NICEIC · BS 7671 · From £85 first hour
Electrical Fault Finding in Fraserburgh, AB43
Why your lights flicker, why your MCB trips daily, why that one socket is dead. Diagnosed in 1 hour from £85, fixed on the spot for 80% of Fraserburgh faults.
What's the symptom?
Real emergency (sparks, burning smell)? Use our emergency line instead.
First hour diagnostic
£85
We attend, test, identify the fault, give you a fixed quote for the fix. No surprises.
Replace one MCB / RCD / RCBO
from £35 + breaker
Replace single socket or switch
from £45 + part
Diagnose
£120 to £220 all in
Lighting circuit fault, end to end
£140 to £280 all in
Plain English
What is electrical fault finding really?
Fault finding isn't magic. It's a process. Six standard tests on the affected circuit, narrow the fault from "somewhere in the house" down to "this specific cable, this specific terminal", fix it. Most domestic faults take an hour to diagnose if you know what you're doing, half a day if you don't.
The reason fault finding is billed by the hour and not as a fixed price is honest: we don't know what we'll find until we test. A flickering light might be a loose neutral (10 minutes to fix) or it might be a 30 metre cable run with degraded insulation (rewire the circuit). The first hour diagnostic gives us the answer, and from there we give you a fixed quote for the actual fix so you can decide whether to fix it now or schedule it.
We don't lean on "diagnostic" as a way to pad the bill. If we find the fault in 20 minutes, we still bill the £85 first hour (because that's what we charge to attend, test, isolate), but we don't make up extra hours. Most Fraserburgh fault-finding visits come in at £120 to £220 all in, diagnostic plus fix on the spot.
6 most common Fraserburgh fault patterns
Match your symptom, see the likely cause
These are the six fault types that account for around 90% of our diagnostic call outs across AB43. Find yours below, see what's probably happening, and the typical cost to fix.
Lights flicker or dim, especially when an appliance kicks in
- Likely cause
- Loose neutral connection in the consumer unit, an overloaded ring main, voltage drop on a long cable run, or a failing LED driver in the bulb itself.
- How we test
- We isolate the lighting circuit, check terminal tightness in the consumer unit and at every fitting, measure voltage drop under load, and test the LED transformer if relevant.
- Typical all in cost
- £85 to £180
MCB or RCD keeps tripping every time you reset it
- Likely cause
- Real fault on the circuit. Most common: damaged cable from a screw or nail, a faulty appliance with internal earth leakage, water in a junction box, or a worn out RCD nearing end of life.
- How we test
- Insulation resistance test on the affected circuit (Live to Earth, Live to Neutral, Neutral to Earth at 500V DC). Earth fault loop impedance. Sequential RCD trip test. Process of elimination by unplugging appliances one at a time.
- Typical all in cost
- £120 to £280
One or more sockets dead, rest of the circuit fine
- Likely cause
- Loose terminals at the socket, a failed faceplate, a junction box gone open inside the wall, or the cable is broken between two sockets in the ring.
- How we test
- Continuity test across the ring main, voltage check at every socket on the affected circuit. Where there's a break, we trace it with a tone generator and probe.
- Typical all in cost
- £85 to £160
RCD won't reset at all (constant trip)
- Likely cause
- Earth leakage somewhere on the protected circuit. Could be a failing appliance, water ingress, a damaged cable, or (less commonly) an RCD that's failed itself.
- How we test
- Disconnect the circuit at the consumer unit, test the RCD in isolation (does it hold without load), reconnect circuit by circuit, identify the offending appliance or wiring run.
- Typical all in cost
- £120 to £240
Faint burning plastic smell that comes and goes
- Likely cause
- Loose connection somewhere generating heat under load. Could be at a socket, switch, junction box, or in the consumer unit. Catches us before it becomes a fire.
- How we test
- Thermal imaging of the consumer unit and all visible accessories. Pull every faceplate on the suspect circuit, inspect terminations. Insulation resistance test to rule out cable degradation.
- Typical all in cost
- £85 to £200
Fault that comes and goes, never quite repeats when you call
- Likely cause
- The hardest fault type. Usually thermal (loose connection that opens when warm, closes when cool) or environmental (cable runs through a damp area, only faults on wet days).
- How we test
- Long form diagnosis. We may install a data logger on the suspect circuit for 24 to 72 hours to catch it in the act. Sometimes we deliberately stress test by running the relevant load for an extended period.
- Typical all in cost
- £200 to £400
The 6 diagnostic tests
How we actually find the fault
Standard BS 7671 testing methodology, run on the affected circuit only (so we don't disturb the working parts of your installation). Same kit, same approach that runs on every EICR, just focused on one fault.
- 1
Insulation resistance
Tests the cable insulation hasn't broken down. We measure resistance Live-Earth, Live-Neutral, Neutral-Earth at 500V DC. Anything below 1 megaohm per circuit is a problem.
- 2
Polarity and continuity
Confirms live and neutral are correctly oriented at every accessory. Confirms the protective conductor (earth) is continuous from the consumer unit to every socket and metal fitting.
- 3
Earth fault loop impedance
Measures how quickly current can flow back to the substation under fault conditions. If this is too high, breakers won't clear faults fast enough to prevent shock or fire.
- 4
RCD trip test
Confirms the residual current device trips within 40ms at 30mA, the threshold that prevents fatal shock. If the RCD takes too long, it gets replaced.
- 5
Voltage drop under load
We deliberately load the circuit and measure how far the voltage drops. Excessive drop indicates undersized cable, long runs, or aged cable resistance.
- 6
Thermal imaging (when needed)
For intermittent faults or burning-smell call outs, we use a thermal camera to find hot spots on accessories or in the consumer unit before pulling things apart.
Pricing transparency
Fault finding cost in Fraserburgh
Hourly billing for the diagnosis. Fixed quote for the fix. No double charging, no markup on parts.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit, first hour (we attend, isolate, identify) | from £85 |
| Each additional hour on site | from £75/hr |
| Same day diagnosis + fix on the spot | Hourly + parts |
| Replace one MCB / RCD / RCBO | from £35 + breaker |
| Replace single socket or switch | from £45 + part |
| Diagnose + fix one circuit (typical) | £120 to £220 all in |
| Lighting circuit fault, end to end | £140 to £280 all in |
| After hours fault finding | £120 + work |
Worked example: kitchen MCB trips three times a week. We arrive at 10am, narrow it to a faulty integrated dishwasher within 40 minutes (£85 first hour). You authorise a permanent fix, we add a dedicated RCBO for the dishwasher circuit and replace the suspect breaker. Total: £85 + £45 + £65 parts = £195. Done by lunch, written certificate emailed.
What we won't bill you for
Things you can fix yourself in 5 minutes
Half the "faults" people call us out for aren't faults at all. We tell people on the phone before we travel. Saves you £85, saves us a wasted half day. Here's what to check before booking a diagnostic visit.
One bulb that won't light
Replace the bulb. If a new bulb works, it was the bulb. If not, then call.
Plug not making contact
Try the same appliance in another socket. Try a different plug in the original socket. If only one combination fails, it's that plug or that appliance.
Dead extension lead
Most extension leads have a tiny RCD reset button on the strip itself. Press it. If it stays in, the lead is fine.
One MCB tripped, won't reset
Unplug everything on that circuit and try one reset. If it stays in, you have a faulty appliance, not a wiring fault. Plug things back in one by one to find it.
Local knowledge
Why Fraserburgh faults are different
Fraserburgh has a higher proportion of pre 1980 properties than the UK average, and that mix changes the fault profile. Twin and earth cable run through 9 inch granite walls, tracked decades ago, hits its insulation limit eventually. Salt air corrodes outdoor wiring twice as fast as inland. Older 1970s consumer units wear out their RCDs, which then start tripping at random.
Two fault types we see way more than the UK average. One, RCD nuisance trips on older consumer units, often resolved by replacing the RCD, sometimes only by upgrading to all RCBO. Two, intermittent earth faults on outdoor wiring that only happen when the cable gets damp, classic harbour-front rental issue. We know what to look for because we've fixed it many times before.
Common questions
Fault Finding FAQs for Fraserburgh
How long does fault finding take in Fraserburgh?
Most domestic faults are identified inside the first hour (£85 diagnostic). Simple faults (one socket, one MCB) we then fix on the spot in another 30 to 60 minutes. Complex or intermittent faults can take 2 to 4 hours of diagnostic time. We give you an honest estimate after the first 30 minutes on site so you can decide whether to authorise more time or schedule a different approach.
Will you find every fault, or could you give up?
On 95% of jobs we identify the fault inside 2 hours and fix it. The other 5% are intermittent or environmental faults that need extended observation (data logging, return visits during specific weather, etc.). For these we give you the diagnosis we have, the suspect zones, and a written plan for next steps. We don't keep billing for hours we can't usefully use.
Why are you charging by the hour, not a fixed price?
Honestly, because we don't know what we'll find. A flickering light might be a loose neutral (10 minutes to fix) or a degraded cable (rewire that circuit). We bill the diagnostic by the hour because that's what it actually takes, then once we know, we give you a fixed quote for the fix. You only pay the hourly diagnostic rate, never both diagnostic and a markup on the fix.
Can I do anything to narrow it down before you arrive?
Yes, three things help massively. One, identify the affected circuit (which MCB it sits behind, kitchen / lighting upstairs / sockets ground floor). Two, note when the fault happens (only when oven is on, only at 7pm, only after rain). Three, if it's a tripping breaker, unplug everything on that circuit and try one reset. If it stays in, you've narrowed it to an appliance. If it trips again, the fault is in the wiring.
What's the difference between an emergency call out and fault finding?
Emergency call out is for real-time Class 1 faults (sparks, burning, total power loss) where we drop everything and attend within 60 to 90 minutes, with an out of hours fee on top. Fault finding is for ongoing nuisance faults (flickering, tripping, dead sockets) where you can wait for a daytime appointment at standard rates. Same skill set, much cheaper if it can wait.
Do you charge if you can't find the fault?
We charge for the diagnostic time spent regardless of outcome. That's the honest model, you're paying for the testing and the diagnosis, not just the conclusion. That said, in practice we identify the fault on 95% of jobs. For the 5% we don't, we give you a written diagnostic report with everything we tested and the next-step recommendations, often that's enough for an insurer or surveyor.
Will you fix the fault on the spot or schedule it for later?
We fix on the spot whenever it's reasonable to. We carry MCBs, RCDs, RCBOs, sockets, switches, junction boxes, and cable on the van. For 80% of fault-finding jobs in Fraserburgh, we diagnose and fix in the same visit, you sign one invoice. For bigger fixes (rewiring a circuit, replacing the consumer unit), we make safe and quote properly for a return visit.
Do I need an EICR after a fault finding fix?
Not always. For a single circuit fix, the install certificate from the repair work itself is sufficient. If we found multiple issues during diagnosis, or if the fault revealed wider problems with the wiring (insulation breakdown, missing earthing), we recommend a full EICR for peace of mind and to identify anything else lurking. We quote it as a separate visit, no obligation.
Got a nagging fault in Fraserburgh? Book a diagnostic visit.
£85 first hour. Identify, isolate, quote. Most faults fixed on the spot. Same day slots usually available.
Prefer to call? 07426 416358