Looking for an Electrician in Portslade?

A few months back I carried out an EICR for a couple who had just purchased their first home together in Portslade. They wanted to get an EICR done before they properly settled in, and what I found was pretty typical for the area: an old fuseboard that needed upgrading, no bonding to the gas and water, and a couple of switches and sockets that had been broken. None of it surprised me, I see the same pattern across a lot of the properties here. I gave them a written quote, we got the work done, and the property was brought up to a satisfactory standard before they moved their furniture in.

That's the kind of job that comes up a lot in Portslade. I'm Harry McLoughlin and I run Oval Electrical. I have been an electrician for nearly 10 years now covering areas across Portslade, Hove, Brighton and the surrounding areas such as Westdene, Woodingdean, Elm Grove and Hanover. I'm NAPIT registered, and I've built up nearly 100 five-star reviews on Google from people in these areas, mostly through word of mouth and repeat work for the same households.

If you're searching for an electrician in Portslade, whether that's for an EICR before you move in, a fuseboard that's tripping more than it should, or a full rewire on an older property, this page covers the work I do here and what to expect if you get in touch.

1) What I Find When I Carry Out EICRs in Portslade

EICRs are probably the most common job I get asked to do in Portslade, usually for one of two reasons: either someone's buying a property and wants to know what they're taking on, or a landlord needs one for their rental property.

The example above, the couple buying their first home together, is a good example of what often comes up when carrying out an EICR. The fuseboard was an old-style consumer unit with no main bonding to the gas and water pipework, something I see regularly in homes that haven't had any electrical work done in decades, plus a couple of socket and light switches that were cracked or loose. None of these are necessarily dangerous on their own, but together they're exactly the sort of thing an EICR is designed to pick up, and exactly the sort of thing worth knowing about before you've fully moved in.

After the report, I gave them a clear written quote for the remedial work, broken down so they could see what was urgent and what could wait. We carried out the work and got the property to a satisfactory rating.

2) Fault Finding Near Vale Park

Not every job is about an older property changing hands. I also do a fair bit of fault finding, and one that sticks in my mind was in a flat just near Vale Park. The sockets in the kitchen had stopped working completely, but nothing had tripped on the fuseboard, which is often the bit that confuses people most. If a circuit breaker hasn't gone, it's easy to assume the wiring itself must be at fault.

After working through the circuit, I found a loose connection that had worked its way out of a socket. It's a simple enough fix once you've found it, but finding it is the time-consuming part. I tightened up all the connections, checked the rest of the circuit for the same issue, and had the sockets back up and running the same visit.

3) Electrical Services I Cover in Portslade

When searching for an Electrician in Portslade, the work that comes up most often falls into a few categories:

Fuseboard upgrades – Upgrading old fuseboards with new modern units. This is one of the most common upgrades I'm asked to do, particularly in the Victorian terraces and 1930s semis around here.

Rewires – partial or full rewires for older properties where the wiring has never been updated, or where an EICR has flagged enough issues that a rewire makes more sense than patching things up piecemeal.

EV charger installations – with more people in Portslade switching to electric vehicles, I'm fitting more home EV chargers, for homeowners with a driveway or off-street parking and for businesses wanting charging points for staff or customers.

EICRs – for homeowners, landlords and businesses who need a condition report for insurance or compliance reasons.

4) Why Homeowners and Businesses in Portslade Choose Oval Electrical

I'm NAPIT registered, which means my work is checked against current wiring regulations and I can issue the certificates you need, whether that's for building control, a mortgage lender, or your own peace of mind.

I've also built up close to 100 five-star reviews on Google from customers across Portslade and the surrounding areas. A lot of that comes from word of mouth, people who've had an EICR or a fuseboard upgrade done and then recommend me to a neighbour or family member when they need similar work.

One thing that seems to matter to people, especially first-time buyers and those new to the area, is that when you call, you get me. There's no call centre, no one passing your enquiry around. I answer the phone myself, and because I'm local and have worked across Portslade for years, I generally have a good idea of what I'm walking into before I even arrive, whether that's a Victorian terrace, a 1930s semi, or one of the newer flats.

5) Common Electrical Problems I Come Across in Portslade

Portslade has a huge variety of housing: Victorian terraces, post-war housing, a few industrial estates, and newer flats. Each brings slightly different issues, but a few things come up again and again:

Old fuseboards – particularly in the Victorian and 1930s properties, where the original fuseboard is often decades past its expected lifespan and doesn't have the modern protection (RCDs/RCBOs) that current regulations call for.

Old wiring and accessories – cracked sockets, switches that feel loose or warm, and cabling that's never been touched since the property was built.

Poor workmanship from previous work – this is one I see a lot, especially in properties that have had several owners or had work done cheaply in the past. Sometimes it's obvious, like a botched extension wiring job, and sometimes it only shows up once I start testing properly.

6) What to Expect When You Get in Touch

If you call, you'll speak to me directly, Harry. I'll ask a few questions about the property and what's prompted the enquiry, whether that's an EICR for a purchase, a fuseboard that's been tripping, or wanting an EV charger fitted. From there I can usually give you a good idea of timescales and arrange a visit.

For EICRs and most quoted work, I'll come out, have a look, and give you a written quote before any work goes ahead, so there are no surprises.

7) FAQ's

How much does an EICR cost in Portslade? 

The price of an EICR can vary depending on the size of the property and how many circuits there are. We will work out a quote based on these things and send a written quote over before any work is carried out

I'm buying a house in Portslade — should I get an EICR before I move in?

It's a good idea, especially with older homes. An EICR tells you the condition of the existing electrical installation and flags anything that needs attention, things like an outdated fuseboard or missing bonding, so you know what you're taking on and can plan for any work before or after you move in.

Are you NAPIT registered?

Yes, I'm NAPIT registered, which means my work meets current wiring regulations and I can issue the relevant certificates for things like fuseboard upgrades, rewires and EICRs.

How quickly can you come out for a fault, like sockets not working?

For fault finding, sockets that have stopped working even though nothing's tripped is a common one, I try to get out as soon as I can, often within a day or two depending on how busy I am. Give me a call and I'll let you know honestly what my availability looks like.

Do you install EV chargers?

Yes, I fit home EV chargers for homeowners with a driveway or off-street parking, and for businesses in Portslade and the surrounding area wanting charging points for staff or customers.

Which areas around Portslade do you cover?

Alongside Portslade itself, I regularly work in Hove, Brighton, Westdene, Woodingdean, Elm Grove and Hanover. If you're nearby but not sure whether you're in my usual area, just give me a call.

If you're after an electrician in Portslade, whether that's an EICR before you move in, a fuseboard that needs replacing, or a fault that's left a few sockets dead, get in touch and you'll be talking to me directly. I'll ask a bit about the property, give you honest advice on what's needed (and what isn't), and there's no obligation to go ahead.