How to Quote an Electrical Job UK: Pricing Guide for Electricians (2026)

Why Electricians Undercharge: The Common Patterns

Most undercharging in electrical work falls into one of three categories. The first is not marking up materials. When you supply a consumer unit, cable, accessories, and fixings, you are carrying the cost of procurement, the risk of price changes, and the responsibility for material suitability. Supplying at trade cost and billing the customer at the same price is giving that value away. A 20 to 30% markup on materials is standard, industry-wide, and entirely legitimate.

The second is forgetting certification and notification fees. Part P notification, EICR testing, and the time involved in producing documentation are real costs. Electricians who build their prices from labour hours alone and treat certs as "included" are effectively subsidising their customers' compliance obligations. These fees should appear as explicit line items in every relevant quote.

The third is underestimating access and chasing time. A job that looks like two hours of cable work on the doorstep can turn into a full day once you account for lifting floorboards, chasing through plaster, dealing with awkward ceiling voids, or navigating a loft full of insulation. Always inspect before committing to a fixed price on any job where the cable route is not completely visible and obvious.

Electrician Labour Rates UK 2026

The right rate for your work depends on your level, your accreditation, and whether you are working in London and the South East or the rest of the country. The figures below reflect the market as of 2026.

London and the South East typically sit at the top of these ranges or 10 to 15% above them. If you are a sole trader with an ECS card and relevant experience but charging below £40/hr, you are almost certainly undercharging relative to the market and relative to your skill level. Day rates are most appropriate for multi-day jobs where a customer wants certainty; hourly rates suit smaller call-out and diagnostic work.

Electrician Hourly Rates by Region (2026)

Rates vary significantly across the UK — London electricians typically charge 30–50% more than those in the North.

Certification and Notification Costs (Frequently Forgotten)

Certification and compliance costs are among the most commonly omitted line items in electrical quotes. They are real costs and should always be itemised explicitly, both so the customer understands what they are paying for and so you do not end up absorbing them yourself.

Electrical Job Pricing Guide UK 2026

The ranges below are typical for domestic electrical work in the UK in 2026. Prices include labour and materials unless otherwise noted. They do not include VAT where applicable.

Minimum callout charge of £80–£120 should apply to any visit regardless of how small the job turns out to be. Your time getting there, diagnosing the issue, and returning has real value. State the callout fee clearly in advance and apply it consistently.

How to Apply Materials Markup

When you supply materials — cable, consumer units, accessories, trunking, fixings — you should bill the customer at your sell price, not your trade cost. Your sell price is your trade cost plus a markup of 20 to 30%. This is standard practice, not profiteering: you are compensating for the time spent sourcing and collecting materials, the cost of any over-ordering or wastage, and the risk of price changes between quoting and buying.

Most electricians buy materials from trade accounts at CEF (City Electrical Factors), Rexel, or Screwfix Trade. Your account pricing at these suppliers is your cost. Apply your markup consistently across all materials in the quote — do not apply it selectively or customers may question why some items are priced differently.

The simplest approach is to total all materials at trade cost, then multiply by 1.25 (25% markup) or 1.30 (30% markup). Show this on the quote as a single "Materials" line or as grouped categories (cable, accessories, consumer unit, etc.), rather than itemising every nut and bolt at retail. Customers do not expect a receipt from your wholesaler — they expect a fair all-in price for the work.

For a broader view of how materials markup works across all trades, the material markup guide for UK tradesmen covers the full framework in detail.

Worked Example: Quoting a Consumer Unit Replacement

Consumer unit replacements are one of the most common jobs for domestic electricians. Here is how to build the quote properly, line by line.

This example comes to £870 without VAT. A non-registered electrician who quoted a flat "£600 including everything" on gut feel would be undercharging by £270 before their costs are even considered. The difference between pricing from the bottom up and pricing from a round number is the difference between a profitable job and one you regret taking.

Access and Chasing: The Hidden Time Cost

Access and chasing are the most common source of underpricing on electrical jobs. A cable run that looks like two cable clips on the surface can involve lifting floorboards across an entire floor, threading through insulated ceiling voids, cutting through original lath and plaster, or threading around structural elements that were not visible on the site visit.

Before committing to a fixed price on any job where cable routing is not completely obvious, carry out a proper inspection. Ask the customer to lift furniture away from walls, take photos or video of accessible void spaces, and use a cable avoidance tool to trace existing routes. If you genuinely cannot determine the full route and difficulty before quoting, say so and quote accordingly — either with an explicit allowance for chasing time or with a note that access costs will be confirmed once the route is opened up.

Making good after chasing — filling, skimming, and repainting — is often assumed by customers to be included. Be explicit about whether this is within your price or whether the customer is responsible for making good after you have completed the electrical work. Many electricians exclude decoration but offer basic filling as a courtesy. Whatever your position, state it clearly on the quote.

A reasonable rule of thumb: add one hour of access and chasing time for every new circuit run in a finished (plastered and decorated) property, and two hours for period properties with solid walls, original features, or difficult loft access.

Sending the Quote: Format, Timing, and Payment Terms

Send the quote the same day as the site visit. Customers contact multiple electricians and whoever responds first and most professionally often wins the job, even at a slightly higher price. A same-day quote signals that you are organised, that you take the job seriously, and that you will be responsive when the work is underway.

Send the quote as a PDF. A typed, clearly structured document on headed paper looks significantly more professional than a WhatsApp message with a number in it. The PDF invoice generator on Sleepless Tradesman lets you produce properly formatted documents in a few minutes, which you can email or share directly with the customer.

State a 30-day validity period clearly near the top of the document. Material prices change, your diary fills up, and a property you visited in July may not be the same situation in November. Thirty days creates a natural prompt for the customer to commit and gives you a legitimate basis to revise the price if they come back months later.

For jobs over £500, ask for a 50% deposit before starting. This is standard practice on larger electrical jobs and most customers expect it. It covers your material costs at minimum and ensures you are not out of pocket if the customer cancels after you have ordered and collected a full set of parts. State your payment terms clearly on the quote: deposit amount, when the balance is due (typically on completion or within 7 days), and your preferred payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions