Free Electrical Maintenance Budget Calculator
Plan your annual electrical maintenance budget for commercial or residential buildings. Covers EICRs, fire alarms, emergency lighting, and contingency.
Electrical Maintenance Budget Calculator results
Fill in the details and select Calculate to see your figures.
This electrical maintenance budget calculator helps building managers, facilities managers, and landlords plan annual electrical maintenance spending. Enter your building type, size, age, and number of floors to get a detailed budget breakdown including EICR testing, fire alarm servicing, emergency lighting maintenance, and a recommended contingency fund. Older and larger buildings require significantly more budget.
How to use the Electrical Maintenance Budget Calculator
- Select your building type. Offices, retail, and residential blocks have different requirements.
- Enter the total floor area of the building in square metres.
- Enter the building age. Older buildings need more maintenance and are more likely to need repairs.
- Set the number of floors, which affects emergency lighting and fire alarm costs.
- Review the budget breakdown and plan your annual maintenance spend accordingly.
How the Electrical Maintenance Budget Calculator works
There is a real budgeting rule of thumb for planned electrical maintenance: a rate per square metre per year, plus a percentage contingency for unplanned faults. It is a planning figure, not a precise quote.
- 500 m² office, 30 years old: 500 × £3/m² = £1,500 planned maintenance.
- Age factor for a 25–40 year building (×1.2): £1,500 × 1.2 = £1,800.
- Add Tradehand's working contingency of 15% (the mid-point of the 10-20% range) for unplanned faults: £1,800 × 1.15 ≈ £2,070 total for the year.
This is a planning rule of thumb, not a fixed price. Real spend depends on the systems present (fire alarm, emergency lighting) and their condition; amortise one-off items like a 5-yearly EICR across the years between tests. Statutory servicing (e.g. BS 5839 fire alarm visits) is a minimum, not an optional saving.
Typical UK benchmarks
- Small Commercial EICR (up to 10 circuits)
- £250-£400 for a small office or retail unit, or £30-£50 per circuit (Commercial EICR cost guides, 2026)
- Fire Alarm Service Contract (annual, 2 visits)
- From around £245+VAT for a standard 2-visit annual contract, meeting BS 5839-1's minimum of 2 services a year (Quartz Empire Fire & Security cost guide, 2026)
See it in your business.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for electrical maintenance?
As a rule of thumb, budget £2-5 per square metre per year for electrical maintenance in a commercial building. Older buildings (30+ years) should budget towards the higher end. This covers routine testing, fire alarm servicing, emergency lighting, and a contingency for unexpected repairs.
How often do commercial buildings need an EICR?
Commercial buildings should have an EICR every 5 years as a minimum. However, higher-risk environments (e.g., swimming pools, construction sites, petrol stations) may need more frequent testing: as often as annually. The previous EICR report may also specify an earlier re-test date.
What fire alarm maintenance is required by law?
Under BS 5839 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fire alarm systems must be serviced at least twice per year by a competent person. Weekly testing of call points and monthly visual checks should also be carried out by the building manager. Records must be kept.
Why include a contingency in the budget?
Electrical faults are unpredictable. A contingency of 10-20% covers unexpected repairs such as failed circuit breakers, damaged wiring discovered during testing, or emergency callouts. Without contingency, unplanned costs can blow your maintenance budget and delay essential work.
Who is responsible for electrical maintenance in a commercial building?
The 'duty holder' (usually the employer, landlord, or building owner in control of the premises) is responsible under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 for keeping the installation safe. Testing and inspection must be carried out to BS 7671 by a competent person, and records kept. Landlords of communal residential blocks have similar duties for shared electrical systems.
