Electrics for churches and heritage buildings.
Inspection, upgrades and lighting for churches, listed buildings and historic venues. We work around original features, keep disruption to a minimum and leave clear records behind.
Old buildings need a different approach.
Churches, listed houses and historic venues often have electrics that have grown over a century: original switchgear, later additions, and cables run wherever was easiest at the time. Upgrading them safely means understanding what is there, protecting what matters about the building, and planning every new cable route with care.
We inspected the electrics at Ruach City Church in Kilburn, the former Gaumont State Cinema from the 1930s, recording original Brookhirst switchgear and a 240 volt DC switchroom alongside the modern supply. At Bullers Wood School for Girls in Chislehurst, a Grade II* listed house, we relit the library and its original Morris and Company painted ceiling with warm LED uplighting.
Buildings we work in
- Churches, chapels and places of worship
- Listed houses and period homes
- Historic halls, theatres and former cinemas
- Listed school and college buildings
- Buildings in conservation areas
What's included.
Inspection first
A full EICR so decisions are based on what is actually there, including any original equipment.
Recording old equipment
Original switchgear and redundant supplies identified, recorded and made safe.
Sensitive lighting
LED uplighting, feature and display lighting that shows off the building without dominating it.
Careful cable routes
Existing voids, floor spaces and old routes reused wherever possible, with surface runs agreed in advance.
Emergency lighting and alarms
Designed to protect people while keeping fittings discreet, including wireless options where cabling would harm the fabric.
Distribution upgrades
New boards and sub-mains placed where they do least harm to the building.
Working with you and the conservation officer.
Works to a listed building that affect its character can need listed building consent from the local council. We help you plan the work so you can discuss it with the conservation officer before anything starts, with drawings, cable routes and photographs where needed.
On site we avoid chasing into historic plaster and stone, fix into mortar joints rather than faces, and protect floors, panelling and ceilings throughout. At the end you get the certificates, a record of what was changed, and photographs for your building file. Read our guide to electrical work in listed buildings.
Accredited and approved.
NICEIC Approved Contractor (registration no. 609893000), SafeContractor approved, and ECS-carded electricians on every job.
How it works.
Get in touch
Tell us what you need by phone, email or the form. A few details is plenty.
Survey and quote
We see the job before we price it, then put a clear quote in writing.
Tidy installation
Work planned around your home or site, with everything left clean.
Test and certify
Every circuit and cable tested, with the certificates handed over.
Churches and heritage buildings near you.
Based in Dartford, we carry out churches and heritage buildings across Kent, London and south Essex.
Questions about heritage electrics.
Do I need listed building consent for electrical work?
It depends on the work. Like-for-like repairs often do not, but new cable routes, chasing historic walls, removing original features or adding external fittings can. Check with your council's conservation officer before work starts. We can provide the details they usually ask for.
Can you work on a church without stopping services?
Yes. We plan work around services, weddings and events, and keep the building usable wherever possible.
What happens to original switchgear?
We identify and record it, make it safe, and advise whether it can stay in place, be isolated and kept for its historic interest, or should be removed.
How often does a church need an EICR?
The report recommends the right interval, based on how the building is used and the condition of the installation. Heavily used or older installations are often inspected more frequently.
Listed library LED lighting, Bullers Wood School for Girls, Chislehurst.
Old fluorescent battens replaced with warm LED uplighting in the library at Bullers Wood School for Girls in Chislehurst, a Grade II* listed house with an original Morris and Company painted ceiling. See the full project.
Helpful guides
Related services.
Period and older property electrics
Old fuse boxes, rubber and lead cable, original switchgear and buildings that need a careful hand. We find out what you have, tell you plainly what needs doing, and upgrade it with as little disruption as possible.
Commercial EICRs
Periodic inspection and testing for offices, shops, schools, places of worship and industrial units across Kent, London and south Essex. Planned around your business, with a report you can actually act on.
Emergency lighting
Emergency lighting that keeps escape routes lit when the power fails. Installation, upgrades and the regular testing your building needs.
Tell us about the job.
A few details is plenty. We will come back to you to arrange a visit and a written quote.