Electrical pricing looks opaque from the outside because so much of the cost is labour whose duration depends on things you cannot see: cable routes, wall construction, floor access and the state of the existing installation. This guide explains the components of a quote and gives you a short set of questions that make comparison straightforward.
The components of a price
Every job breaks into labour, materials, testing and certification, overheads and, where applicable, notification fees. Labour is the dominant element on most domestic work. Materials are a smaller share than people expect, which is why supplying your own accessories rarely saves much.
Testing and certification are not optional extras. They are part of doing the work properly and should be included rather than added later.
Fixed price versus day rate
Fixed prices suit defined work: a board change, a new circuit, a set number of downlights. The electrician carries the risk of it taking longer, which is priced in.
Day rates suit exploratory or open ended work: fault finding, alterations in an old property, or a snagging list of unknown size. Paying a day rate for genuinely unpredictable work is often cheaper than a fixed price that has contingency built into it.
Be suspicious of a fixed price given over the phone for work nobody has looked at. It will either be padded or it will change.
Why site conditions change the price
The same task varies enormously with the building. Adding a socket on a stud wall directly above an accessible under floor void is quick. The same socket on a solid wall in a tiled room with a concrete floor may take four times as long and require making good.
- Solid masonry walls needing chasing versus stud walls
- Accessible floor voids versus glued laminate or tiled floors
- Boarded lofts and restricted crawl spaces
- Unidentified existing circuits requiring tracing
- Occupied rooms requiring protection and daily clear up
What should be in a written quote
A quote should describe the scope clearly enough that another electrician could price the same thing. It should state what is included, what is excluded, and what would trigger a variation.
- A described scope, circuit by circuit or item by item
- Whether making good is included and to what standard
- Testing, certification and notification included
- Payment terms and expected duration
- How variations will be agreed and priced
Comparing quotes fairly
Line the quotes up and look for scope differences before price differences. Common divergences are making good, the specification of accessories, whether a board change is assumed, and whether making the installation safe elsewhere is included.
If one quote is far lower, ask what it excludes. Usually there is a straightforward answer and the choice becomes easy.
Deposits, payments and variations
Material deposits on larger jobs are normal, particularly where boards, cable drums or specified fittings are being ordered. Large upfront payments for labour are not. Stage payments against completed phases are reasonable on a rewire.
Variations should be agreed in writing before the work is done, even briefly by message. That protects both parties and prevents surprises at the final invoice.
Value beyond price
Registration with a competent person scheme, insurance, clear certification and a willingness to explain findings are all part of what you are buying. So is the practical matter of whether the electrician will come back if something needs adjusting. The cheapest quote from someone who cannot notify the work is not cheap at all if you later need to prove compliance.
Red flags worth noticing
A few patterns reliably signal trouble. A price given over the phone for unseen work. Reluctance to put anything in writing. Pressure to decide immediately. A large cash deposit before any materials are ordered. An inability to explain which competent person scheme they belong to. None of these are conclusive on their own, but two or three together are good reason to get another quote before committing.
Common questions
- Should I get a fixed price or a day rate?
- Fixed for defined work, day rate for fault finding and unpredictable alterations.
- Can I supply my own fittings?
- Usually yes, but savings are small and warranty responsibility becomes yours.
- Is a deposit normal?
- Material deposits on larger jobs are normal. Large upfront labour payments are not.
- Why is one quote much cheaper?
- Almost always a scope difference, such as making good, certification or an assumed board change.
- Should quotes be in writing?
- Yes, with scope, exclusions and how variations will be handled.
- What if the job turns out bigger than expected?
- Any variation should be described, priced and agreed in writing before the extra work is carried out, even briefly by message, so the final invoice holds no surprises.
We quote in writing with the scope set out plainly, so you can compare it properly. Ask for a free quote.
Related guides
- How to Choose a Domestic ElectricianThe cheapest quote and the clearest quote are rarely the same document.
- What It Costs to Add a Socket or TwoThe socket costs a few pounds. Everything else is about how hard it is to get a cable there.
- Partial Rewire or Full Rewire: How to DecideA partial rewire is the right answer more often than people think, and the wrong one more often than they hope.