Frequently asked questions about our electrical contractor
Appointments, inspections, costs and faults: we answer here in advance the questions we're most often asked over the phone – so you know where you stand before you even call.
Clarified in Advance
Answers to the most frequently asked questions
Most calls we receive revolve around the same four things: When can someone come, what does it cost, how long does it take, and how much dust will there be.
Before You Call
What Helps Us With Your Inquiry
The more precisely we know the starting situation, the more binding our response can be – and the less often a second site visit is needed.
- What type of building it concerns: apartment, single-family home, multi-unit house or commercial unit
- Year the electrical installation was built or last modernized, if known
- Whether the distribution board already contains residual-current devices (RCDs) – a photo of the open panel is enough
- In case of faults: whether a single circuit or the entire unit is affected
- For rentals: who unlocks the property on site and at what number this person can be reached
- Your preferred time frame, so we can schedule the time window accordingly
Inspection Intervals
When Which Inspection Is Due
The deadlines differ depending on whether an apartment, a rented property or a business is being inspected – we specify them concretely for your property during the on-site measurement.
Scroll table sideways
| Property | Recommended Interval | What Is Inspected | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupied apartment or home | every 4 years | Distribution board, outlets, switches, protective conductor, RCD tripping | Inspection report with defect list |
| Rented apartment, property management | every 4 years, common areas visually inspected annually | additionally stairwell, basement, exterior outlets | Report per unit, summary report for the property |
| Commercial premises, office and retail | every 4 years, portable equipment annually | System plus equipment inspection with test label | Report and equipment register |
| After renovation or distribution board replacement | one-time acceptance inspection | Measurement of all new circuits | Acceptance report and circuit list |
E-Check
How an Inspection Proceeds at Your Property
The E-Check is the standards-compliant inspection of your electrical system and connected devices according to DIN VDE 0100-600 and 0105-100. We work through it in five fixed steps, so that at the end you hold a comprehensible report in your hands – not just a checkmark. For an apartment of around 80 square meters, we estimate two to three hours on site.
Five Steps From the Doorbell to the Report
Inspecting and Documenting
We examine the meter cabinet, distribution board, cable routes and visible installations. In doing so, we note the construction year, cable cross-sections, existing residual-current devices (RCDs) and obvious defects such as damaged outlets or unsecured terminal points.
We examine the meter cabinet, distribution board, cable routes and visible installations. In doing so, we note the construction year, cable cross-sections, existing residual-current devices (RCDs) and obvious defects such as damaged outlets or unsecured terminal points.
Measurements follow: continuity of the protective conductor, insulation resistance of the circuits, loop impedance and the tripping time of each RCD. Measurements are taken with calibrated installation testers; calibration certificates are provided upon request.
We activate protective devices, check the phase rotation direction on industrial power outlets, and test emergency stops, lighting and portable equipment, if these are part of the job.
Every finding receives a classification: address immediately, address medium-term, or unproblematic. We go through the list with you on site and explain what the finding means in practical terms.
You receive the inspection report with all measured values, the defect list and the next recommended inspection date. Property managers can receive it as a PDF per residential unit upon request.
Pricing
What Costs Depend On
We only provide a reliable figure once we know the system. For manageable jobs – relocating an outlet, connecting a light fixture, retrofitting an RCD – photos of the meter cabinet and the installation location are enough for us to give a solid estimate. For renovations, we visit beforehand to take measurements. You then receive a written quote with labor, materials and travel costs listed separately.
- Condition of the existing installation: Classic neutral earthing, fabric-insulated cables or a missing protective earth conductor mean extra work, because entire circuits have to be rewired from scratch.
- Accessibility: Empty conduits save hours. If no conduit is present, the wall type determines the effort – chasing into concrete takes considerably longer than into plasterboard or brick.
- Scope of the distribution board: A new meter cabinet compliant with the network operator's TAB, including registration, is a separate item and requires a coordination appointment.
- Materials: You choose the switch range, light fittings and components. There are noticeable differences between standard and designer lines, which we make transparent in the quote.
- Scheduling pressure: Regular appointments are cheaper than work carried out outside normal working hours. We state weekend and night surcharges upfront on the phone.
- Occupied premises: In occupied flats we plan for dust protection, interim cleaning and shorter power-off periods – this takes extra time but saves you having to move out.
Six questions we hear every day
- How soon can I get an appointment? For work that can be planned -- moving a socket, fitting lights, retrofitting an RCD -- we usually offer appointments within one to two weeks. For a fault that brings a flat or a business to a standstill we try for the same working day if you are in the Rendsburg area. You get a fixed two-hour window rather than a whole day of waiting; if anything shifts, we call ahead.
- What does a call-out outside working hours cost? Evenings, weekends and public holidays carry surcharges on travel and labour. We tell you how high they are on the phone, before we set off -- there are no surprises on the invoice. If the matter can wait until the next working day, we say that too; a circuit breaker that has tripped once is rarely an emergency.
- How long will the power be off? We only switch off the circuits being worked on, not the whole flat. Replacing a meter cabinet does mean a longer shutdown; we agree it with you in advance and place it where it hurts least. Tell us beforehand if refrigeration, medical equipment or a server needs to stay powered.
- How much dust does the work create in an occupied flat? Most when chasing channels into concrete, considerably less in brick, and almost none in plasterboard or existing conduit. We extract dust at the tool, put up dust screens and sweep up at the end of every working day. Furniture and floors are covered. A refurbishment never is entirely dust-free, but you do not have to move out for it.
- Do I have to be at home while you work? For the first appointment, yes: we need access to the meter cabinet and go through where switches and sockets should sit. After that it can go ahead without you by arrangement. With property managers we regularly work via handed-over keys; we then document what was done on which day and hand over the paperwork together at the end.
- Do I get a report for my landlord or insurer? Yes. After an inspection you receive the test report with the measured values, the date, the tester and the defects found -- as a PDF on request, so you can pass it on. Property managers get one per unit. The report documents the condition on the day of testing; in the event of a claim it does not replace an expert appraisal.
Let's talk about your project
Briefly describe what you need -- Elektro Hansen will get back to you with an assessment.