Our electrics kept tripping and we had no idea why. He found the faulty socket and sorted it on the same visit. Really pleased, thanks again 👍
Posted on GoogleSockets, fittings and controls
Lighting installation Manchester and extra plug sockets
New lights and extra sockets work better when you plan fittings, furniture and daily tasks together. We check the circuit and the finish before anything is cut.
Typical price from£100extra double socket · see prices
We fit indoor lighting, extra outlets and outdoor work. We cover Greater Manchester, Liverpool, London, Cambridge and Peterborough, and agree positions and cable routes first.
- NICEIC registered
- Qualified & insured
How much does it cost to fit a light or add a socket?
Lighting installation in Manchester costs £70–£125 to fit a light, and an extra double socket is typically £100–£185. These prices cover a straightforward point on a suitable existing circuit. Longer routes, outdoor work or a new circuit are quoted in writing after a short survey, with positions and making good agreed first.
Manchester, Liverpool, Cambridge & Peterborough prices
Socket and light fitting prices
Typical supplied-and-fitted prices. After a survey you get a fixed written quote, and nothing starts until you approve it.
- NICEIC registered
- Fixed written quote
Sockets and lighting
- Extra double socket£100–£185
- Fit a lightLight fitting supplied separatelyLowest price£70–£125
Planned work rates
- Hourly rate£55–£75
With TRACEFORM, lighting installation in Manchester homes can include pendants, downlights, LED upgrades and suitable outdoor fittings. We can also add or move sockets. Our NICEIC Registered electricians check the existing installation. We talk through controls, routes and making good. Tell us how you will use the room and which products you want. More points do not always mean more spare circuit capacity.
What sockets and lights cost
An extra double socket is typically £100–£185. Fitting a light is typically £70–£125. Larger jobs, such as a room of downlights, outdoor lighting or several new sockets, are priced from our planned rate of £55–£75 an hour. You get a fixed written quote at the survey, so you see the full price first.
Choose lighting for the activity, not just the fitting
Tell us where you cook, read, work and relax. This helps us separate general, task and feature lighting. We do not assume a set number of fittings per room. Talk to us about switch positions, access for upkeep and how furniture or future changes affect the plan. A photo of the ceiling can help explain the room. It cannot show cable condition, whether fixings are suitable or what sits above the ceiling.
Downlights, pendants and LED dimming
A dimmable label on one part does not prove the whole set will work. The lamp or fitting, driver and dimmer must all be compatible. Send us the exact models and how you want to control them before you order. For downlights, we also need to check how the ceiling is built, the space around it and any fire safety needs. Room size alone does not set the number of fittings, and we cannot confirm suitability remotely.
Add, move or upgrade plug sockets
Start with where desks, beds, kitchen equipment and furniture go. Mark where plugs must be easy to reach and say what you will plug in. USB sockets installation is a different job from moving an outlet or adding a double socket. The electrician must check the existing circuit and suitable routes before agreeing the layout. If an outlet is hot, sparking or damaged, ask for a fault assessment. Do not treat it as a routine accessory change.
When more sockets need a different supply arrangement
Extra outlets do not add circuit capacity. Your existing protection, expected load, cable condition and the planned route all shape the design. High-load equipment or some external supplies may need a dedicated circuit. Tell us the equipment models and how you will use them. If you really need a separate supply, use our new-circuits service. Do not choose a spur layout from an online diagram.
Outdoor sockets and garden lighting
For outdoor socket installation or security lighting installation, tell us about the equipment and where it goes. Say how exposed the spot is. Do you want a garden work area, decorative lighting or power to an outbuilding? We need to check the enclosures, protection and cable route. A weatherproof label alone cannot settle this. Agree access across paths, planted areas and walls, and who puts things back. In England, outdoor work is not automatically notifiable. A new circuit does need notifying.
Agree the route, supplied products and finish
Hidden cable routes may mean chasing walls or working above and below floors. Surface trunking or conduit can avoid some disruption, but it changes the look. Agree which option is in the price. Keep the electrical work separate from patch plastering, sanding, painting and refitting floor coverings. If you supply lights or accessories, send the model details and fitting instructions first. Note who supplies extra parts, and what happens to the booking if products are unsuitable, incomplete or faulty.
Certification and Part P depend on the work
Approved Document P sets out what must be notified in England. This includes new circuits and replacement consumer units. It also covers additions or changes in defined special locations. Outdoor work on an existing circuit is not notifiable for that reason alone. Work that is not notifiable still needs proper design, installation, inspection and testing. Adding to an existing circuit usually gets a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. A new circuit needs an Electrical Installation Certificate. Agree the records and any separate notification before work starts.
A straightforward socket addition or light swap can often be finished in a single visit. Difficult routes, circuit remedials or several fitting changes take longer, and we confirm the programme with your quote. If LEDs flicker, the cause may be a control mismatch or a fault, so we check before replacing parts. The overload guide and our lighting fault service help when diagnosis is the priority.
What kind of point work are you asking for?
Replacing a fitting, adding a point and a new circuit are different jobs. Start with how you will use the space. Agree checks, products, cable routes and finishing before comparing prices.
| Requested change | Survey questions | Written-scope check |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a light or accessory | Which product, control and fixing arrangement are proposed? | Identify supplied equipment, compatibility checks and appropriate records. |
| Add or move an indoor point | What will be connected, and can the existing circuit and route support the change? | Record positions, chasing, obsolete accessory removal and making good. |
| Outdoor socket or lighting | What are the exposure, demand and route constraints? | Distinguish existing-circuit alteration from an assessed new supply. |
| High-load equipment | Does the actual appliance need a dedicated circuit? | Separate new-circuit design and notification from ordinary point installation. |
Our reading: A point count is a customer schedule. Electrical design is a separate step. In England, the scope decides notification. All work still needs proper inspection and testing.
Sources: Approved Document P: England (GOV.UK)Electrical certification in England (Electrical Safety First)
How a planned project runs
Describe the room and its use
Send your postcode, safe overview photos, furniture layout and the equipment to connect. Show the socket positions, fitting types and controls you want.
Assess circuits and routes
The electrician checks what the job needs and the best routes. We flag any need for a dedicated supply, repairs or unsuitable products before we agree the job.
Confirm products and finishing
Approve the list of points and say who supplies fittings, drivers and controls. The quote lists chasing, containment, patching, painting and floor reinstatement apart.
Install the agreed scope
Work follows the approved positions, products and routes. Discuss any concealed condition or requested change before treating it as an included extra.
Test and explain the controls
You get the right electrical records and any separate compliance record the work needs. Check how dimmers, sensors and other controls work at handover.
Key facts before you plan
In England, an added socket or light on an existing circuit is commonly certified with a Minor Works Certificate; a new circuit needs an Electrical Installation Certificate.
England electrical building regulations · Electrical Safety FirstElectrical Safety First says most extension leads are rated 13 A, but some older leads and reels are 10 A or less. Check the actual lead rating.
Overloaded sockets and extension leads · Electrical Safety FirstIn England, outdoor work is not automatically notifiable. A new circuit or work meeting another defined Part P trigger changes the notification requirement.
Approved Document P: England · GOV.UK
Safety and paperwork checklist
- Book fault assessment for hot, damaged or sparking outlets.
- Do not remove covers. Do not use online diagrams to choose wiring layouts.
- Share fitting, driver and dimmer models before installation.
- Check outdoor exposure and load as well as the look of the accessory.
- Ask which certificate you get and if the work must be notified.
- Keep your electrical certificate with the house documents.
Plan your project (optional)
Interactive planner · nothing is sent
Build a room-use and point schedule
Use the same room brief when discussing quotations. Name the activities and positions, then record products, controls, exposure and finishing that need assessment.
Planning aid only, not circuit approval, a wiring plan or an instant price. An electrician must assess capacity, protection, compatibility and routes. Do not use this tool to diagnose hot sockets or lighting faults.
Request an installation callbackWhy homeowners book TRACEFORM for planned work
NICEIC Registered electricians
We look at your existing installation, and the right inspection and testing, with the new work.
Positions agreed first
Room use, furniture and equipment shape the point list before we start.
Routes and finishing explained
The written scope covers who supplies products, hidden or surface routes and who does the making good.
Where we plan installations
Greater Manchester coverage
Check your postcode
Enter a full UK postcode to confirm planned-work coverage.
Read before you book
- Cost of adding sockets and lightsCompare point types, routes, fittings and finishing in complete quotations.
- Planning sockets and lighting for a renovation
- First fix and second fix explained
- Avoid overloaded sockets and extension leadsUnderstand safe-use concerns rather than treating extra outlets as more capacity.
- Why lights flicker and when to seek helpUse the fault guidance if flickering needs diagnosis before an upgrade.
Request a survey
Tell us the basics. We visit, look at the job and give you a fixed quote there and then.
Planned work enquiry
Tell us about the project
A short brief is enough. Photos help but are optional.
- 1 · The problem
- 2 · Your details
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to add a plug socket?
An extra double socket is typically £100–£185 and fitting a light is typically £70–£125. That covers a straightforward point on a suitable existing circuit. Long cable routes, outdoor sockets, chasing and making good, or a new circuit are added to a written quote after the survey, so you see the full price before work starts.
Do extra sockets need a new circuit?
Sometimes, but not simply because you want more outlets. The electrician assesses circuit condition, protection, expected load and a suitable cable route. Extra socket points do not add circuit capacity. High-load appliances or some outdoor installations may need a dedicated supply, which should be scoped separately rather than assumed to be a simple addition.
Can you move a socket rather than add another?
Yes, where assessment supports the proposed arrangement. Explain the new position, furniture layout and connected equipment, and provide safe overview photographs. The quotation should identify route work, removal or treatment of the old accessory position and any chasing. Plaster repairs, paint and floor reinstatement need their own stated responsibilities.
Can I supply my own light fittings?
Discuss this before buying or booking. Send the exact fitting model, installation information and any proposed driver or dimmer so suitability can be checked. Agree who supplies additional components and what happens if parts are missing, incompatible or faulty. Customer-supplied equipment does not remove the need to assess fixing and electrical requirements.
Do all LED lights work with dimmer switches?
No. The lamp or fitting, driver and dimmer must work together, not just carry separate dimming descriptions. Share the equipment models before the controls are selected. Flickering can come from incompatibility or a different fault, so do not assume replacing the lamp resolves it. Ask for assessment where the cause is unclear.
Does outdoor lighting need building-control notification?
Not automatically in England. Approved Document P makes a new circuit notifiable, while some existing-circuit alterations are non-notifiable unless another defined trigger applies. Appropriate design, installation, inspection and testing are still required. Ask the electrician to identify the actual scope and notification route rather than applying a blanket rule to all outdoor fittings.
Do I get a certificate for an extra socket?
An addition to an existing circuit normally needs appropriate inspection and testing records, commonly a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. A new circuit requires an Electrical Installation Certificate and notification in England. Confirm which documents match your scope before work. A separate Building Regulations compliance record should not be confused with the electrical certificate.
Will the electrician repair the walls afterwards?
Only the finishing agreed in writing is included. Concealed cables may require chasing; suitable surface containment has a different visual finish. Ask who handles patch plastering, sanding, painting and any floor-covering reinstatement, and to what standard. Comparing that responsibility alongside the point schedule is more useful than comparing an unexplained total.
References
- New socket installation cost guideCheckatradeMay 2026; checked 1 October 2026. National socket benchmarks plus VAT and scope-dependent timing, not company prices.
- Recessed-lighting cost guideCheckatradeJuly 2026; checked 1 October 2026. Per-fitting supply/install scope; VAT unclear. No inferred room total.
- Overloaded sockets and extension leadsElectrical Safety FirstUndated guidance; checked 1 October 2026. Check lead ratings and connected loads.
- Approved Document P: EnglandGOV.UK2013 England edition, paragraphs 2.5–2.7; checked 1 October 2026. Notification depends on the actual installation scope.
- Electrical certification in EnglandElectrical Safety FirstUndated guidance; checked 1 October 2026. Distinguish electrical certificates from Building Regulations compliance records.
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Excellent service from start to finish. Professional, reliable, and very knowledgeable. The work was completed to a high standard, with great attention to detail, and everything was explained clearly. Really happy with the result and would definitely recommend their electrical services to anyone looking for a trustworthy and skilled electrician.
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Request a socket and lighting installation quote
Send your postcode, room notes, planned positions and product models. We cover Greater Manchester, Liverpool, London, Cambridge and Peterborough. You get a fixed written quote at the survey.