Power Cut at Home What to Do Step by Step in Andover

Published September 2026 | Power Cut at Home What to Do Step by Step

The lights go out. Before you call anyone or spend any money, take a breath - because the cause of a power cut determines whether you're facing a zero-cost network fault or a bill running into the hundreds. Our engineers see this constantly: homeowners who've already called an emergency electrician before checking whether their neighbours are also sitting in the dark.

This guide covers exactly what to do, in order, who to call at each stage, and what each scenario is likely to cost you. Follow the steps before reaching for the phone and you may well save yourself a callout fee.

Step 1: Check whether it's just your property. Look out of the window. If neighbours' lights are out too, you're almost certainly dealing with a network outage rather than an internal fault. Call 105 - the free national power cut helpline for the UK. In Andover and across Hampshire, your Distribution Network Operator is Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). They can confirm the fault, give an estimated fix time, and log your property. This costs you nothing.

Step 2: Check your consumer unit. If the neighbours are fine, head to your fuse board - typically in a hallway, under the stairs, or in a utility room. Look for any circuit breakers that have tripped to the off position, or a central RCD switch that's flipped down. Try switching it back up firmly. If it stays on, your power should restore. If it trips again immediately, something on that circuit is causing the fault.

Step 3: Unplug appliances on the affected circuit. If a breaker keeps tripping, unplug everything on that circuit before resetting it again. A faulty Hotpoint washing machine, an ageing Bosch dishwasher, or a failing Beko fridge can all cause repeated RCD trips. Unplug one appliance at a time to find the culprit. If the breaker holds with everything unplugged, the appliance is the problem - not your wiring.

Step 4: Call a qualified electrician. If you can't identify the fault, the consumer unit won't reset at all, or the power is out to the whole property despite the network being fine, you need a professional. This is where costs start, so understanding likely pricing before you call is worth doing.

Quick Cost Summary

Costs for resolving a power cut at home vary significantly depending on the underlying cause. Here's what Andover homeowners typically pay across the most common scenarios:

These figures reflect what our engineers regularly encounter on jobs across Andover and the wider Hampshire area. Emergency work called in during evenings, weekends, or bank holidays consistently sits at the top of each range. Daytime work booked in advance is almost always significantly cheaper.

What Factors Affect the Price

The cost of sorting a power cut at home isn't determined by parts alone. Several variables shape the final bill, and knowing them helps you make smarter decisions about when and how to call.

Timing of the callout. Emergency electricians attending within an hour or two command a genuine premium. Out-of-hours rates - evenings after 6pm, weekends, and bank holidays - commonly run 1.5 to 2 times the standard daytime rate. If the fault is intermittent and the house remains liveable and safe, waiting until morning for a booked appointment can save 50 to 100 pounds or more compared with an emergency attendance.

What's actually causing the fault. A simple tripped MCB caused by a faulty Beko tumble dryer might take 30 to 45 minutes to diagnose and resolve. A hidden wiring fault behind plasterwork, or a deteriorating consumer unit with multiple failing components, can take several hours. Fault-finding is often charged as a separate phase before any repair work is quoted, so don't assume diagnosis is included in the callout fee.

Age and condition of your consumer unit. Properties in Andover with older fuse boards - particularly those still using rewirable fuses rather than modern miniature circuit breakers - often require more work when something goes wrong. An outdated consumer unit may not meet current BS 7671 wiring regulations, which can affect the scope of any repair and sometimes requires a full board replacement before other work can be certified.

Access and property type. A terraced house in the town centre of Andover is typically quick to work in. A detached property with circuits running through garages, outbuildings, or a detached annex takes longer. Flats where the consumer unit sits in a communal cupboard requiring building manager access add further time and complication. Electricians charge for time on site, and access difficulties add to that time.

Qualifications and registration. An NICEIC or NAPIT-registered electrician will typically charge more per hour than an unregistered one - but their certification matters considerably. All fixed wiring work in the home must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations, and only a registered electrician can self-certify that their work meets those standards without involving the local authority. An unregistered sparky doing your consumer unit work creates a compliance gap that can cause significant problems when you come to sell the property.

Our engineers use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic process to identify faults methodically before starting any repair work, which reduces the time spent fault-finding and gives homeowners a clear picture of costs before anything is authorised.

Regional Pricing - What Andover and Hampshire Residents Typically Pay

Labour rates in Hampshire sit in the mid-range for England. Andover is a market town rather than a city centre, which means you're not paying a Southampton or Winchester premium - but you're also not in a deeply rural area where reduced overheads bring rates down. The going rate for a qualified electrician in and around Andover is typically 45 to 65 pounds per hour during standard daytime working hours.

Compare that to central Southampton, where rates commonly reach 70 to 85 pounds per hour, and Andover looks competitive. Compared to more rural pockets of north Hampshire - areas towards Whitchurch or Andover's surrounding villages - town-based electricians are broadly similar in rate, though travel time to remote properties can add to costs.

Emergency callouts in Andover typically involve a fixed callout fee of 80 to 150 pounds just to get an electrician to your door, with hourly charges of 60 to 90 pounds on top of that. Some firms include the first hour in the callout fee; others charge it separately. This distinction matters. A 100-pound callout that includes the first hour is much better value than an 80-pound callout with a 70-pound first hour on top. Always confirm the rate structure before agreeing to attendance.

One thing our engineers notice in Andover specifically: a significant proportion of the local housing stock dates to the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. That means older consumer units are far more common here than in newer developments. When a fault occurs in an older property, the board itself is often the underlying problem - and what starts as a 150-pound callout can become a 600-pound consumer unit replacement once the full picture becomes clear.

Labour Costs vs Parts Costs

When reviewing an electrician's quote for a power cut fault, it helps to understand where the money actually goes - because the split varies considerably depending on the job.

Labour typically accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of the total bill for most fault-finding and repair jobs. Electricians are skilled, qualified tradespeople working to strict safety standards, and their time is their primary cost. A one-hour callout covering 30 minutes of diagnosis and 30 minutes of repair might run to 120 to 150 pounds in total, with parts contributing relatively little to that figure.

Where parts start to matter is when hardware needs replacing. A single MCB (miniature circuit breaker) costs 5 to 20 pounds in parts. Labour to fit it adds another 30 to 60 pounds on top of any callout fee. So even a "small" repair has a minimum cost floor of around 50 to 80 pounds by the time attendance is factored in - there's no such thing as a very cheap electrician visit.

A consumer unit is a different calculation entirely. The unit itself - from reputable brands such as Hager, Wylex, or Crabtree - typically costs 80 to 200 pounds in parts. The labour to remove the existing board, install the new unit, reconnect and label all circuits correctly, and test everything to current BS 7671 standards is where the real cost lies. That labour commonly runs 300 to 600 pounds. Add parts, testing, and the mandatory completion certificate, and the total lands between 400 and 900 pounds for an average Andover property.

For rewiring work beyond the consumer unit, parts costs rise significantly. Cable, back boxes, sockets, and accessories add up, and materials can account for 40 to 50 per cent of the total on a partial rewire job. Always ask for a breakdown showing labour and materials separately when reviewing quotes for larger jobs.

How to Avoid Getting Overcharged

Electrical emergencies create pressure, and some traders do take advantage of homeowners in that situation. Here's how to protect yourself in Andover or anywhere else you're calling an electrician under stress.

Ask for a written quote before any work starts. A reputable electrician will provide an estimate, or at minimum explain their hourly rate and the expected time, before touching anything. If someone starts work and then presents you with the price afterwards, that's a serious red flag. You should always know what you're agreeing to before work begins.

Check for NICEIC or NAPIT registration before booking. Both schemes are freely searchable online. Registered electricians can self-certify their work under Part P; unregistered ones cannot. Beyond the legal implications, registration means the electrician has been assessed for competence and is subject to ongoing oversight. It's the single most important verification you can do.

Get two or three quotes for any job over 300 pounds. For consumer unit replacements and rewiring work, taking the time to get multiple quotes typically saves meaningful money. In Andover, local independent firms often come in below larger national companies for the same standard of work, because their overheads are lower.

Understand what's included in each quote. Does it cover testing and the completion certificate? Does it include notifying your local building control authority as required? Are parts and labour both itemised? Ask specifically rather than assuming these are standard inclusions - they're not always.

Don't be pushed into immediate decisions. If an electrician tells you a consumer unit must be replaced this instant or your home is dangerously unsafe, ask for a written explanation of exactly why, and get a second opinion before committing. Genuine safety hazards exist, but so do inflated emergencies designed to win work on the spot. Legitimate professionals explain issues clearly and give you time to make an informed decision.

Is It Worth Repairing or Should You Replace?

The repair versus replace question comes up most often when the power cut has been caused by a failing consumer unit. Here's how our engineers think about it.

Repair makes sense when the fault is isolated to a single circuit or component, the consumer unit was installed within the last 15 years or so, and the cost of the repair sits below 40 per cent of what a full replacement would cost. A single faulty MCB on a modern board, or an RCD that's failed while the rest of the unit is sound, is almost always worth repairing rather than replacing the whole lot.

Replacement makes more sense when the consumer unit is more than 20 years old, it uses rewirable fuses rather than modern MCBs, it has no RCD protection (look for a large switch labelled "RCD" on the board - if it's not there, you don't have it), or it's had repeated faults over the past 12 months. A consumer unit without RCD protection doesn't meet current standards and presents a real risk on circuits serving kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor sockets.

In Andover, where a significant proportion of housing stock dates from before 1990, older fuse boards are common. If your board is original to the property and power cut issues are recurring, a replacement is typically the better investment at 400 to 900 pounds rather than repeated repair callouts running 150 to 250 pounds each time. Our engineers commonly recommend replacement when a board has required three or more fault callouts within a 12-month period, regardless of its age - at that point the repair costs are approaching replacement costs anyway, and a new unit provides substantially better protection.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) gives you an objective view of the board's condition before you commit to either path. An EICR on an average Andover house typically costs 150 to 300 pounds and will clearly identify whether faults are isolated or symptomatic of a wider problem.

Getting Quotes - What to Ask For

If the initial checks haven't resolved the problem and you need a qualified electrician, asking the right questions before work starts saves money and avoids surprises later.

1. Is the callout fee separate from your hourly rate, or included in the first hour? Some electricians in Andover charge a flat callout fee of 80 to 150 pounds and then an hourly rate on top. Others include the first hour of labour in the callout fee. This makes a meaningful difference to the total bill, and you can only compare quotes accurately if you know which model each firm uses.

2. Do you charge separately for fault-finding? Diagnosis takes time, and some electricians charge for this phase separately before quoting the actual repair. Ask whether fault-finding is included in the callout rate or billed additionally.

3. Are you NICEIC or NAPIT registered? For any fixed wiring work, this is non-negotiable. Ask for their registration number and verify it online before booking.

4. Does the quote include testing and a completion certificate? Any notifiable electrical work requires a certificate under Part P of the Building Regulations. This should be included in the quote as standard, not added as an optional extra at the end.

5. What might push the price higher than this estimate? Ask specifically about factors that could add cost - concealed cable routes, the condition of existing wiring once they open things up, or access complications with your particular property.

6. How will you handle unexpected discoveries? A trustworthy electrician will stop work and explain what they've found before proceeding with anything that adds to the original cost. Confirm this approach is their standard practice before agreeing to the job.

Using a vetted platform to source quotes means Andover electricians have already been checked for qualifications and are accountable through the platform's review system - which reduces the due diligence you have to do yourself under pressure.

Common Questions About Power Cut Costs

How much does it cost to call out an emergency electrician in Andover?

Emergency electricians in Andover typically charge a callout fee of 100 to 200 pounds for out-of-hours attendance, with hourly labour rates of 60 to 90 pounds on top of that. Daytime attendance during business hours is cheaper - commonly 75 to 120 pounds covering the first hour of labour. Always confirm the rate structure before agreeing to a visit, as the way firms structure callout fees versus hourly rates varies considerably.

Is the 105 power cut helpline really free to call?

Yes. Calling 105 is completely free from any UK landline or mobile phone. It connects you directly to your local Distribution Network Operator - in Andover's case, that's Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks. You can also report and track outages via the 105 website. There's no charge for the DNO attending to fix a fault at the network or street level; that cost is borne by your energy supplier through network charges built into your tariff.

Can I reset a tripped circuit breaker myself, or do I need an electrician?

You can safely attempt to reset a tripped MCB or RCD yourself. Switch it fully to off first, then push it firmly to the on position. If it trips again immediately, there's an active fault on that circuit - don't keep resetting it. Unplug everything connected to that circuit and try again. If it holds with nothing connected, plug appliances back in one at a time to identify the faulty one. If it trips even with nothing plugged in, call an electrician.

How long does it take an electrician to fix a power cut fault?

Simple faults - a tripped breaker caused by a faulty Samsung or LG appliance that's been identified before the electrician arrives - can be resolved in 30 to 60 minutes. Fault-finding on a more complex issue, such as an intermittent wiring fault or a failing consumer unit with multiple problems, commonly takes 2 to 4 hours. Consumer unit replacement is typically a full-day job, including disconnection, installation, testing, and issuing the completion certificate.

How do I know whether my consumer unit needs replacing rather than just repairing?

The clearest signs that replacement is the right call are: the board uses rewirable fuses rather than modern MCBs, there's no RCD protection on the unit, the board is more than 20 to 25 years old, or it's had repeated faults requiring callouts within the past year. An Electrical Installation Condition Report carried out by a qualified electrician will give you a definitive assessment. For an average Andover property this typically costs 150 to 300 pounds and removes the guesswork entirely.