The average range of an electrician is roughly £35 – £70 per hour. However, we have received quotes for as low as £20-25 per hour. Typically a day rate is between £280 – £560, but can be more.
Our rates below are based on independent quotes received from contractors across several different electrical jobs.
Cost Per Hour
The average range of an electrician is roughly £35 – £70 per hour. However, some may quote for as low as £20-25 per hour. These will most likely exclude VAT at 20%.
Most electricians will have a minimum project fee that ensures that very small jobs are still worth an electrician’s time. You can expect this to be around an hour or two of the electrician’s per-hour rate.
Independent electricians may also be in the lower range simply because they have lower overheads. However, be sure to do your research and ensure you choose an electrician with sufficient experience and quality.
Whenever we have received quotes from electricians, most should be able to indicate how many hours it would take, their rate, plus any material costs.
It is best to get an electrician to do a site inspection first and get them to quote for the full job. If an electrician is working on an hourly basis, there is less incentive to get the job done quickly.
Day Rates
Typically you can expect to pay somewhere in the region of £280 – £560.
However, we have received quotes for as little as £150 for a day rate for certain jobs.
London Rates
Expect to pay closer to £75 per hour for an electrician based in London.
Electricians based in the south of England compared to the rest of the UK will also be slightly higher as well.
Factors That Affect the Cost
Distance: if the contractor needs to travel beyond a certain radius, then they may add an extra fee on top to cover the extra travel costs. Unless you live in a very rural location or want to use an electrician further afield, you shouldn’t need to pay for this.
Access: access issues within the building increase the time on site and labour costs. For example, electricians often need access to floor and ceiling voids for certain jobs and if these are inaccessible, this increases the price.
If the loft is boarded out, this causes rewiring issues upstairs. If internal wall structures are solid block, more time is needed to sink in new cables. Many issues like this can arise over various types of electrical jobs.
Size of job: An electrician may be able to offer a lower overall quote for larger jobs if he or she is pricing their works by the hour.
Emergency: if you require work to be done immediately, an electrician will usually charge extra for this.
Cost of Common Electrician Jobs
Below are the prices of common jobs that electricians undertake. All quotes were supplied independently by electricians across the UK.
Replace Fuse Box
Fuse boxes distribute electricity in your home. Consumer units are used nowadays instead. They often need upgrading when extending your home so you can use more power. Prices exclude VAT.
| Fuse Box Replacement | Average | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| 10 way dual RCD consumer unit (supply & install) | £440 | £270 - £650 |
| 15 way dual RCD consumer unit (supply & install) | £500 | £330 - £750 |
Larger houses typically have more circuits and therefore, need a larger fuse box. Older houses may also have wiring issues that need to be sorted to meet current Building Regulations.
Get a full cost breakdown of a fuse box replacement here.
Rewire a House
If your house is older than 30 years, a rewiring is probably needed to ensure it meets current Building Regulations. It is a big undertaking, so quotes will be much higher than most other electrical jobs.
| Size of House | Average | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Bedroom House | £3100 | £2700 - £3700 |
| 3 Bedroom House | £3700 | £3000 - £4400 |
| 4 Bedroom House | £4500 | £4000 - £6200 |
A good rule of thumb is £600-£1000 per bedroom. The standard and quality of the accessories used and living in the property during the rewiring can all change the cost.
Get a full cost breakdown of rewiring a house here.
PAT Testing
Portable appliance testing is used to examine electrical equipment and appliances and ensure they are safe to use.
| Number of Appliances | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| 10 | £75 |
| 30 | £125 |
| 50 | £175 |
| 70 | £205 |
| 100 | £250 |
You can expect a minimum flat fee of £50 – £100 that covers up to 50 items, then an extra £1 – £2.50 per appliance after that.
Get a full cost breakdown of PAT testing here.
Electrical Safety Certificate
An electrical safety certificate is a report that shows sockets, wiring, light switches and consumer board meet modern safety standards. Prices below include VAT.
| Property Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom house | £158 |
| 2 bedroom house | £184 |
| 3 bedroom house | £212 |