Lightning protection cost
Testing is the cost every building with a system meets every year, and it is the one with clear published prices. New systems and repairs are priced after a visit, so the best guides are diocesan figures and the values on public contract notices. Everything here excludes VAT. A guide, not a quote.
- Annual test, from
- £200
- School test
- £450 to £800
- New church system
- £3,000 to £4,000
- Prices read
- November 2026
Plan a year of lightning protection
Count your buildings by size, tick any one-off work, and see a budget range for the first year.
Annual testing
£300 to £500
1 building
One-off work
£0
Nothing ticked
First-year budget
£300 to £500
Excluding VAT and any repairs the test finds
Testing prices by building
Testers price by time on site, which follows the number of down conductors and earths. These are the published ranges for one annual test and report. Ask whether roof inspection is included or ground-level only.
| Building | Time on site | Price |
|---|---|---|
| House or small single building, 1 to 4 down conductors | 2 to 4 hours | £200 to £350 |
| Small commercial, church or office | 3 to 5 hours | £300 to £500 |
| School, large commercial or multi-storey | About half a day | £450 to £800 |
| Industrial site, warehouse or several blocks | A full day or more | £800 to £1,500+ |
| Inspection after a suspected strike | Separate visit | £350 to £600 |
New systems, assessments and surge protection
One-off work varies far more than testing, because the building decides it: height, roof shape, the class needed, access and consents. Use these to set a budget, then get it surveyed.
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| BS EN 62305 risk assessment and report | £1,500 to £3,500 |
| New system, small or average church | £3,000 to £4,000 |
| New system, large church or similar | up to £10,000 |
| Type 2 device at a single-phase intake | £120 to £180 |
| Combined Type 1 and 2 at the intake | £250 to £400 |
| Commercial intake plus Type 3 at key equipment | £400 to £700 |
| Full Type 1, 2 and 3 scheme across a building | £2,500 to £5,000 |
What public bodies have paid
Values as published on award and tender notices, smallest first. They show the scale of real contracts, not a rate for your building.
| Buyer | Work | Published | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust | Testing, inspection and remedial works across the trust, two years | April 2025 | £25,000 |
| Exeter City Council | Installation of a lightning protection system | February 2026 | £27,000 |
| Southend-on-Sea City Council | New lightning protection system at Earls Hall Primary School | August 2025 | £28,084 |
| Public body, Shrewsbury (West Midlands) | In-service inspection and testing of lightning protection systems, three years | February 2025 | £90,729 |
| London Borough of Newham | Annual testing, maintenance and repairs to housing buildings, three years | February 2026 | £160,000 |
| Southern Housing | Inspection, testing, repairs and new systems for communal blocks, five years | November 2025 | £1,270,000 |
Where all these figures come from
Testing, post-strike, risk assessment and full surge scheme figures are typical ranges from published UK contractor price guides, autumn 2026; intake surge protection figures from a UK electrical contractor's guide dated April 2026. Firms are not named. Church installation figures from Diocese of Chester guidance. Contract values from Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, linked above. All read November 2026, excluding VAT.
What pushes the price up or down
Number of test points
Each down conductor has a test clamp and an earth to measure. A simple church may have two; a large school twenty or more.
Access
Ground-level testing is quick. Roof inspection, towers and repairs at height need a platform, scaffold or rope access, which can cost more than the work.
Missing records
With no drawing, the first test takes longer while the tester traces conductors and finds buried earth pits.
Ground conditions
Rock, sand and dry ground make low earth readings harder to reach, which means more or deeper rods.
Material
Copper costs more than aluminium but lasts longer and is the norm below ground. Theft risk may favour guards or other metals.
Consents
Listed buildings and churches add design time, consent applications and careful fixing.
Questions about cost
How much does lightning protection testing cost?
From published UK contractor price guides, autumn 2026: £200 to £350 for a house or small building, £300 to £500 for a small commercial building or church, £450 to £800 for a school or multi-storey building and £800 to £1,500 or more for an industrial site. All excluding VAT.
How much does a new lightning protection system cost?
Diocese of Chester guidance puts a small or average church at £3,000 to £4,000 and a large building at up to £10,000. Public award notices show £27,000 for a council install and £28,084 for a primary school. Bigger and taller buildings cost more.
How much is a lightning protection risk assessment?
Around £1,500 to £3,500 for a full BS EN 62305-2 calculation and report, from published UK contractor price guides, autumn 2026. Historic England considers a full assessment disproportionate for most parish churches.
How much does surge protection cost?
£120 to £180 for a Type 2 device at a small intake, £250 to £400 for combined Type 1 and 2, £400 to £700 for a commercial intake with Type 3 at key equipment, and £2,500 to £5,000 for a full scheme.
Is it cheaper to test several buildings together?
Usually. One visit covers travel and set-up once, and contractors offer multi-site contracts. Public contracts often bundle a whole estate, from a few thousand pounds a year upwards.
Is VAT included?
No. Guide prices and contract values are shown excluding VAT. Ask every contractor to quote the same way so you can compare.
Find a lightning protection contractor
Three quick screens: the postcode of the building, the work, then your contact details. Most people finish in about two minutes.
We are an introduction service, not a lightning protection contractor. We tell you which specialist covers your building before anything is shared, and no one calls you unless you agree.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- We aim to tell you within one working day which specialist we suggest for your building.
- Nothing is sent to them until you give the go-ahead.
- They check the building and its system and send you a written price. We will not send you marketing.