On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:18:43 -0700 (PDT), ChrisP
wrote:


Any idea what I can expect to pay for a PIR in Greater London?

Probably about £150-300. For this you will get about 2-4 hours of
work (so don't expect any amount of detailed inspection) and a tick
the box report such as the examples at

http://www.checkedelectrics.co.uk/Pe...portSample.pdf
http://www.asec.ltd.uk/assets/docume...415_Sample.pdf

This will tell you your overall assessment is "unsatisfactory" and
that your installation doesn't meet current standards (it doesn't,
nor does it need to), that it needs a new consumer unit (it probably
doesn't) and a rewire (it almost certainly doesn't). It will also
include a few items requiring "urgent attention" (they probably
don't).

In fact many of the items on those example documents will appear on
yours, they may as well be pre-printed. A Periodic Inspection Report
is an important sales opportunity for any ambitious electrician.

For checking the wiring in your sockets you can either visually
inspect them after removing them or use a socket tester such as :-

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ter/index.html

Simple socket tester will alert you to wiring faults but not to earth
fault loop impedance faults. More complex ones such as

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TMEZ150.html

will also test earth impedance.