75 questions answered across every service

North 85 is based in Washington, Tyne and Wear and covers the whole of the North East of England, including Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, Durham, Northumberland and Teesside.

Yes. North 85 is an NICEIC Approved Contractor, Part P registered and SafeContractor approved. Every job is carried out by our own directly employed electricians, never subcontracted.

Lee Sheridan and his son Nate. Lee started in the North East electrical trade in 1985 and has forty years on the tools. Nate trained as an electrician alongside him. Together they set up North 85 as a family electrical and renewable contractor, with their own employed electricians and never subcontracting.

Yes. All of our installation work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee on top of the manufacturer warranties on equipment.

Yes. Extra sockets, a new light fitting, a tripping circuit or a broken shower switch are all everyday work for us. Small jobs are usually booked within a few days and priced from a fixed call-out rate, so you know the cost before we arrive.

Yes. North 85 is an NICEIC Approved Contractor and registered under Part P of the Building Regulations. That means notifiable work such as a new circuit or consumer unit is certified and notified to Building Control on your behalf.

If your board has rewirable fuses, no RCD protection, or a plastic enclosure that is cracked or discoloured, an upgrade is worth doing. A modern metal consumer unit with RCBOs protects every circuit individually and stops one fault tripping the whole house. Most swaps take a day and cost from around £550.

Yes. We run armoured cable to outbuildings, fit weatherproof sockets and lighting, and can install a small sub-board for a garden office or workshop so it has its own protection.

No. Dust sheets go down before we start, we vacuum and tidy at the end of each day, and we take all packaging and old equipment away with us.

Every notifiable job gets an Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Works Certificate, and Building Control notification where required. You will need these when you sell or remortgage.

Common signs are rubber or fabric-covered cable, a fuse board with rewirable fuses, round-pin or discoloured sockets, no RCD protection, or a house that has not been rewired since the 1970s. An EICR will tell you for certain, and we can quote for the rewire from the same visit.

A two-bedroom house typically takes four to six working days. A three or four-bedroom house takes six to ten days. We plan the job room by room so you can usually stay in the house while we work.

A full rewire of a two-bedroom house starts from around £3,500, a three-bedroom semi from around £4,500 and a four-bedroom detached from around £6,000. The price includes a new consumer unit, all cable and accessories, Building Control notification and the NICEIC certificate. Making good plaster is quoted separately if you want us to handle it.

Yes. If only the kitchen circuits or the lighting need replacing we will rewire just that part of the installation and certify it, provided the rest of the wiring passes testing.

Yes, and we recommend it. We can leave a spare way and capacity in the consumer unit, run a cable route to where a charger would go, and fit an isolator ready for a future solar or battery connection at very little extra cost during a rewire.

Yes. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must have a satisfactory EICR at least every five years and give a copy to tenants and, on request, the council. Fines can reach £30,000.

A one or two-bedroom flat or house starts from £150. Larger houses and HMOs are priced by the number of circuits. The price includes the full report with photographs and a fixed-price quote for any remedial work found.

C1 means danger present and needs fixing immediately. C2 means potentially dangerous and must be fixed for the report to be satisfactory. C3 is an improvement recommended but not required. FI means further investigation is needed. Only C1, C2 and FI items make a report unsatisfactory.

Two to three hours for a typical house. Power will be off in stages while we test each circuit, so we ask that computers are saved and shut down before we arrive.

We strongly recommend it. A mortgage survey does not check the wiring. An EICR before exchange tells you whether a rewire or consumer unit is needed, which is useful when negotiating the price.

Zappi is our pick if you have solar (Eco+ mode charges the car from solar surplus only — free fuel through spring, summer and autumn in Newcastle, Sunderland and Teesside). Ohme is the pick if you're on Octopus Intelligent Go — the charger talks directly to Octopus and pulls cheap 7p/kWh slots automatically, no scheduling needed. Easee One is the pick for the tidiest install — it's the smallest unit on the market, ideal for terraced streets in Heaton, Jesmond or Roker where kerb appeal matters. All three are NICEIC-installed by our team with full Northern Powergrid G98 notification.

Yes — every 7kW home charger in the North East needs a G98 notification submitted to Northern Powergrid (the DNO for Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland and Teesside). We submit it as part of every install. For three-phase 22kW chargers, or where you also have solar/battery on the same supply, we submit a G99 application instead with the full load calculation. You never deal with the DNO directly.

Possibly, yes. The OZEV EV chargepoint grant for flats and leaseholders pays up to £350 per socket for residents in flats or leasehold properties (including conversions and apartment blocks across Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead), provided you have dedicated off-street parking. Standalone single-house owner-occupiers no longer qualify. Landlords qualify separately under the Residential Chargepoint Scheme. We confirm eligibility and handle the paperwork as part of every install.

Yes — 22kW charging needs a three-phase supply, and the vast majority of North East homes are single-phase (capped at 7.4kW). If you have two EVs that both need to fast-charge at once, or you run an extended-range commercial vehicle from home, we can apply to Northern Powergrid for a three-phase upgrade. Cost typically runs £500-£3,000 depending on the existing cabinet and how far the nearest three-phase cable sits — we get a firm quote from Northern Powergrid before any work goes ahead.

Home EV chargers start from £799 installed for an Easee One, £899 for Ohme ePod (Octopus Intelligent Go integration), and £1,099 for a Zappi (solar-pairing specialist). All prices are fully installed by our NICEIC certified team including Northern Powergrid DNO notification.

A standard 7kW home charger will fully charge most electric cars in 4-8 hours. Larger battery cars (Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS) take 8-12 hours. Smart-tariff charging on Octopus Intelligent Go means most owners only pay 7p/kWh for overnight charging — typically around £8-12 to fully charge a 60 kWh battery.

Yes — and it's our most-recommended setup. The Zappi in Eco+ mode only charges from solar surplus, giving you effectively free fuel through spring, summer and autumn. The Ohme Home Pro and Easee One can also be configured to prioritise solar when paired with a Hub or Harvi sensor.

We install Zappi (best for solar pairing), Ohme (best for Octopus Intelligent Go tariff), Easee (smallest footprint, best for tidy installs), and Andersen A2 (premium aesthetics). Three-phase Project EV chargers are available for properties needing 22kW or multi-vehicle simultaneous charging.

If you own a standalone single house and just want a charger for your own use, you don't qualify for an OZEV grant any more. The grant is now restricted to landlords (Residential Chargepoint Scheme — £350 per socket), flat owner-occupiers, and businesses (Workplace Charging Scheme — £350 × up to 40 sockets). We'll confirm which scheme applies during your free quote.

Tethered (attached cable) is more convenient for daily use — just plug in. Untethered (socket only) is tidier and lets you carry a spare cable for occasional public top-ups. Most of our customers go for tethered now. If you have a Type 1 connector (older Mitsubishi, Nissan Leaf gen-1) you'll need untethered with the right cable.

We assess this during the survey. Most modern consumer units handle a 7kW charger without changes. Older boards (mid-1990s and earlier) sometimes need an upgrade. If the supply fuse is rated below 80A (you can check the sealed cutout) Northern Powergrid will need to upgrade it — we handle that application as part of the install.

Only for 11kW or 22kW charging. Single-phase (the supply 99% of UK homes have) caps at 7.4kW. If you have two cars and want both to fast-charge simultaneously, or you need 22kW for an extended-range commercial vehicle, we can apply to Northern Powergrid for a three-phase upgrade — typically £500-£3,000 cost depending on existing infrastructure.

Most setups are fine. We mount on external walls (under eaves where possible to keep weather off), on garage walls, or on freestanding posts. We can run cabling under floors, through walls, or along eaves. Maximum supply run is typically 30m — beyond that we recommend a sub-distribution box. We confirm the best site during your free survey.

Most chargers we install are AC-only (one-way charging). True V2H (vehicle-to-home) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) requires DC bidirectional hardware, which is more expensive and only supported by a small set of vehicles (Nissan Leaf, MG ZS, some Kia/Hyundai models). The Wallbox Quasar 2 and JEDI Charger are our current V2H options — we can install these where the customer's vehicle supports it.

A standard single-phase 7kW charger install takes 3-4 hours: install the charger, run the cabling, fit any required RCBO or earth rod, commission the unit, register with Northern Powergrid, set up the app. Three-phase installs or installs requiring fuse upgrades can take a day. We always book a single visit — you won't see us twice.

Yes — we submit the G98 notification to Northern Powergrid as part of every install. For three-phase or special-circumstance installs (existing solar plus EV charging on the same supply, for example) we submit G99 with a load calculation showing total system load. You never deal with the DNO directly.

A typical 4kW home solar system starts from £4,500 installed. The exact cost depends on your roof size, orientation, and the number of panels needed. We provide a free, no-obligation survey and quote.

Most homeowners save between 50-70% on their electricity bills. With the Smart Export Guarantee, you can also earn money by exporting surplus energy back to the grid.

Modern solar panels typically last 25-30 years and come with manufacturer warranties of up to 25 years. Performance degrades very slowly — most panels still produce 80%+ of their original output after 25 years.

Solar panels work on most roof types and orientations. South-facing roofs are ideal, but east and west-facing roofs also perform well. Our 3D roof mapping technology will show you exactly how much energy your roof can generate.

In most cases, residential solar panels fall under permitted development and don't require planning permission. There are some exceptions for listed buildings, conservation areas, and certain roof types. We handle all the paperwork for you.

A typical 5kWh home battery starts from around £3,800 installed in the North East, with a 10kWh system from around £5,900 and a 15kWh stack from around £7,800. Prices include Northern Powergrid G99 notification, commissioning, and the app setup — no hidden fees. We always quote on the unit you actually need based on your overnight off-peak window.

Yes — every grid-connected battery in the North East needs a G99 notification submitted to Northern Powergrid (the DNO covering Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland and Teesside). We handle the application and the witness test paperwork as part of every install — you never deal with the DNO directly.

Northern Powergrid's published CI/CML stats show the North East averages roughly 30-50 minutes of unplanned interruptions per customer per year — higher in rural Northumberland and parts of County Durham, and noticeably higher after the Storm Arwen and Storm Babet events. A battery with EPS (Emergency Power Supply) keeps your lights, broadband and fridge running through the typical 1-3 hour outage.

Yes — standalone batteries are one of our fastest-growing installs in the North East. On an Octopus Cosy or Intelligent Go tariff you charge the battery at 7p/kWh overnight and discharge it through the expensive day-time peak (28-32p/kWh), saving £400-£800/year on a typical 10kWh system with no panels required. Solar can be added later.

We cover the whole North East from our Washington base: Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields, North Shields, Whitley Bay, Cramlington, Blyth, Ashington, Morpeth, Hexham, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Consett, Bishop Auckland, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, plus the wider Teesside region. Survey and quote is always free.

No. Battery storage works with or without solar panels. Without solar, you can charge from the grid at cheap overnight rates and use the stored energy during expensive peak hours.

Savings depend on your energy usage and tariff. With a time-of-use tariff, you can save £400-800 per year by shifting your energy use to off-peak hours. Combined with solar, savings can be even higher.

Most home batteries come with a 10-year warranty and are designed to last 15+ years. They can typically handle 6,000-10,000 charge cycles before any significant degradation.

Yes, if your battery system includes an Emergency Power Supply (EPS) function. Most modern batteries like Tesla and SolarEdge Powerwall offer automatic backup power during outages.

Anything from a single new circuit for a machine to a full fit-out of an office, shop or industrial unit. We have been a commercial contractor since 1985 and carry the insurances, RAMS and accreditations that main contractors and facilities managers ask for.

Yes. Evening, weekend and phased works are normal for us. We agree the programme with you up front so the business stays open.

Yes. A planned maintenance contract covers your periodic testing, emergency lighting and fire alarm servicing, and a fixed response time for reactive call-outs, all under one agreement with one invoice.

Yes. We handle the Northern Powergrid application for a new or upgraded supply, install the distribution equipment and connect your machinery, EV chargers or solar to it.

Electrical Installation Certificates, schedule of test results, as-fitted drawings where applicable, and an O&M pack. Everything an insurer, landlord or auditor will ask to see.

BS 7671 recommends every five years for offices, shops and industrial premises, every three years for some higher-risk environments, and annually for some licensed premises. Your insurer may also set a shorter interval. We will advise on your building.

BS 5266 requires a monthly function test and an annual full-duration (three-hour) test with a certificate. We can carry out the annual test and set you up with a simple log for the monthly checks, or do those too under a maintenance contract.

Yes. Fire alarm servicing to BS 5839 is normally twice a year. We test devices in rotation, check the panel and batteries, and issue the certificate for your fire log book.

Mostly, yes. Fixed wire testing needs circuits isolating, so we schedule it out of hours or in phases by area. Emergency lighting, fire alarm and PAT testing cause very little disruption.

Switching from fluorescent tubes or SON high bays to LED typically cuts lighting energy by 50-70%. Adding presence and daylight sensors can push that higher. For a warehouse lit twelve hours a day the payback is usually under three years.

Not always. Some fittings take a retrofit LED tube or lamp. Where fittings are old or emergency lighting is due for renewal it is usually better value to replace the fitting outright. We will show you both options in the survey.

Yes. Energy-efficient lighting qualifies as plant and machinery so the full cost can normally be claimed against profits in the year of purchase under the Annual Investment Allowance.

Yes. We work in sections or out of hours so areas are never left without light. Emergency lighting is tested and certified as part of the job.

Most commercial solar installations pay for themselves within 3-5 years through energy bill savings and tax incentives. Larger systems and higher energy usage typically see faster payback periods.

Yes. Commercial solar installations qualify for capital allowances, allowing businesses to deduct the full cost from taxable profits in the year of installation.

A typical 50kW commercial system needs around 200m² of roof space. We conduct a free site survey to assess your roof and design a system that maximises your available area.

Yes. Flat roofs are ideal for commercial solar as panels can be mounted at the optimal angle using ballasted frames, without penetrating the roof membrane.

Peak shaving uses battery storage to reduce your maximum power demand during expensive peak hours. The battery discharges to supplement grid power, lowering your demand charges significantly.

Yes. Commercial battery systems can be configured to provide automatic backup power during grid outages, protecting critical business operations.

Commercial batteries can participate in grid services like frequency response, demand-side flexibility programmes, and energy trading to generate additional income alongside bill savings.

Yes. Battery storage integrates seamlessly with existing solar installations to store surplus generation and maximise your self-consumption rate.

Yes, we manage multi-site installations with centralised billing, load management, and ongoing maintenance. We also handle OZEV workplace charging grant applications.

Yes. Our installations include billing integration so you can offer free charging as a perk, charge at cost, or set a commercial rate for staff and visitors.

The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme provides funding towards the cost of installing EV charge points at workplaces. We handle the full grant application process on your behalf.

Smart load management distributes available power across all chargers dynamically, so you can install more charge points without expensive electrical upgrades.