Costs & Pricing
How Much Does PAT Testing Cost Per Item in Manchester?
PAT testing in Manchester usually works out at around £1–£3 per item, with a minimum call-out charge. Here is how pricing works.
By Steels Electrical · 4 June 2026 · 4 min read
The short answer
PAT testing in Manchester typically costs around £1–£3 per appliance, usually with a minimum charge of £50–£80 to cover the visit. Many electricians charge a fixed price for the first batch of items (for example up to 50) then a lower rate per item after that, so the per-item cost falls the more you test.
Portable appliance testing (PAT) checks that electrical equipment — kettles, computers, power tools, extension leads — is safe to use. It is most relevant to businesses, landlords and anyone with a duty to keep equipment safe at work.
How PAT pricing works
Pricing is usually a mix of a minimum charge plus a per-item rate:
- Minimum charge / call-out: roughly £50–£80
- Per item: roughly £1–£3, often cheaper in volume
- Small office (up to ~50 items): often a fixed package price
- Larger sites: quoted per the item count
What you get
Each appliance is visually inspected and electrically tested, labelled with a pass/fail and date, and you receive a register of all items tested. It is the per-item labelling and the documentation that make PAT useful for demonstrating compliance.
Frequently asked questions
- Is PAT testing a legal requirement?
- There is no law that says “you must PAT test”, but employers and landlords have a legal duty to keep electrical equipment safe, and PAT is the standard way to do it. We explain this fully in our guide on whether PAT testing is a legal requirement.
- How often do I need it?
- It is risk-based rather than fixed. Office IT might be every one to four years; tools on a building site, far more often. The right interval depends on the equipment and environment.
Related services
Read next
- How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House in Manchester? A full rewire of a typical Manchester three-bed runs roughly £3,500–£6,500. Here is what actually drives that number and how to keep it sensible.
- How Much Does EV Charger Installation Cost in Manchester? A standard 7kW home charger installed in Manchester is typically £800–£1,500. Here is what changes that figure and which grants still apply.
- How Much Does a New Consumer Unit (Fuse Box) Cost in Manchester? A new consumer unit in Manchester typically costs £450–£900 fitted. Here is what is included and when it is worth doing.