Short answer: yes — an EICR covers every fixed circuit fed from the property’s consumer unit, including a garage, shed, garden office, outdoor sockets and outside lights, unless the inspector agrees a written limitation with you first. “Fixed installation” means anything wired in, not anything plugged in. So the armoured cable to your garden office and the sockets and lights inside it are in scope; the fan heater plugged into one of those sockets is not (that is PAT testing). This guide explains what gets inspected in an outbuilding, when it is legitimately excluded, the findings we see most in North London gardens, and what it costs. F & A Electrical is NICEIC registered, 9.32/10 from 242 reviews, EICRs from £140 labour-only, covering Haringey, Hackney, Islington, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Camden and Barnet from Tottenham N15.
What is and isn’t in scope
| Item | In the EICR? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Armoured (SWA) cable from the house to an outbuilding | Yes | Fixed circuit from the consumer unit — tested for insulation, earth continuity and RCD protection |
| Sockets, lights and a small board inside a garden office / garage | Yes | Part of the fixed installation; inspected and tested like any room |
| Outdoor sockets and outside lights on the house wall | Yes | Fixed; must be RCD-protected — a common C2 when they aren’t |
| EV charger circuit on the drive | Yes (circuit and isolation) | The supply, protective device and earthing arrangement are tested; the charger’s own internals are not |
| Pond pump, hot tub, garden lighting on a spur | Yes | Fixed wiring; hot tubs need special-location checks |
| Extension lead run out of a window to the shed | No — but it gets written up | Not fixed wiring; noted as an observation because it is usually a C2-level risk in practice |
| Anything plugged in (heater, lawnmower, fridge in the garage) | No | Portable appliance — PAT testing, £5 per item |
| A detached garage on its own meter / supply | No — separate installation | Different origin; needs its own EICR if you want it certified |
| Communal or landlord’s supply in a block (bike store, bin store lights) | No — not yours | Freeholder’s installation; see the leasehold guide below |
When an outbuilding can be excluded — and why you usually shouldn’t
An EICR has a section for agreed limitations. If the garden office is locked and the tenant is away, or the garage is full to the ceiling and the board is unreachable, the inspector can record “outbuilding not inspected — no access” and the report is still valid for what was covered. Two warnings. First, for a rental property in England the 2020 Electrical Safety Regulations cover the whole fixed installation you let, so a garden room the tenant uses is part of your duty; a limitation doesn’t remove that, it just documents that you haven’t checked it yet. Second, if the outbuilding is fed from the house board, an inspector who can’t get to it will usually still test the outgoing circuit from the board end, and if that fails you get a C2 regardless. Our advice: unlock it, clear a metre in front of the board, and let us include it. It adds 15–30 minutes and £0–£30 to the job, versus a repeat visit at £108 if it’s excluded and the council or buyer asks.
What the inspector actually checks in a garage or garden office
The same tests as the house, with four extras that catch most outbuilding problems. The supply cable: is it armoured or in proper conduit, buried at depth or clipped correctly, and is the armour earthed at both ends? Twin-and-earth stapled along a fence is the classic C2. RCD protection: every socket that could feed outdoor equipment needs 30 mA RCD protection; an outbuilding on an old non-RCD way is a C2 and often a C1 if a socket is damaged. Earthing arrangement: houses on a PME (TN-C-S) supply often need the outbuilding treated as a separate earth (TT) with its own rod, especially if there’s a hot tub, EV charger or metal structure — exporting the house earth to a metal-framed garden office without assessment is a frequent finding. IP rating and mechanical protection: outdoor sockets and lights must be rated for the location; cracked covers and indoor fittings used outside come up as C2s. Inside, we check the local board (if any), the labelling, and whether a DIY spur has been added since the last certificate.
The five outbuilding findings we write up most in North London
| Finding | Usual code | Typical fix (labour-only) |
|---|---|---|
| Twin-and-earth run outdoors along a fence or under a path with no protection | C2 | Replace with SWA, from £140 for a short run |
| Garden office / shed on a non-RCD circuit | C2 | RCBO on that way, from £108; or full board upgrade from £550 |
| House earth exported to a metal garden office on a PME supply without assessment | C2 (C1 if the frame is live) | Convert outbuilding to TT with earth rod, from £150 |
| Outdoor socket not RCD-protected or with a damaged cover | C2 / C1 | Replace with RCD socket or protect at the board, from £108 |
| Junction boxes hidden in the garage roof, circuit can’t be identified | FI | Trace and test on a second visit, usually within the £108 minimum |
A C1 or C2 anywhere — including the shed — makes the whole report unsatisfactory, and for a rental starts the 28-day remedial clock. EICR codes explained covers the coding, and EICR remedial costs covers what fixes usually run to.
What it costs in London (2026, labour-only)
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| EICR, 1–2 bed flat (no outbuilding) | from £140 |
| EICR, 3-bed house including garage and garden office on the same board | from £140 — outbuilding usually adds £0–£30 |
| EICR, detached garage on its own supply (separate report) | from £108 |
| Return visit to inspect an outbuilding that was excluded first time | £108 |
| Combined EICR + PAT test of garage/office appliances | EICR price + £5 per appliance |
| New outbuilding supply (SWA, RCD, small board), typical garden office | from £450 — see garage & workshop electrics |
Full price context is on the EICR cost guide; the inspection itself usually takes 1.5–3 hours — see how long an EICR takes. If the report comes back unsatisfactory, what happens next walks through the 28 days.
Buying a house with a garden office? Ask for this
Garden rooms have been the fastest-growing bit of DIY electrics in North London since 2020, and most were never notified under Part P. When buying, ask the seller for the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or Minor Works certificate for the outbuilding supply. If there isn’t one, an EICR that specifically includes the outbuilding is the cheapest way to find out whether you’re inheriting a £150 RCBO job or a £1,000 re-run of the supply cable. Sellers in the same position: getting it inspected before listing removes the most common buyer renegotiation we see.
For commercial garages, railway arches and lock-ups see EICRs for railway arches and industrial units; for what “not inspected” means on the report see what a limitation on an EICR means.
Frequently asked questions
Does an EICR cover outdoor sockets?
Yes. They are fixed wiring and must have 30 mA RCD protection and a suitable weatherproof rating. Unprotected outdoor sockets are one of the most common C2s in London EICRs — see outdoor sockets.
Does an EICR cover a garden office?
Yes, if it is fed from the house consumer unit. The supply cable, any local board, and the sockets and lights inside are all inspected and tested unless a limitation is agreed in writing.
Does an EICR include the garage?
An attached or detached garage on the house supply is included. A garage with its own separate supply and meter is a separate installation and needs its own report.
Is a hot tub covered by an EICR?
The fixed supply to it is, and it is inspected as a special location with stricter RCD and bonding rules. The tub’s own control pack is the manufacturer’s equipment and is not tested internally.
Can the inspector refuse to include the outbuilding?
Only for access or safety reasons, which are then recorded as limitations. We would rather include it — it protects you and avoids a £108 return visit.
Does the EV charger on my drive count?
The circuit, protective device and earthing arrangement for it are tested. The charger unit itself is not opened. See our EV charger guide for the PME/earth-rod question that most often comes up.
Need an EICR that properly covers the garden? F & A Electrical, NICEIC registered, from £140 labour-only across North and East London — outdoor and garden electrics, landlord compliance checklist, and all areas we cover. Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453, or WhatsApp a photo of the outbuilding supply and we’ll tell you what to expect before we arrive.
Price is driven by circuit count, not bedrooms — see how many circuits an EICR covers and the cost per circuit.