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Outbuildings and conservatories

Does a home survey test the electrics in a garage or shed?

No. A RICS home survey does not test circuits in the house, and it does not test them in an outbuilding. A taped joint, an extension lead as permanent wiring, or a consumer unit in a damp garage is something the surveyor may see and should not pass. An EICR, if you want one, is a separate instruction by a person qualified to do it.

Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.

What is the fuller explanation?

GOV.UK’s electrical safety guidance on five-year inspection is aimed at landlords of rented homes, not at a shed you are buying with a freehold house. The absence of an EICR for the garage is not, by itself, unlawful for an owner-occupier seller. It does mean nobody has tested the circuit.

If the garage is damp, say so to the electrician. Water and a casual spur are a practical risk the survey can only flag. There is no RICS price for an outbuilding EICR. Ask the electrician what they will test. Do not accept “the house certificate covers the garden” unless the paper says that.

What should you ask your surveyor?

  • Did you see a supply to the outbuilding, and how was it run?
  • Was the garage dry enough that you would even comment?
  • Are you recommending a test, or have you already rated the installation as safe? You cannot have tested it.

What are the typical next steps?

  1. Point an electrician at the outbuilding if people will use it.
  2. Do not staple a house EICR over a garage the certificate does not mention.
  3. Keep the legal rental rules out of an owner-occupier purchase unless you will let the building.

Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.

Also asked about this

Is a solar inverter in the garage part of the test?

The survey does not test generation equipment. An electrician or the installer looks at that. Papers for the panels are a solicitor’s request.

Does a tripped RCD mean the shed failed?

It means a device was off or tripped when seen. It is not a diagnostic test.

Sources