Compliance work and inspections
Correcting the defects listed in an inspection report, replacing worn-out boards, earthing, residual-current protection: the electrician prices clearing the observations.
Construction & works
Electrician for businesses: building electrical work
Compliance work, distribution boards, LED lighting, data network, charging points: describe your requirement once and compare quotes from electricians.
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Building electrical work covers everything that powers, lights and protects your premises: the main distribution board, socket and lighting circuits, power supply to machines, but also “low-current” systems (data network, telephony, access control, CCTV, detection). For a shop, a workshop, an office or a building, a reliable installation determines the safety of people, business continuity and a good relationship with your insurer.
Providers range from the independent electrician, responsive for call-outs and everyday jobs, to the electrical engineering contractor, which delivers complete installations with a design office and authorised teams. Some specialise: LED lighting, data cabling, fire safety, charging points, photovoltaics, industrial electrical work. The right choice depends on the size of the job, the activity on the site and the rules that apply there: an office, a workshop and a public-access building (ERP in France) do not have the same requirements.
This page helps you write a usable request for quotes: services, equipment, price factors, qualifications to check. If the work also affects partitions, ceilings or heating, see plastering and insulation, plumbing and heating, or all the building trades.
Common services
New installation and extension
Creating or extending networks for offices, shops or workshops: main and sub-distribution boards, cabling, sockets, cable trays.
Lighting and LED retrofit
LED luminaires, presence detectors, dimming, emergency lighting: a way to save energy, to be designed with visual comfort at workstations in mind.
Low-current systems and networks
Copper or fibre data cabling, patch cabinets, telephony, intercoms, power supply to Wi-Fi access points.
Security and access control
Intruder alarm, CCTV, badges, fire detection: installations governed by fire safety regulations for public-access buildings and by data protection rules.
Charging points and photovoltaics
Electric vehicle charging with load management, connection of a self-consumption solar plant: power study and formalities with the network operator.
Industrial electrical work
Control cabinets, power supply and connection of machines, earthing, consumption monitoring, together with an integrator if automation requires it.
Call-outs and maintenance
Fault finding, emergency call-out, maintenance contract, infrared thermography of boards, which some insurers require.
Equipment and materials installed
Main and sub-distribution boardsCircuit breakers, residual-current devices, surge protectorsCable trays, trunking and copper cablesLED luminaires and presence detectorsSelf-contained emergency lighting unitsCopper data cabling (category 6A) and optical fibrePatch cabinets and UPS unitsAlarms, cameras and badge readersCharging points for electric vehicles
Types of premises and clients
- Offices: reconfiguring floors, workstations, server room
- Shops: window and sales-floor lighting, tills, alarm
- Workshops and warehouses: machine power supply, high-performance lighting, loading docks
- Public-access buildings: emergency lighting, alarm, clearing inspection observations
- Buildings run by managing agents and landlords: common areas, halls, intercoms
- Company and residential car parks: electric vehicle charging points
- Local authorities and community premises: halls, plant rooms, lighting
What affects the price
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1
Size and condition of the existing installation
Floor area, number of points, age of the board, access to ducts and ceilings: a worn-out installation costs more to rework than to build new.
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2
Power and complexity
High power calls for larger cables, protection and boards, even a discrimination study and a specific connection.
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3
Equipment chosen
Range of luminaires, type of cabling, level of automation: for the same need, the gap can be significant. State the level of specification so that quotes can be compared.
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4
Work on an occupied site
Night or weekend working, planned power cuts, protecting workstations, making good drilled ceilings and walls: all extra time and cost.
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5
Studies, tests and documents
Diagrams, calculation notes, tests, third-party inspection, as-built drawings: ask for them in the quote rather than discovering them during the works.
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6
Network operator lead times
Power upgrades, new connections or meter relocation depend on lead times outside the electrician’s control, often several weeks: plan for them.
Tips for a successful request
Post a request- Attach the plans, photos of the existing board and, if there is one, the latest inspection report on the electrical installations.
- Describe how the premises are used: number of workstations, machines and power ratings, lighting level wanted by zone, operating hours.
- Say whether the work will take place on an occupied site and which power cuts are acceptable, for how long and at what time.
- State future needs (charging points, extension, new workstations) so that the board and cable trays are sized now.
- List the documents expected: up-to-date diagrams, as-built drawings, tests, certificates, and any third-party inspection.
- From the first reply, ask for insurance certificates, staff authorisations and the relevant qualifications.
Standards, inspections and employer obligations
The NF C 15-100 standard is the French reference for low-voltage electrical installations. In a workplace in France, the Code du travail (labour code) requires the employer to keep its installations in good condition and to have them inspected at commissioning and periodically thereafter; the arrangements depend on the activity, the size of the site and the classification of the building. If you receive the public, the fire safety regulations for public-access buildings (ERP) add requirements (emergency lighting, alarm, specific inspections). These rules vary by type of premises: give the electrician your latest inspection report and the classification of your premises.
The staff carrying out the work must be authorised by their employer under the NF C 18-510 standard, after training: ask for the authorisation certificates. The Qualifelec qualification (a French trade accreditation), awarded after an assessment of skills and references, is not compulsory, but it is a useful benchmark and may be a condition for grants, such as the RGE label (France’s recognition for energy-efficiency installers) for certain energy-efficiency work, or for installing charging points.
For a new installation or major refurbishment, the electrician must hold ten-year liability insurance; depending on its nature, an item of equipment falls under the ten-year guarantee or the two-year performance guarantee (garantie biennale de bon fonctionnement). A simple call-out does not carry the same guarantees: in every case, ask for the certificate, which states the activities covered.
Working without stopping your business
Even a brief power cut can stop a production line, tills or a server. Agree in advance the duration, timing and scope of the cuts, the circuits to keep running (refrigeration, alarms, IT) and the temporary solutions: UPS, backup power supply, site generator. Have your data backed up before the work.
A qualified electrician in principle works de-energised, after isolating and locking off the installation. An outside firm working in your premises must know the site’s risks: a joint prior inspection and, depending on the nature and duration of the work, a prevention plan (or an SPS coordination plan if the site is subject to one) set out the instructions. Prepare these documents before the date of the work.
Ask for a phased schedule, zone by zone, commissioning tests, an explanation of the new protection devices for your teams and a final file: up-to-date diagrams, as-built drawings, manuals, test reports, certificates. It will serve your periodic inspections and your dealings with your insurer. On a larger site, coordinate with the other trades, for example for a full refurbishment of premises.
Writing your request and comparing quotes
Rely on a simple specification (see the glossary): plans, power, number of points, lighting level, low-current systems, timing constraints, documents to be handed over. A prior visit lets the electrician see the state of the board, the cable routes and the ceilings; mention it in your request.
Compare quotes item by item: supplies (brands and references), number of luminaires and sockets, boards, cabling, tests, removal of old equipment, disposal, making good. A price gap is often explained by a different scope, not by a margin. Also check the lead time, payment terms, guarantee and any maintenance contract. Our request for quote page recalls the points to settle before choosing.
On Meaflow, you post your requirement free of charge; electricians ask their questions by messaging and send you their quotes. For compliance work, attach the inspection report: firms will then price the same list of observations. Post your electrical work request.
Open requests: building electrical work
Guides to go further
Comparing three subcontracting quotes without getting it wrong
Scope, assumptions, unit price and fixed costs, lead time, terms, quality, Incoterm: the method and the grid to compare three quotes on an identical basis.
Related expertise
Plastering & insulation
Partitions, false ceilings, dry lining, thermal and acoustic insulation
Premises refurbishment
Refurbishment and fit-out of offices, shops and workshops
Plumbing & heating
Plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC)
Odd jobs & emergency repairs
Multi-trade interventions, emergency repairs, building maintenance
Frequently asked questions
A question not answered here? Visit the help centre or write to us.
Does an electrician need ten-year liability insurance?
Yes, as soon as they carry out construction or refurbishment work on installations: in France they must hold ten-year liability insurance, in addition to professional liability cover. Ask for the current certificate, which states the activities covered. For a simple call-out the guarantees differ, but the firm’s insurance must cover its activity.
What is the difference between an electrician and a general building contractor?
The electrician is a specialist: they design, install and repair the electrical installation and low-current systems. A general contractor coordinates several trades and gives you a single point of contact, but often subcontracts the electrical work to a specialist. For a purely electrical job, consulting electricians directly is generally simpler and clearer.
How long does electrical compliance work take?
It depends on the extent of the defects. As a guide, replacing a board and clearing a few observations takes a few days; reworking the installation of a floor or workshop takes several weeks. Add the time to prepare the quote, order the equipment and plan around an occupied site. A recent inspection report helps the firm price faster.
Who must have the electrical installations in my premises inspected?
In France, the employer, or the operator of the premises, must have the installations inspected at commissioning and periodically thereafter, by a competent person or body, depending on the activity and the classification of the building. Public-access buildings (ERP) have their own rules. The report lists observations that the electrician can clear: keep it, as you may be asked for it during an inspection or after an incident.
Can an electrician install charging points for electric vehicles?
Yes, provided you choose a qualified installer: the IRVE qualification (the French qualification for charging-point installers) is often required to obtain grants. A power study of the board and the connection is essential, and a load-management system avoids oversizing the supply contract. In a shared or leased car park, check your right to install with the managing agent or landlord.
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