Real questions from real customers

Our reply

Not illegal — but the regs changed back in 2016 (Amendment 3) so any new board fitted in a domestic property has to be non-combustible, which in practice means metal. Your old plastic one is fine to keep until it needs replacing or fails an EICR. Some insurers are starting to ask the question but I've not seen one refuse cover yet. If you're due a rewire or it's full of MCBs (not RCBOs), I'd swap it. Otherwise leave it. Honest answer.

Our reply

Honest take: if you've got solar (or are thinking about it within 5 years), Zappi every time — the eco modes pay back the difference quickly by only charging from your spare solar. If you've no solar and no plans to, the Tesla Wall Connector is a brilliant unit and you'll save £400-£500. Both are smart, both are OZEV-compliant. Don't let anyone upsell you to a Zappi if you'll never use the solar features.

Our reply

Yep, almost certainly. Hardwired alarms have a sealed unit with a 10 year life — once they hit end-of-life they chirp and won't shut up no matter how many batteries you put in. Check the date stamp on the back (small print, usually moulded into the plastic). If it's 2014 or earlier, it's done. While I'm there I'd usually suggest swapping the lot if they're the same age — they all fail within a few months of each other.

Our reply

Honestly, I'd say no — and not because I want the work. Outdoor sockets are notifiable under Part P (they sit in 'special location' territory), so DIY-fitting one without certification means if your house ever burns down or someone gets a shock, your insurance can refuse the claim. The actual fit is also fiddly because you need IP66 rated kit, RCD protection on that circuit, and a proper drilled-through gland. Costs us about £140-£180 plus VAT including the certificate. Not worth the insurance risk.

Our reply

Classic one and we get this every December. Almost always water ingress in one of the connections from being stored damp, or a cracked LED bulb letting moisture in. Unplug everything, dry the connectors with a hairdryer, and check each section in turn. If a single section trips it on its own, bin that section. If it still trips with everything dry and disconnected, your RCD itself might be on the way out — book us in.

Our reply

Sorry to hear that — it's a frustrating one. C2 codes mean 'potentially dangerous' and they do need fixing, but £2,400 on a 2018 install sounds high to me unless there's something specific going on (wrong RCD protection, missing main bonding, undersized tails). Happy to come and have a look and give you a second opinion for free — bring me the report and I'll talk you through every code in plain English. We do this a lot. No pressure either way.

Our reply

Yes — we keep slots open for landlord EICRs precisely for this. If you ring before 4pm we can usually get to you within 48 hours in Topsham. We'll do the test, issue the certificate the same day, and if it fails we'll quote any remedials on the spot so you're not left scrambling. £180 plus VAT for a standard 2-bed.

Our reply

For a 4x3m office with heating you'll want a dedicated SWA (steel wire armoured) cable from the house, sized to your load — usually 6mm² or 10mm² depending on the heater. Yes, it gets its own small consumer unit in the office (one RCBO per circuit). We dig a trench (min 600mm deep, with warning tape), lay the SWA, and bring it back to your main board on its own breaker. Typical job is 1-2 days, £1,400-£2,200 plus VAT depending on cable run length and ground conditions.

Our reply

Don't use the shower until it's fixed — the isolator is the only way to safely cut power to the shower if something goes wrong. The switch itself is also rated for the shower's load (usually 45A or 50A) so you can't just use the consumer unit to switch it on and off long-term. It's a 30 minute job to swap the switch, around £85-£110 plus VAT depending on which one you've got. We can usually come the same day for this.

Our reply

Rubber-insulated cable from the 30s definitely needs replacing — it's well past its life and the insulation crumbles. For a 3-bed cottage you're realistically looking at £6,000-£7,500 plus VAT for a full rewire to current 18th Edition standards with a new full-RCBO consumer unit, smoke/heat alarms, and certificates. Older cottages sometimes need a bit more for stone walls or limited cable routes. Happy to come out and survey for free and give you an exact written quote.

Our reply

Not normal for LEDs — they should run barely warm. A few possibilities: (1) cheap drivers failing, (2) they're being smothered with insulation above (needs fire-rated covers/hoods), or (3) wrong dimmer causing them to overdrive. The one that's stopped is probably a failed driver — usually they go in waves once one goes. I'd recommend swapping the lot for fire-rated IP65 LEDs with integrated drivers — around £18-£25 per fitting plus a couple of hours labour for a typical kitchen.

Our reply

Probably not without a transformer upgrade. The old mechanical chimes run on 8V which the Ring Pro will hate — it needs 16-24V AC. You've got two options: (1) we fit a 24V transformer in your loft and keep the existing chime, or (2) we wire it direct and you use the in-app chime / an Echo. Option 2 is cleaner if you've got smart speakers anyway. Around £120-£160 plus VAT to do properly. Worth doing — those things are great when wired right.

Our reply

You can install one as a tenant but you'll need written permission from your landlord first — most are fine with it because it adds value. You don't have to take it with you (it's wired in), but you can if you want — we'd come back and decommission it safely and make good. Most people leave them. Worth asking the landlord to chip in if they're keeping it.

Our reply

He's right, sorry. Fridges and freezers pull a big start-up current and they cycle 24/7 — extension leads aren't designed for that long-term and are one of the more common causes of kitchen fires we get called out to. The fix is a proper fused spur installed behind the unit — cleaner, safer, and you free up the extension lead for something else. Half a day's work, around £140-£190 plus VAT depending on cable run.

Our reply

Don't ignore it. A new buzzing noise from a consumer unit usually means a loose connection, an MCB that's failing, or a contactor on its way out. Loose connections cause heat and heat causes fires — this is one of the most common causes of consumer unit fires we see. Switch off at the main switch if you smell anything warm or plasticky and ring us. Otherwise book us in this week and we'll thermal-image it and torque-check every terminal. Usually a 1-hour job.

Our reply

Honest answer back — yes, but the salesman is being generous. Realistic payback in Devon for a typical 4kW system with battery is 8-11 years depending on your usage and how much you export. If you're home during the day or have an EV/heat pump, it gets shorter. If the house is empty 9-5 and you've no battery, longer. We'll give you the actual numbers based on your bills, not a sales pitch. We also won't fit it if it doesn't make sense for you — said no to two jobs last month for that reason.

Our reply

For an inflatable Lay-Z-Spa with the standard pump, a regular outdoor RCD-protected socket is fine — but most domestic outdoor sockets aren't on a dedicated circuit and the heater will trip your house every couple of hours. We usually recommend a dedicated 16A outdoor socket with its own RCBO so it sits on its own circuit. About £160-£220 plus VAT. For a hard-wired hot tub (Jacuzzi, Marquis etc) it's a different conversation — those need 32A SWA on their own.

Our reply

Depends entirely on your existing board. If it's a modern metal full-RCBO unit with genuine spare ways AND your main tails/cut-out are rated for the extra load, your builder might be right. But 9 times out of 10 we look at these jobs and the existing board is a 6-way plastic split-load from 2008 with one 'spare' way that's actually been used for the outdoor sockets. I'd want to see it before I'd back the builder. Free survey if it helps.

Our reply

Because the connection is the bit that's notifiable under Part P (bathroom = special location). The mat itself is just laying — anyone can do that. We come in, run a fused spur from a non-bathroom circuit, fit the thermostat outside the bathroom, terminate the cold tail of the mat, test it and certificate it. Usually a 2-3 hour job once the tiler's done his bit. Around £180-£240 plus VAT. Coordinating with the tiler is easy, we do this most weeks.

Our reply

This is the worst kind of fault to chase but very fixable. Common culprits in order: (1) a kettle, dishwasher or washing machine element on its way out (they leak microscopic current to earth as they fail), (2) damp in an outdoor light or socket especially after rain at 3am, (3) a smart bulb / LED driver leaking current, (4) the RCD itself getting tired (they have a service life). We'd come out with insulation resistance testers and a clamp meter and isolate it methodically. Usually a half-day diagnostic, fixed price £180 plus VAT.

Our reply

For a domestic roller door, yes — they only pull 4-6A while running. A standard 13A socket on its own switched fused spur (so you can isolate it for servicing) is exactly what they need. Don't let anyone talk you into a 'special' supply unless it's a heavy commercial door. £80-£120 plus VAT to add a spur if there's already a socket on that wall.

Our reply

Three options we use a lot: (1) pop-up tower sockets that sink flush into the worktop (looks great, ~£180 a unit), (2) under-cabinet sockets mounted to the underside of the overhang (cheap, hidden, our most common choice), or (3) full flush sockets in the side of the island facing the seating. Whichever you go for, the cable has to come up through the floor inside the island carcass — needs planning before the units go in. Talk to us before the kitchen fitter starts, not after.

Our reply

Sounds like a stuck thermostat — the immersion is heating constantly because the cut-off isn't kicking in. Two fixes: (1) replace the thermostat (£90-£120 plus VAT, 30 mins), or (2) replace the whole immersion element if it's also furred up (£140-£190 plus VAT, 1 hour). We'd test it on site and tell you which. In the meantime turn it off at the switch on the wall — you'll save a fortune until we get there.

Our reply

Legally — it's a grey area for short-let holiday lets. There's no specific law mandating PAT for Airbnbs but the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 say you must provide safe equipment, and PAT is the accepted way of evidencing that. Insurance companies are increasingly asking for it too. We do annual PAT for holiday lets across Devon — £45 plus VAT for up to 10 items, then £2.50 each after. We'd do your Salcombe place in well under an hour and you'd have the certificate that day.

Our reply

Worth investigating. New voltage dips that weren't happening before usually mean either (1) a loose neutral somewhere — which is dangerous and needs sorting now, (2) the fridge motor failing and pulling a huge inrush current, or (3) a poor incoming supply from the network (DNO problem, not yours). We'd come and clamp-meter it during a fridge cycle and tell you which within 30 minutes. Don't leave it — loose neutrals cause fires.

Our reply

Yes, very doable and getting more popular as Octopus Go / Intelligent tariffs get better. You'd want a 5-10kWh battery (Tesla Powerwall, GivEnergy, Fox ESS) with a hybrid inverter set up for grid-charging only. Payback is realistic at 6-9 years on current tariffs if you're a heavy daytime user. We'd model your actual half-hourly usage from your smart meter data first — no point fitting one if your usage doesn't justify it. Quote is free, takes about an hour at your kitchen table.

Our reply

Probably yes, photocells last about 5-7 years before they get glitchy. Could also be the sensor being shaded by a new tree or sat under a deep eave with not enough daylight reaching it. £45-£65 plus VAT to swap the sensor, 20 minute job. While we're there worth considering a dusk-til-dawn LED with built-in photocell — much more reliable and they last 15+ years.

Our reply

Right, deep breath — you're not the first and you won't be the last. Legally you need a monthly visual test (someone presses the test button on each fitting) and an annual 3-hour discharge test logged in a written record. If there's a fire and you can't produce the log, your insurance can refuse the claim and the responsible person (likely you or a director) can be personally prosecuted under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Sounds scary, but easy to fix. We do annual EL tests on commercial premises across Devon — we'll set up the logbook, do the first test, and you take it from there monthly. Around £180-£280 plus VAT for an office your size.

Our reply

Honest answer — not 'house will burn down tomorrow' urgent, but it's well overdue. Re-wireable fuses don't offer RCD protection so any earth fault has no quick disconnect, and you can't legally add new circuits to a board like that. I'd put it top of the to-do list but you don't need to panic. New full-RCBO board with cert, around £650-£850 plus VAT depending on what your incoming tails are like. Half a day's work.

Our reply

It's still there but it's narrower than it used to be. As of now the OZEV EVHS grant (£350) is only available to flat owners/renters and people in rented accommodation — it was removed for owner-occupiers of houses back in 2022. There's also a separate Workplace Charging Scheme (£350 per socket, up to 40 sockets) for businesses. If you own your own house and someone is still telling you you'll get £350 off, ask them to put it in writing — they won't.

Our reply

Yes, switch off the circuit (or the whole board if you're not sure which one) immediately and ring us. A burning smell from an unloaded socket means there's heating happening with no current draw, which means a loose terminal arcing internally — that's a pre-fire condition. We treat these as same-day emergencies. We'll be with you within a couple of hours anywhere Devon-side.

Our reply

Bigger than people expect because it's the DNO (your network operator — National Grid in Devon) that has to bring 3-phase to the meter. We can't do that bit. Their charges range from £1,500 (if 3-phase is already in the street) to £8,000+ (if they have to dig the road). Step 1 is always: ring National Grid and ask for a budget estimate for your address — free and takes 10 days. Once you've got that, we handle everything from the meter inwards: new 3-phase board, sub-mains to the workshop, the saw connection, certs. Happy to walk you through the DNO bit too if you've not done it before.

Our reply

Yes, do them all the time — usually under an hour for a like-for-like swap with a Nest or Hive. The ones that catch DIYers out are systems with a separate hot water timer, S-Plan or Y-Plan setups, or where the existing wiring is old and the colours don't match the manual. £85-£140 plus VAT including testing and showing you the app. If you've already bought the kit, we just fit it.

Our reply

Once it becomes habitable space (snug, bedroom, office) the circuits need to comply with current habitable-room standards — that means RCD protection, smoke alarm interlinked with the rest of the house, and usually more sockets than a garage has. In practice we usually pull a new ring final and lighting circuit in from the consumer unit, fit the smoke alarm, and decommission the old garage circuit. £600-£950 plus VAT for a typical single garage conversion. Your building control inspector will look for this so worth doing right.

Our reply

Quick sanity check: look at your inverter app (SolarEdge, GivEnergy, etc) and see what it generated last month vs what Octopus paid you for in export. Should be roughly 50-70% of generation if you don't have a battery, lower if you do. If the numbers are way off, either the SMETS2 meter isn't talking to the network properly (Octopus problem) or your CT clamp on the inverter is on the wrong cable / wrong direction (installer problem — we can fix in 30 mins). We also offer a free 'second opinion' on existing solar systems if you want us to look over it.

Our reply

Don't leave it — buzzing transformers are usually failing and they get hot. They're a fiver to replace and a 10 minute job. While we're there we'd usually move it out of the airing cupboard if there's a better spot, since heat shortens transformer life. £55-£75 plus VAT call out for something that small, or we'd do it for free if you've got us in for anything else.

Our reply

Annoying classic. Wet UFH zones have an electrical actuator on the manifold (small black/white plastic head sat on top of the valve) — when the room thermostat calls for heat, the actuator gets 230V and opens the valve. If the actuator's failed, the valve never opens — looks like a 'plumbing' problem but it's electrical. £25 part, 15 min job. Send me a photo of the manifold and I can usually tell you in 5 minutes which it is.

Our reply

Yes, happily, and there'll be no hard sell — we're booked out 6 weeks ahead so I'm not chasing the work. £14,500 sounds high for a standard 4-bed unless there's something specific (solid walls, listed building, full smart wiring throughout). Send me the quote breakdown and a few photos of the existing board and any rooms you can. I'll either confirm it's fair or tell you what I'd charge so you can go back to them. Takes me 10 minutes — happy to do it.

Our reply

At my own house — untethered, every time. Reasons: cable doesn't get weather-beaten, doesn't trail across the drive when not in use, looks tidier, and if you change car (or a guest comes round with a different connector) you just swap the cable. Tethered is slightly more convenient day-to-day if you can't be bothered unwinding a cable. Most people who go tethered regret it after 2 years when the cable gets stiff and tatty. £20 difference at install — go untethered.

Our reply

Generally no, in Devon at least — our rainfall does a good enough job and the angle of most roof installs sheds dirt naturally. Exceptions: if you're under trees with sap/bird mess, near the coast with salt build-up, or you've noticed a clear drop in generation in your inverter app. £180 sounds steep for a domestic clean — proper specialists charge £80-£120. Door-knockers offering 'cleaning' is also a known scam pattern (they'll find 'damage' and quote you for repairs). I'd politely send him on his way and check your generation figures first.

Our reply

You can swap GU10 for GU10 LED yourself — same fitting, no rewiring. Two catches: (1) if your transformer is the old magnetic type (heavy box in the loft), some LED GU10s will flicker or hum — go for dimmable LEDs even if you're not on a dimmer, they cope better, and (2) if you're on a dimmer, you'll need a trailing-edge LED dimmer fitted (£35 + 20 min job for us). Beyond that, knock yourself out — you'll save about £80-£120 a year on a kitchen that size.