Schools, Colleges & Universities

Electrical testing, rewires and upgrades for schools, academies, colleges and universities

We carry out electrical work for schools, academies, colleges and universities across the South East and London.

Our work includes EICRs and fixed wire testing, rewires, lighting upgrades, emergency lighting, electric heating, data cabling, distribution boards and larger electrical installations. We plan the work around term dates, teaching and site use, with larger projects often completed during school, college and university holidays.

An NICEIC Approved Contractor, SafeContractor accredited, with DBS-checked engineers, working on education sites since 2008.

In school
Halls and classrooms
Compliance
Testing
Upgrades
Lighting

Electrical contractors for schools, academies, colleges and universities

We are based in Battle, East Sussex, and carry out electrical work for education sites across Kent, East Sussex, Surrey and the wider South East.

We work with maintained schools, academies, multi-academy trusts, independent schools, colleges and universities. Our work ranges from testing and smaller upgrades through to rewires, lighting projects, power distribution and larger electrical installations.

Education is one of the main sectors we work in, and we can provide the testing, lighting, heating, power and cabling covered across our wider electrical services.

Electrical work planned around the academic year

Schools, academies, colleges and universities all have fixed dates when buildings need to be ready again. We plan larger projects early so surveys, specifications, quotations and long-lead equipment can be dealt with before the holiday period starts.

For schools and academies, that often means carrying out the main work during the summer, Easter or half-term holidays.

For colleges and universities, we can plan around teaching, exams, student accommodation, research areas and other parts of the campus that may still be in use outside normal term dates.

Where parts of the site need to remain open, we agree access, isolations and phased handovers before work starts.

Start with a clear picture of the electrical installation

A lot of education work begins with an EICR or other electrical inspection.

A useful report should do more than give you a list of codes. It should show what has been inspected, what needs attention and which work should be dealt with first.

We give our engineers enough time to understand the circuits they are testing and explain the findings clearly.

This makes it easier for site managers, bursars, estates teams and governing bodies to plan remedial work and budgets rather than having to investigate the same issues again later.

Where an inspection identifies further work, we can quote for this separately and plan it around the academic calendar.

Electrical projects that are easier to budget and plan

Our aim is to give education clients a clear scope before the work starts and a realistic programme for getting it completed. That might mean completing a classroom block before pupils return, handing part of a college building back in stages or carrying out university work around departments that still need power.

We also separate urgent work from improvements that can be planned into future budgets, so not everything has to be treated as the same priority.

Electrical services for educational sites

We also install data cabling and access points for classrooms, offices and campus buildings, as well as EV charging for staff, visitors, minibuses and estate vehicles.

For halls, lecture spaces and other audio visual requirements, we work alongside our sister company, OBAV.

What this covers
01
EICRs and electrical testing
We carry out EICRs and fixed wire testing for schools, academies, colleges and universities. We agree the extent of the inspection in advance and plan access around teaching and building use. Each observation is classified and explained clearly so you can see what needs urgent attention, what needs further investigation and what can be included in a longer-term maintenance programme.
02
LED lighting and energy saving
We carry out LED lighting upgrades, including emergency lighting for classrooms, corridors, offices, halls, sports facilities and larger campus buildings. Our LED survey is free. We measure existing light levels and energy use, then provide a written calculation showing the estimated cost, saving and payback period. On most commercial sites, the upgrade pays for itself through energy savings within five years.
03
Rewires, distribution and power upgrades
We carry out rewires, new circuits, remedial work and larger electrical installations for education buildings. Where distribution boards are full or the site needs more capacity, we can also design and install main panels, distribution boards and power distribution. This can include additional power for kitchens, workshops, laboratories, IT equipment, new buildings and other changes across the site.
04
Electric heating
We install electric radiant heating for sports halls and other large spaces that are difficult or expensive to heat. Rather than relying on heating the full volume of air in the building, radiant heating can direct heat towards the areas being used. We survey the building first to make sure this type of heating is suitable before we recommend it.

Safeguarding and working on education sites

We are an NICEIC Approved Contractor and SafeContractor accredited. Our engineers are DBS checked and we have been working on education sites since 2008.

We understand that electrical work in a school, academy, college or university has to be planned around more than the installation itself.

We agree access and working areas in advance, follow the site’s own procedures and keep work areas properly separated from pupils, students, staff and other building users. Our engineers have all been with us for at least two years, so wherever possible you will deal with the same people throughout the project.

Why educational clients choose Lake Electrical

We are a family-run, owner-led business and we stay involved in the work. From the initial survey through to handover, you can speak directly to someone in our team who knows the site and the project. We have a team of experienced engineers and wherever possible you will deal with the same people throughout the work.

We plan around term dates, teaching and other activities rather than expecting the site to work around us.

We also explain what needs doing and what can wait, which helps schools, academies, colleges and universities plan maintenance and capital spending over more than one budget period.

We tell you what the building needs, including the item you were not asking about and the item that can wait a year. We are not the cheapest, and we are straight about that. You are paying for work carried out to the regulations, a date the school can plan around, and engineers who understand what they are looking at.

School electrical FAQs

Can you carry out electrical work during school and college holidays?

Yes. A large part of our education work is planned around holiday periods.

For schools and academies, larger projects often take place during the summer, Easter and half-term holidays.

For colleges and universities, we plan around the academic calendar, exams, teaching, accommodation and any departments or facilities that remain in use.

Smaller jobs can also be completed during evenings, weekends or agreed periods while the site is occupied.

Do you work with academies, trusts, colleges and universities as well as schools?

Yes.

We work with maintained schools, academies, multi-academy trusts, independent schools, colleges and universities.

We can work directly for the education provider, through an estates or facilities team, or as part of a wider project managed by a main contractor or consultant.

Do you respond to tenders for education electrical work?

Yes.

We are used to working from specifications, drawings and tender documents and can quote for planned electrical projects, maintenance work and larger upgrades.

Where the project needs to be delivered within a fixed holiday period, we make sure the programme and any long-lead items are considered before work starts.

Plan your school electrical project

If you are planning electrical testing, remedial work, a rewire or a larger upgrade for a school, academy, college or university, we can survey the site and look at the programme with you.

Arrange an EICR. Please get in touch, or call the team on 01732 758985, Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm.

We carry out electrical work for schools, academies, colleges and universities across Kent, East Sussex, Surrey and the wider South East.

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