Electricians Basildon

Are you a Homeowner, Landlord or Business looking for a local Electrician? We are Hughes & Son Electrical Services Ltd domestic and commercial Basildon Electricians serving Basildon and surrounding areas. Our fully qualified Electricians are available at anytime convenient to you for regular domestic electrical work such as updating consumer units or issuing landlord electrical safety certificates and commercial work such as installing industrial lighting. We’re available 24 hours a day for Electrical emergencies. All jobs have fair rates with no unpleasant hidden extras and no call out charges.

Domestic Electrical Services

Over the years electricians on the TM Hughes team have completed many jobs to a professional standard in many Basildon homes. There isn’t an electrical job our friendly staff cannot undertake in your home. Everyday domestic work includes changing light fittings, adding new sockets, installing lighting and security systems. Before you make any changes you need to be aware of the regulations, our staff will guide you if you’re unsure. All our work is carried out by friendly fully qualified electricians who’ll ensure any changes to your electrical system are above board and legal conforming to the latest Part P building regulations. Electricians are efficient and tidy causing the minimal amount of disruption to your day to day activities in your home; you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. So if you would like a free quote on those electrical upgrades you’ve been thinking about please get in touch.

Commercial Electrical Services

We offer the businesses of Basildon a complete range of Commercial Electrical services every aspect’s covered installation, maintenance, design and repair, whatever your situation and budget we’ll develop a workable solution that’ll enhance your business while ensuring the safety of your employees. One of our Electricians can visit your premises and write you a fixed quote. All commercial work complies with the latest IEE regulations we can work with single and three phase systems, Cat 5, Cat 5E & Cat 6 wiring. Previous work includes new build wiring, commercial rewires, lighting installations and upgrades, standard electrical repairs and updates, network cabling, security systems, electrical installation condition reports and PAT testing.

Emergency Electrical Services

TM Hughes Electricians are on hand 24/7 when it comes to Emergencies in and around Basildon. We cover emergencies for both homes and businesses. Electrical emergencies range between annoying to potentially deadly. Always leave electrical problems to fully qualified electricians who have the real-world experience to deal with emergencies. Remember our rates are among the best in the area with no call out charges so no need to put yourself at risk trying to fix problems yourself. Typical callouts are for issues like tripping fuses, humming consumer units and power cuts. In the event of an emergency give us a call, and we’ll have an electrician over to you ASAP if someones been hurt or in danger phone the emergency services first.

Landlords Certificates

Your rented properties Electrical system and appliances must be safe for your tenants. We can carry out Electrical Installation Condition Reports on your property and test the appliances (known as PAT Testing). Once testings complete an electrician will issue you with EICR and PAT certificates so you can prove your property’s safe, legal and can validate your insurance. The EICR involves the testing of the Consumer unit, RCD Fuses, Internal wiring, Light fittings, Sockets, Earthing And Bonding. Covering all parts of the electrical system connected to the electric meter. Any faults are usually fixed on the same day, so your property passes. All plug-in appliances such as Fridges, Dishwashers and Washing Machines are covered under the PAT test. Regular testing ensures your property and tenants are safe.

Electrical Services We Offer In Basildon And Surrounding Areas

Appliance Installation
Consumer Unit Replacement
Cooker Circuits
Earthing & Bonding
EICR Certificates
Electrical Installation
Electrical Heating
Electrical Maintenance
Electrical Repairs
Emergencies
Fault Finding
Full & Part Rewiring
Heating Controls
Immersion Heaters
Inspection & Testing
Indoor Lighting

Landlord Certificates
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor Power
PAT Testing
Rewiring
Security Lighting
Security Systems
Sockets Switches
Showers
Smoke & Heat Alarms
Switches
Telephone Points
Testing & Fault Finding
Tripping Circuits
Underfloor Heating
And More

If you would like a free quote or would like to book an Electrician, please phone: 01268 351560

Sockets

Our Basildon Electricians install new sockets and upgrade existing ones. When local homeowners carry out refurbishments, they usually want new socket points or redecorating we often upgrade their sockets by replacing the faceplates. A range of materials and styles are available in traditional plastic, metal, stainless steel and wood even, so you can match your new faceplates to your doors, skirting boards and any other wood features in the room.

Sockets can be standard single and double with on/off switches and can include built-in RCD’s and USB ports-very handy for phone charging. We also fit fused connection units, appliance switches, and cooker switches so we can help you with any appliance you need directly wired. We also disconnect any old electrical appliances wired into your system such as cookers, never try to undertake disconnections yourself always use a fully qualified electrician. Other socket types include shaver sockets and multimedia switches.

Sockets keep homeowners safe they deliver electrical current from your consumer unit via the ring main, a ‘ring’ of live neutral and earth wires that run around your home powering your sockets. The cables are connected to the terminal at the rear of the faceplate which connects with the plug on electrical appliances, which can be switched on and off with the switch. Faceplates screw into back boxes which makes the whole unit safe and protects you from electric shock. Faceplates must be securely screwed into the backbox with two screws.

Backboxes are usually fitted inside the walls but can also be fitted on walls, which is the cheapest and easiest way when new socket points are needed. Otherwise, the walls have to be ‘chased out’ so the wires and back box fit inside, the wall then needs filling, replastering and redecorating.

For those with a garden who use outdoor electrical appliances such as lawnmowers and jet washers, Outdoor Sockets are a must have. Sure you can plug an extension lead into an indoor socket and run it outside, but it’s inconvenient and a trip hazard. Furthermore, extensions leads have the annoying tendency to pull out of the socket, eliminate this age-old problem’ with outdoor outlets. The built-in plastic covers not only protect the socket from the elements the sprung covers hold plugs in also. RCD’s (residual current devices) feature on most outdoor sockets protecting you from electrocution should you cut through the lead while mowing the lawn.

Sockets in your home are powered by the ring main (ring circuit’s the correct term, but most people use the term ring main) A ring of twin and earth cables. Power runs to the sockets then back to the consumer unit along a neutral wire; hence the term ‘ring’. The power draw on electrical sockets can be very demanding the cables are set up in a ring to lower the electrical strain, ensuring every socket in your home has power. Earth wires included in the circuit to ‘ground’ the electricity in case of a fault.

Wiring

Compared to other towns Basildon is quite young, with the first houses completed around 1950. Many of the original homes in the area still have the original wiring; if you’re a resident living in an older home, we can check your system and make sure it’s in order. Our Electricians are highly experienced in new wiring installations and rewire of old properties.

All new wires and rewires conform to amendment 2 of the 17th edition BS7671 which came into action in 2006 and is now a legal requirement for wiring in new builds and rewiring in older properties. Homes built in Basildon up to 1970 were wired with red, black and green wiring (live, neutral and earth) many homes in the area still have these old cables.

Between 1970 and 2004 homes were wired with red live and black neutral cables still but with a green and yellow earth. These older cables were not colour blind friendly and were not congruent with the wiring used on the continent so in 2004 installation changed to brown, blue and yellow-green (live, neutral and earth). Any households that haven’t been fully or partly rewired in the past 30 years might need rewiring. Feel free to give us a call if you need any advice on this.

Lighting

Lighting’s powered by a radial circuit which runs in a line (not a ring) and doesn’t go back to the Consumer Unit. Household lights are joined together the circuit stops at the last light. Showers, cookers and boilers use Radial Circuits our electricians regularly install new radial circuits for new and existing lights and fixed appliances.

We design and fit all types of lighting installations and replace existing lights so let us know if you want to change those old ceiling roses for new modern spotlights other lights include recessed lights, pendants, chandeliers, wall lighting bathroom and kitchen lights. When fitting new lights several factors need to be taken into consideration lighting needs to be designed around your preferences, so the first thing to establish is whether you like darker or lighter rooms. Next, how much natural light the room gets, plugin lighting such as floor standing and table lamps should also be considered then there are the bulbs which come in a range of wattages, colours types (Halogen, Incandescent, Energy Saving and LED) and fittings (bayonet, Edison screw, capsule and twist lock).

Our Basildon electricians are experts when it comes to lighting and can guide you on the best type of lighting for your tastes, layout and decor of your home. A range of light switches is available with various materials and styles, you can match them to your sockets. These include traditional switches and dimmer switches (manual or remote control) which allow you to alter the brightness of each light and the ambience in each room.

Consumer Units

The Consumer Unit’s most important part of your electrical system without them our homes wouldn’t be safe. Consumer Units house fuses which in the event of a fault (overheating, excessive current or electrocution) ‘trip’ instantly shut off the electricity preventing electrical fire and electrocution.

Consumer Units house RCD, MCB, or MCBO fuses (or a combination of all three). Your fuse set up will depend on your electrical system, requirements and budget.

RCD’s (residual current device) are used to protect an individual or several circuits and will shut off electricity in the event of electrocution they are the life-saving fuses that protect people. Some sockets and portable devices have RCD’s built in they are also known as power breakers

MCB’s (miniature circuit breakers) protect circuits from overloading and overheating preventing damage to appliances and fire. Consumer units combine RCD’s and MCB’s to protect the household occupants and electrical system adequately.

RCBO (residual current device with overcurrent) does the job of both RCD’s and MCB’s preventing overload and electrocution. RCBO loaded consumer units cost more than RCD/MCB units, RCBO’s are safer though.

Consumer Units must be made from combustion proof plastic or metal and incorporate RCD’s/MCB’s and/or RCBO’s. All new units fitted since 2015 must be made from metal and conform to BS7671:2008. Every part of your electrical system is connected to the Consumer unit.

Some homes in Basildon still have old fuseboxes instead of a modern consumer unit. Fuseboxes were fitted before 1970 and don’t use RCD’s they use traditional fuses which contain fuse wire that melts (instead of tripping). A tripped fuse’s easy to reset you only need to flick a switch. Traditional fuses need new fuse wire manually fitted every time there’s overload. All power to your home can be switched off via the mains switch on modern consumer units RCD’s are much safer than traditional fuses if your fusebox’s mounted on a wooden base and you have wire fuses then maybe it’s time for an upgrade? One of our Electricians will happily upgrade your home/business to new 17th edition consumer units containing a mains switch and the latest RCD, MCB and RCBO fuses.

If you would like a free quote or would like to book an Electrician, please contact us using the Phone Number or Contact Form below