Additional Sockets

Additional sockets in Loughton, where you actually need them

"You can never have enough sockets" is something I often say when visiting homes. With computers, chargers and all the other gadgets we use, the sockets fitted years ago often aren't where we need them today. After 33 years in the trade, I've seen plenty of extension leads tucked behind furniture just to keep everything connected.

On one recent home office job, we found several extension leads running through a three way adaptor plugged into a single socket. We replaced that arrangement with four double sockets with USB charging points. The customer was delighted with the tidier space beneath his desk and the care we took protecting his home.

At Tack Electrical Solutions, we install additional sockets across Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Woodford, South Woodford, Chingford and Chigwell. We help homeowners, landlords and businesses get convenient power points, with the checks, testing and aftercare that belong with the installation.

More convenient sockets, less clutter

An extra socket beside your desk, behind the television or near your bedside can make everyday life easier. Sometimes, replacing one awkwardly placed outlet with several carefully positioned double sockets makes more sense than adding another extension lead.

We'll discuss what you want to plug in and where you use it. Adding sockets doesn't increase the existing circuit's capacity, so we check the proposed arrangement is suitable before going ahead.

What happens when you book?

We start with a free survey and quotation. We look at socket positions, the existing supply and access beneath floors or behind walls, then explain the work and the price.

On installation day, we protect the working area with dust sheets. Where necessary, we carefully lift accessible carpets and floorboards to route the wiring.

I prefer to keep cables out of sight wherever practical. We'll explain the proposed route beforehand, including any situations where surface wiring would be more suitable.

After installing the sockets, we make good the areas we've disturbed. We use rapid setting filler, but you should allow for final fine filling and decorating where walls have been chased. We explain this before work starts, so you know what finish to expect.

We inspect and test the completed installation, provide the appropriate electrical certificate and clear up afterwards. Our office then follows up a few weeks later to check everything is working as expected, and handles Building Control notification where required.

The checks behind a safe installation

A socket can look perfectly ordinary while the wiring supplying it has a problem.

We've attended properties where a circuit had no effective earth connection. In that situation, we couldn't simply add the requested sockets. The underlying fault needed putting right first.

That's why our quotation covers more than fitting a socket faceplate. We check the existing circuit and explain any issues that affect whether the work can go ahead safely. If additional work is needed, we discuss it with you first.

Materials chosen from experience

We use established materials that have proved dependable on our jobs over the years. We can discuss standard sockets or options with USB charging points, depending on what you need.

Our workmanship carries a six year guarantee. Materials typically have a manufacturer's guarantee of one or two years, depending on the product, and we'll confirm the cover for the fittings supplied.

How much do additional sockets cost?

Our guide prices range from around £120 per socket for straightforward work to around £250 per socket for a more involved installation.

Access, cable routes, socket choice and the condition of the existing circuit all affect the quotation. If you want several sockets, we assess the installation together and give you a price for the complete job.

Our quotation includes the agreed materials, installation, inspection, testing and electrical certification. Many jobs take around three to four hours, although lifting flooring or installing several outlets can take longer.

Your questions answered

Additional sockets in Loughton

How much does an additional socket cost?

Our guide prices are around £120 to £250 per socket, depending on access, wiring routes and the fitting you choose. We provide a personalised quotation after a free survey, including a total price if you want several sockets.

How long will the installation take?

Many of our additional socket jobs take around three to four hours. We'll give you a more accurate estimate after checking whether we need to lift carpets or floorboards and how many sockets you need.

Will you hide the cables and repair the walls?

We aim to conceal cables beneath floors or behind surfaces wherever practical, and we agree the route with you beforehand. We make good chased areas with rapid setting filler, but final fine filling and decorating may still be needed.

Can you fit sockets with USB charging points?

Yes, we can include sockets with USB charging points in your quotation. On a recent home office job, we fitted four double sockets with USB points to replace a cluttered arrangement of adaptors and extension leads.

What if the existing wiring has a fault?

We check the existing circuit before extending it and explain any problems that stop us going ahead safely. For example, we've found circuits without an effective earth connection, which needed correcting before we could add sockets.

Will I receive an electrical certificate?

Yes. We inspect and test our installation and provide the appropriate electrical certificate. In England, adding sockets to an existing circuit outside a special location is generally not notifiable, but we arrange Building Control notification when the particular work requires it.

What qualifications and guarantees do you have?

We're an NICEIC Approved Contractor and a TrustMark Registered Business, with City & Guilds qualifications. We provide a six year workmanship guarantee, and we confirm the manufacturer's guarantee for your materials, typically one or two years.