How much does it cost to fix a power trip?

Published power trip repair rates

FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY

Published power trip troubleshooting rates

For the most common unit (per job), the lowest published power trip troubleshooting rates from 3 companies run from S$50 to S$50 per job (middle rate S$50), to trace and fix one power trip. The middle figure is a real published rate, not an average. Each figure is one company's own advertised rate with its conditions, not a quote.

See 3 published power trip troubleshooting rates and sources

Lowest matching advertised rate per company, in SGD as published. "From" marks a starting price and ranges are shown in full. Check the source for minimums, GST and inclusions.

Company	Service as listed	Rate	Source
Lito Electrical Service	Power Trip Troubleshooting	From S$50 per job	litoelectrical.com
Repair.sg	Resolve power trip	From S$50 per job	repair.sg
Sin & Goh Electrical Engineering	Power trip troubleshooting	S$50 to S$200 per job	wireman.com.sg

All 3 companies that publish a power trip troubleshooting rate start at S$50 per job: two print "From S$50 per job" and one prints "S$50 to S$200 per job". With only 3 companies there is no spread to describe; each figure is one company's rate as printed, not an average.

The scope as printed is to trace and fix one power trip, but these are troubleshooting rates, not the price of a repair. The final charge depends on what the electrician finds. Any repair or part, such as a new residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) or miniature circuit breaker (MCB), is extra unless the company says otherwise.

To see which companies offer this, browse power trip electricians.

Fault-finding time

Tracing a trip means isolating circuits and appliances to find the cause. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) explains in its electrical safety guidance that an RCCB, also called an earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB), cuts off electricity when it detects a current leakage that may lead to an electric shock. EMA lists ageing or exposed wires, faulty electrical appliances and damaged insulation as causes of leakage.

HDB's home care guide says the RCCB cuts off electricity in the flat when it detects an earth current leakage, while a single pole MCB trips to cut supply to its one circuit on an overload or short circuit. So it helps to tell the electrician which switch went off.

How long fault-finding takes depends on the fault. No published line gives an hourly rate or a time allowance, so ask whether the troubleshooting rate stays the same if tracing takes longer. If the same switch keeps going off, see why an ELCB keeps tripping.

Common fixes and parts

What an ELCB trip repair involves depends on what the electrician finds. Possible outcomes include:

• A faulty appliance. Unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.
• A damaged socket or wiring. The electrician repairs or replaces the damaged part.
• A breaker that no longer works. A breaker or RCCB may need replacing.

HDB advises engaging a Licensed Electrician to replace an RCCB that malfunctions, and says only a Licensed Electrician can replace socket outlets. Its home care guide gives the estimated average lifespan of a PVC electrical cable as about 25 years. A Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) can check your wiring and advise whether it needs replacing.

No line in the directory prices a part, so treat parts as extra unless the company says otherwise. If the electrician suggests replacing the whole distribution board (DB box), you can compare companies for DB box replacement. If the wiring is old, see the HDB rewiring cost guide.

After-hours call-outs

FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY

Published call-out rates

For the most common unit (per visit), the lowest published call-out rates from 4 companies run from S$32.70 to S$300 per visit (middle rate S$40), per visit, before any repair. The middle figure is a real published rate, not an average.

See 4 published call-out rates and sources

Lowest matching rate per company, in SGD as published.

Company	Service as listed	Rate	Source
Yeobuild HomeRepair	Call-Out Charges	S$32.70 per visit	yeobuild.com.sg
Fix My Heater	Transport & inspection fee (waived when repair proceeds)	S$40 per visit	fixmyheater.sg
Sin & Goh Electrical Engineering	Basic attendance / call-out fee	S$40 to S$80 per visit	wireman.com.sg
Mirza M&E Engineering Pte.Ltd.	Call-out	S$300 per visit	mirzaengineering.com.sg

4 companies in the directory publish a call-out line, all per visit: S$32.70 per visit; S$40 per visit, printed as a "Transport & inspection fee" and waived when the repair proceeds; S$40 to S$80 per visit; and S$300 per visit. The scope as printed is per visit, before any repair, so any repair is extra. With 4 companies, there is no typical fee to describe.

None of these lines says whether it is an after-hours rate, so if your power trips at night or on a public holiday, ask what the visit costs before the electrician sets out. The electrician call-out fee guide has more on these charges.

Who may do the work

EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA. EMA's page on engaging licensed electrical workers lists the repair or replacement of consumer control units or circuit breakers among the work an LEW should carry out or supervise.

Every LEW carries a licence card with a photograph, name, identity card number and licence number; EMA says to verify it before any electrical work starts. You can also search EMA's ELISE portal or call 6835 8075, as its electrical safety page notes.

HDB's renovation guidelines for electrical works say altering or adding an RCCB, ELCB, MCB or main switch needs no HDB permit. HDB does not allow new wiring to be embedded in walls, slabs or plaster, so in an HDB flat new wiring runs in surface trunking, above a false ceiling or behind carpentry.

What a fair quote should list

Comparing power trip electrician cost is easier when every quote lists the same items. Ask for these in writing:

• The troubleshooting fee and what it covers.
• Whether that fee is deducted from the repair if you go ahead.
• Any call-out fee, and whether it changes after hours.
• Each part priced separately from the labour.
• The LEW's name and licence number.
• Goods and Services Tax (GST) shown in the price, if the company is GST-registered.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) says only GST-registered businesses may charge GST, and their displayed prices should be the final, GST-inclusive prices.

To check a quote, see published electrician costs or compare electricians in the directory.

Questions