What is a Commercial Electrician?

A commercial electrician is a certified electrician who installs, maintains, and repairs the power systems in non-residential buildings such as offices, retail units, schools, and factories. Unlike domestic electricians who work on single-phase home setups, commercial specialists deal with higher-voltage three-phase power, complex distribution boards, and large-scale infrastructure. They ensure that workplace lighting, emergency systems, machinery connections, and safety compliance all meet strict industry standards, helping businesses stay operational, safe, and up to code.

Commercial Electricians

All electricians deal with electrical installations, but not all are trained in the same way. A residential electrician, for example, will have their training focussed on smaller, domestic electrical installations. A commercial electrician, however, will have been trained to understand larger, commercial installations. And, by larger, we mean electrical installations in commercial premises such as offices, shopping centres and restaurants. These larger types of electrical systems will have certain complexities that require specially trained experts. And that’s what a commercial electrician is.

Generally, a commercial electrician will undertake the following tasks:

• Plan and install new electrical installations
• Carry out general maintenance and reactive repairs on electrical systems
• Install electrical components such as new lights and circuit breakers
• Inspect electrical installations to ensure they comply with legal regulations

What is an Electrical Installation?

We’ve mentioned electrical installations several times so far, but you may be wondering how you define an electrical installation. Well, an electrical installation is more than just one electrical device. In fact, it’s a collective term for an electrical supply and all the equipment running off of it. This can include, but is not limited to, wiring systems, electrical supplies, light switches and power points. Naturally, in a commercial property, where electricity is crucial for operations, these electrical installations can contain a high number of individual components.

Hiring a Commercial Electrician

The first thing you need to do when hiring a commercial electrician is to make sure they are qualified. Carrying out commercial electrical repairs without the correct qualifications is not only dangerous, but illegal. Competent and qualified commercial electricians will be registered and able to show proof of their credentials.

When it comes to the price that you should be paying for an electrical service call, it’s difficult to provide an exact figure. All commercial electricians will charge different amounts depending on their experience, overheads and personal choice. However, as a general amount, you should be looking to pay around £40 per hour. Some electricians may also charge a callout fee which includes travel costs and then a specific amount of time on site e.g. 30 minutes labour. It’s important that you clarify costs upfront and what they include. Parts are highly unlikely to be included in any diagnostic costs, so bear in mind that additional costs are likely.

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