Commercial Electrician Explained

Posted by & filed under Blog, Electrical Installations, Service and Maintenance.

What is a Commercial Electrician?

A commercial electrician is a qualified professional who specialises in installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems in commercial properties such as office buildings, shopping centres, restaurants, high-rise complexes, and government facilities.

While their work shares similarities with that of residential electricians, the key difference lies in the scale and complexity of the systems they handle. Commercial electrical systems typically require higher voltages, more extensive wiring networks, and adherence to stricter regulations.

Below are some common tasks and services carried out by commercial electricians.

Why Use a Commercial Electrician for Your Business?

Due to the complexity of a commercial unit, commercial electricians will generally obtain additional qualifications and training. For example, design, scheduling, and planning for the environment their working in.

Common Commercial Electrical Services and Job Types

  1. Installation, Maintenance & Repairs
  2. Fault Finding
  3. Interior/Exterior Lighting
  4. Fire Alarms & Security Systems
  5. Partial or complete rewiring
  6. Switches, relays, circuit breaker panels and fuse enclosure

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Commercial Electrician

If you’ve never used a commercial electrician before, the process can feel overwhelming.
Questions like "Who can I trust?" and "How do I know they’re competent and qualified?" are common—and completely valid.
The good news is that with a bit of guidance, you can make an informed decision.
In this section, we’ll walk you through what to look for so you can choose the right commercial electrician for your business with confidence.

Qualifications

The two recognised awarding organisations in the UK are City & Guilds and EAL. To practice as a fully qualified electrician in the UK you’re required to hold a Level 3 certification. A commercial electrician should have and industry recognised level 3 NVQ qualification, In addition they should further their knowledge by obtaining a diploma in Electrotechnical services (electrical maintenance) and level 3 diploma in installing electrotechnical systems & equipment (buildings, structures and the environment.

Competency

Is all their electrical work to British standard BS 7671? If so, are they legally able to issue a BS 7671 certificate. Lastly are they able to prove a valid insurance document verifying Public Liability and Employers Liability (if applicable).

Experience

When looking for an electrician, experience in the industry should be something you take into consideration. An individual with more years in the industry is likely to be the more versatile with the ability to adjust to unforeseen circumstances.

Quality of work

You want to make sure you’re entrusting your electrical work to a company that is reputable. We’d highly recommend for you to pick a company that has client reviews (good & bad), Case studies and a good informative website. These are all signs of professionalism and confirmation the company values every single client.

 Please click below to read further articles