working on an extensive range of electrical systems that include electrical system installation, troubleshooting controls and electronics, performing inspections on machinery and equipment, proper grounding of manufacturing equipment and machinery, and regular maintenance and repair of electrical components and systems.
Almost everything runs with electricity and it is nearly impossible to not have an electrical system, or a properly-installed one, in place.
To ensure that you have safe electrics on your property, it is advised to always hire a professional electrician for the task.
Following are the benefits provided by professional electricians, as opposed to uncertified and unregistered ones, or attempting to do the work yourself:
A professional electrician will have received the necessary training and expertise over the years, along with lots of experience working in the field.
Faulty electrics can pose a serious risk to the safety of a property and its inhabitants. They might result in accidents, injuries, and electric fires causing harm to both life and property.
Knowing that the work is done by an experienced professional will guarantee unmatched services in the level of protection and safety they will provide.
As mentioned above, incorrect electrical work can expose you to shocks, burns, electrocution, and fires causing damages to property and costing precious lives.
Professional electricians always put safety first and are well-versed with the rules and regulations governing electrical installations in residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
They can also easily pinpoint issues through inspections and fix them before they become a serious, maybe life-threatening hazard.
Electrical issues can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint and resolve, taking up a huge chunk of your resources, both in terms of time and money.
If they are not solved correctly, they can become a recurrent issue causing you distress and costing you a hefty fee upon every visit by the electrician.
A professional electrician, thanks to their deep understanding of the subject, will be able to rectify the situation ASAP, and without burning a hole in your pocket.
Additionally, professional electricians use state-of-the-art equipment with warranties to ensure you get the best service without facing any difficulties. What’s great is that, due to their experience, they know where to find the best stuff at the most reasonable rates providing you with great value for money.
When doing electrical work, sometimes the electrician can get hurt due to their negligence. If they are uninsured, the responsibility to pay for their medical bills will fall on your shoulders since it happened on your property.
Also, if any damages to the property are done while working on the electrical installations, they will be considered your responsibility in the event of no insurance coverage.
With a professional electrician, you don’t have to worry about these added costs since all their work is always fully insured.
Certificates are legal documents used as a declaration of safety of the electrical circuits, appliances, and installation works carried out in residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
They are relied on by homeowners, business owners, landlords, and building control authorities to determine the electrical safety of a property.
To get them, you must hire a professional registered electrician since a regular uncertified one won’t be able to provide you with the correct certification at the end of an inspection.
There are four types of certificates of electrical compliance that professional electricians can provide you with at the end of an electrical installation, maintenance, or inspection:
An EIC states that the electrical installations are safe to use and are required for all major installations including new consumer units, circuits, and additional sockets, switches, and light fixtures in special areas of the property such as bathrooms and kitchens.
This is similar to an EIC; however, it is used when the installations are minor such as light fittings and socket installations in non-special areas of the property.
Previously called a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR), an EICR is a detailed report that identifies any damage, defect, or deterioration that may turn into a potential hazard. It also records several observations in line with the BS 7671 along with providing recommendations for improving the installations.
Once the EICR check is completed, a certificate is provided classifying the condition of the installation into three codes:
As a requirement of Part P of the Building Regulations, all electrical installations must be safe, meet the set standard, and give room for safe maintenance and future alterations.
To ensure that all your electrical work meets the current regulations and you receive a certificate of compliance, you must choose a registered electrician to do it for you.
Here’s how you can choose the best residential, commercial, or industrial electrician for your electrical installations, maintenance, and inspections:
As is with any product bought or service rendered, make sure you get a written confirmation in the form of a receipt after you’ve made the payment. This protects you from any kind of disputes that might arise.
We have been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, and testing.
We have experienced and fully qualified electricians on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service which is fully insured and certified.
Our electrical installation services include:
If you are looking to undertake a refurb of a kitchen or bathroom, build an extension, or a new build property, we can help design, install, and commission it. We will also notify any work to the relevant authorities and departments to make sure you are fully covered in meeting the wiring regulations.
The consumer unit and distribution board are designed as a means of fault protection to not only protect the wiring and circuit but also prevent the user or machinery from shock or overload.
We can survey any existing installations and advise on the best way to increase their safety and use by upgrading the consumer unit/distribution board or the protective devices inside them.
We can help in all aspects of commercial electrical installations and offer a wide range of skills to help achieve whatever your commercial property may need, whether it is to design and plan a new install or add in extra data and socket points.
Under the new 18th edition wiring regulations BS7671, it is now recommended that surge protection must be incorporated into domestic dwellings, as before it was only commonplace in commercial and industrial installations.
It is a device that is installed in line with a circuit or installation to protect electronic equipment sensitive to surges such as an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS), laptops and computers, TVs, consoles, phones etc, saving hundreds or thousands in damages in homes and businesses.
Our electrical testing services include:
It is recommended in the wiring regulations BS 7671 that a domestic property must be regularly inspected and tested after an electrical installation every 5 to 10 years, or if you are buying/selling the property.
It is a requirement under the Electricity of Work Act 1989 that as a business or commercial space, you must make sure that the electrical installations are deemed safe for use by your employees and the public. This is done by carrying out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at regular intervals, which can range from 3 to 5 years.
A Landlords Safety Certificate, which provides an electrical installation condition report to identify any issues and to make sure the property is safe for use and up to electrical standards and regulations, must be carried out every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
Portable Appliance Testing tests items that are not part of the fixed wiring, and so do not fall under the electrical testing of the premises. It is, however, recommended that they are tested between 3 to 12 months depending on their type and usage.
We also offer services for:
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to hire our certified residential, commercial, and industrial electricians right away. Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you!
Photo by Антон Дмитриев on Unsplash
