Correct cable for the ground it sits in
SWA cable, buried to the correct depth with warning tape, gives an outbuilding or garden supply the physical protection an outdoor run genuinely needs.
Outdoor & Garden Electrical Work
Outdoor Electrics in FleetGarden Lighting, Sheds andOutbuildings Wired Properly
External electrics live in the weather permanently, so garden lighting, outbuilding supplies and hot tub feeds are specified with the correct SWA cable, IP rating and RCD protection from the outset, not retrofitted once something fails.
Free quotes, priced individually to the run and equipment involved. NAPIT Approved Domestic Installer, Reg. 79130.
13 years
On the tools as an electrician
NAPIT 79130
Approved Domestic Installer
SWA cable
For outbuilding and garden supplies
£2m
Public liability insurance
The service
What outdoor electrics covers, and why it is a different discipline to indoor wiring
Outdoor electrics covers anything installed outside the main envelope of the house: garden lighting, external socket outlets, supplies run out to sheds, garages and other outbuildings, hot tub and pond feeds, and security or driveway lighting. Every part of it is exposed to rain, temperature swings, ground movement and, in some cases, physical damage from garden tools or vehicles, so it is specified differently to anything indoors.
The cable of choice for a permanent underground supply to an outbuilding is steel wire armoured (SWA) cable, buried at the correct depth with warning tape above it, and terminated with a proper gland at each end so the armour itself is bonded to earth. This is not a job for standard twin-and-earth run through a length of garden hose, which is still seen from older DIY installations.
Every outdoor fitting needs an IP rating suited to where it sits, a garden light mounted low near a lawn sprinkler needs a higher rating than a socket under a covered porch, and hot tub and pond electrics have their own specific requirements around isolation and bonding given the direct proximity to water. RCD protection is mandatory on outdoor circuits, and getting the right type and sensitivity matters as much as fitting one at all.
One thing outdoor electrics does not cover here is EV charge point installation. That work requires OZEV accreditation, which is not held, so it sits outside what is offered, everything else outdoors, from a single garden socket to a full outbuilding supply, is quoted individually after discussing the run length, the equipment and the ground conditions.
Garden and landscaping projects
New patios, decking and planting schemes are the natural point to add garden lighting, additional outdoor sockets and pond or water feature supplies while access is already open.
Outbuilding and garage conversions
Sheds, workshops, garden offices and garages being brought into regular use need a proper dedicated supply rather than an extension lead run through a window.
Hot tub and spa owners
A hot tub needs its own correctly rated circuit with the right isolation and bonding arrangement, specified to the manufacturer's electrical requirements rather than plugged into whatever socket is nearest.
What happens if it waits
Why outdoor electrical shortcuts are a genuine safety risk, not just an inconvenience
Water and electricity are a bad combination, and outdoor circuits are the part of a domestic installation most exposed to both. Corners cut outside tend to fail quietly until they fail badly.
Extension leads used as permanent supplies
Running an extension lead through a window or under a door to power a shed or hot tub long-term exposes indoor-rated cable to weather and physical damage it was never designed for.
Unprotected buried cable
Standard cable buried without SWA protection, adequate depth or warning tape is vulnerable to being cut by a spade or fence post, and to water ingress that degrades insulation over years.
Missing or wrong RCD protection
Outdoor circuits without correctly rated RCD protection remove the safety margin that limits the severity of a shock if a fault does occur in wet or damp ground conditions.
Incorrect IP ratings
A light or socket fitted with an IP rating too low for its location allows moisture ingress over time, leading to corrosion, tripping, and eventually failure of the fitting itself.
Hot tub and pond bonding gaps
Water features and hot tubs need specific supplementary bonding and isolation. Skipping this is one of the higher-risk shortcuts in outdoor electrics because of the direct combination of water, metalwork and people in close proximity.
Corroded and failed outdoor connections
Junction boxes and connections not rated or sealed for outdoor use corrode over time, and a corroded connection under load runs hot before it eventually fails.
Common mistakes worth avoiding
- Powering a shed, summer house or garage long-term from an extension lead rather than a proper dedicated circuit.
- Burying standard twin-and-earth cable directly in the ground instead of using SWA cable at the correct depth.
- Fitting indoor-rated light fittings or sockets outdoors because they were cheaper or already to hand.
- Wiring a hot tub or pond feature without the specific bonding and isolation the equipment requires.
- Assuming an existing outdoor socket or supply installed years ago is still safe simply because it still works.
How it works
The step-by-step system used on every job
- 01
Discuss the job and location
Cable run length, what is being powered, ground conditions and any existing supply are talked through so an accurate individual price can be given.
- 02
Site visit where needed
For outbuilding supplies, hot tubs or larger lighting schemes, a visit confirms the route, access and the condition of the existing consumer unit and its spare capacity.
- 03
Specification and quote
Cable type, IP ratings and RCD protection are specified to the location before a written quote is provided, with no fixed job the cost is measured against.
- 04
Installation
Cable is run and buried to the correct depth where applicable, terminations are properly glanded and weatherproofed, and all outdoor circuits are RCD protected.
- 05
Testing and certification
The completed circuit is tested, and notifiable work is certified and registered through NAPIT before the job is signed off.
What you get
The difference it makes in the house
Fittings rated for where they are used
Lighting, sockets and connections are specified with an IP rating matched to their exposure, rather than a generic outdoor fitting used everywhere.
RCD protection built in, not bolted on
Every outdoor circuit is specified with the correct RCD protection from the design stage, rather than added as an afterthought once a fault has already occurred.
Hot tub and pond electrics done to spec
Dedicated circuits, isolation and supplementary bonding are specified to the manufacturer's requirements, not improvised from the nearest available socket.
Straight answer on EV charging
EV charge point installation is not offered, since OZEV accreditation is not held. You are told this upfront rather than being quoted for work outside the accreditation held.
Priced individually, not guessed
Every outdoor job is quoted against the actual run length, ground conditions and equipment, so you are not paying for a generic 'garden electrics' package that does not match your site.
In detail
How outdoor electrical work is specified in practice
Outdoor work covers a wide range of jobs, and the specification changes considerably between a single garden light and a full outbuilding supply. Here is what genuinely differs, drawn from work carried out across Fleet, Farnborough and the surrounding Hampshire and Surrey border.
Garden lighting and external sockets
Garden lighting ranges from low-voltage LED path and feature lighting run from a transformer, to mains-voltage fittings for security or floodlighting. Low-voltage schemes reduce shock risk considerably and are often the better choice for lighting close to planting and lawns, while mains fittings suit fixed positions such as under eaves or on walls.
External sockets need an IP rating suited to their location and a weatherproof enclosure kept closed when not in use. They must be on an RCD-protected circuit, and where they are likely to power garden tools or pressure washers, the circuit needs to be specified with that load in mind rather than treated as an afterthought off an existing indoor ring.
Outbuilding and garage supplies
A permanent supply to a shed, workshop, garden office or garage is typically run in SWA cable from the consumer unit or a sub-distribution board, buried at the correct depth with warning tape laid above it, and terminated with proper cable glands bonding the armour to earth at both ends.
The size of cable and the protective device depend on what the outbuilding will actually run, lighting and a few sockets is very different from a workshop with power tools or an electric heater. This is agreed before work starts so the installation has genuine headroom rather than being sized to the minimum and needing redoing later.
Where an outbuilding is some distance from the house, voltage drop over the cable run is calculated to make sure equipment at the far end still receives an adequate supply.
Hot tubs, ponds and water features
Hot tubs need a dedicated circuit sized to the manufacturer's specification, with an isolator positioned within sight of the tub but far enough away to be used safely, and supplementary bonding connecting accessible metalwork in the vicinity. Manufacturer installation instructions are followed closely since requirements vary between models.
Pond pumps, fountains and water features similarly need RCD-protected, correctly rated circuits, with cable routed to avoid damage from garden maintenance and any submersible equipment fitted with connectors genuinely rated for permanent submersion rather than a standard indoor plug wrapped for weatherproofing.
What is not offered, and why
EV charge point installation sits under its own OZEV accreditation scheme, separate from general electrical qualifications, and that accreditation is not currently held. Rather than installing a charge point without it, this work is simply not offered, and you will be told that plainly if you ask.
Everything else outdoors, lighting, sockets, outbuilding supplies, hot tub and pond feeds, is covered, quoted individually, and specified to the actual conditions on site rather than a standard template.
Related services
- New Electrical Installations in Fleet & Hampshire
- Consumer Unit Upgrades in Fleet & Hampshire
- Indoor Electrics in Fleet & Hampshire
Not sure which one you need? Start on the homepage or send the details for a free quote.
Common questions
Outdoor Electrics: the questions people ask first
How much does outdoor electrical work cost?+
There is no fixed price list for outdoor electrics because every job depends on cable run length, ground conditions and the equipment being powered. A free quote is given after discussing or visiting the site.
Do you install EV charge points?+
No. EV charge point installation requires OZEV accreditation, which is not currently held, so this work is not offered. Everything else outdoors, from garden lighting to outbuilding supplies, is covered.
What cable is used for a shed or garage supply?+
Permanent underground supplies to outbuildings are run in SWA (steel wire armoured) cable, buried at the correct depth with warning tape above, and terminated with proper glands bonding the armour to earth.
Do outdoor sockets and lights need RCD protection?+
Yes, this is required rather than optional. Every outdoor circuit installed is protected by an appropriately rated RCD given the increased shock risk in wet or damp outdoor conditions.
Can you wire a hot tub?+
Yes. Hot tubs need a dedicated circuit sized to the manufacturer's requirements, with correctly positioned isolation and supplementary bonding, specified to the model being installed.
How long does an outbuilding supply take to install?+
This depends heavily on the cable run length and how it is being installed, a short surface run differs greatly from a long buried route across a garden. An accurate timeframe is given as part of the quote.
Is outdoor electrical work notifiable?+
Many outdoor installations, including new circuits to outbuildings and locations near water, are notifiable under Building Regulations Part P. Where that applies, work is certified and registered through NAPIT.
Are you qualified and insured for outdoor work?+
Yes. Jackson's Electrical Contractors is a NAPIT Approved Domestic Installer, registration number 79130, holding NVQ Level 3 in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment with a passed AM2 assessment, £2 million public liability cover and £250,000 professional indemnity cover.
How do I pay, and is a deposit needed?+
Bank transfer is preferred. A deposit is required on larger outdoor jobs such as a full outbuilding supply, but not typically on smaller work like a single garden light or socket.
Do you cover gardens and outbuildings outside Fleet?+
Yes, outdoor electrical work is carried out across Fleet, Farnborough, Aldershot, Guildford, Farnham, Camberley, Ascot, Yateley and Sandhurst.
Free, no-obligation quote
Get your outdoor electrics quoted properly
Describe the garden, outbuilding or hot tub job and get an individual price based on the actual run and equipment involved, specified with the correct cable, fittings and RCD protection for outdoor use.
- NAPIT Approved Domestic Installer, Reg. 79130
- £2m public liability, £250,000 professional indemnity
- NVQ Level 3 qualified with AM2 passed
- Free quotes, priced on the actual job