Electrician Pricing Guide

How much does an electrician charge in 2026?

Hourly rates by region, common job prices, what drives the cost, and how to write an electrical quote that wins.

The short answer

Electricians typically charge $75 to $150 per hour

$150 to $5,000+ per job depending on scope. Here is what tradies actually charge in 2026 and how the price gets built.

Electricians typically charge between $75 and $150 per hour in the US, with call-out fees on top. Most residential jobs cost $150 to $1,200 once parts, labour, and the call-out are added. Larger work like DB board upgrades, EV charger installs, or full rewires run $1,500 to $5,000+. Pricing depends on the work category, the time of day, how far the electrician travels, and whether a Certificate of Compliance is needed.

Hourly rates

Electricians hourly rates by region (2026)

Standard daytime rates across the major markets. Metro areas typically command a 20-30% premium. After-hours work is 1.5x to 2x.

Region	Hourly rate	Notes
United States	$75 - $180/hr	Master electricians in metro areas at the top
United Kingdom	£45 - £120/hr	Part P certified at the higher end
Australia	$100 - $200/hr	Licensed Class A above this range
South Africa	R350 - R950/hr	Wireman's Licence holders above this
Canada	C$75 - C$160/hr	Toronto, Vancouver at the top
New Zealand	$90 - $190/hr	Auckland and Wellington at the top
Ireland	€55 - €150/hr	Dublin commands a premium
India	₹2250 - ₹7200/hr	Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore at the top

United States

Hourly rate$75 - $180/hr

Notes

Master electricians in metro areas at the top

United Kingdom

Hourly rate£45 - £120/hr

Notes

Part P certified at the higher end

Australia

Hourly rate$100 - $200/hr

Notes

Licensed Class A above this range

South Africa

Hourly rateR350 - R950/hr

Notes

Wireman's Licence holders above this

Canada

Hourly rateC$75 - C$160/hr

Notes

Toronto, Vancouver at the top

New Zealand

Hourly rate$90 - $190/hr

Notes

Auckland and Wellington at the top

Ireland

Hourly rate€55 - €150/hr

Notes

Dublin commands a premium

India

Hourly rate₹2250 - ₹7200/hr

Notes

Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore at the top

Job pricing

Common electrician jobs and what they cost

Real-world price ranges for the jobs tradies quote every week. Includes labour, parts, and standard call-out.

Job	Typical price	What's included
Standard call-out (within radius)	$80 to $150	Includes first 30 min diagnostic. Credited against repair on most jobs.
Single outlet install	$120 to $280	Includes outlet, wiring run if accessible, and 45-60 min labour.
Circuit breaker replacement	$150 to $350	Includes breaker and 30-45 min labour. CoC line item separate.
DB board upgrade	$650 to $1,800	Includes new board, isolators, mounting, CoC, and 4-6 hours labour.
EV charger install (Level 2, 32A)	$1,200 to $3,500	Includes charger, dedicated circuit, cable run, CoC, and 4-8 hours labour.
Ceiling light fitting (each)	$150 to $320	Includes wiring connection and 30-60 min labour. Fixture not included.
Electrical safety inspection + report	$280 to $650	Includes 2-3 hour inspection, written report with photos, and remedial recommendations.
Full house rewire	$3,500 to $12,000	Depends on house size, fixture count, and whether walls are open. Excludes plastering and decoration.
Emergency call-out (after hours)	1.5x to 2x standard	Typical 6pm-7am, weekends, and public holidays. State the multiplier on the quote.

Standard call-out (within radius)

Typical price$80 to $150

What's included

Includes first 30 min diagnostic. Credited against repair on most jobs.

Single outlet install

Typical price$120 to $280

What's included

Includes outlet, wiring run if accessible, and 45-60 min labour.

Circuit breaker replacement

Typical price$150 to $350

What's included

Includes breaker and 30-45 min labour. CoC line item separate.

DB board upgrade

Typical price$650 to $1,800

What's included

Includes new board, isolators, mounting, CoC, and 4-6 hours labour.

EV charger install (Level 2, 32A)

Typical price$1,200 to $3,500

What's included

Includes charger, dedicated circuit, cable run, CoC, and 4-8 hours labour.

Ceiling light fitting (each)

Typical price$150 to $320

What's included

Includes wiring connection and 30-60 min labour. Fixture not included.

Electrical safety inspection + report

Typical price$280 to $650

What's included

Includes 2-3 hour inspection, written report with photos, and remedial recommendations.

Full house rewire

Typical price$3,500 to $12,000

What's included

Depends on house size, fixture count, and whether walls are open. Excludes plastering and decoration.

Emergency call-out (after hours)

Typical price1.5x to 2x standard

What's included

Typical 6pm-7am, weekends, and public holidays. State the multiplier on the quote.

What drives the price

Six things that change the price of a job

The same job can cost 2x more or less depending on these factors. Knowing them helps customers spot fair quotes and helps tradies justify their own.

Type of work

A simple outlet swap is hourly; a panel upgrade is a fixed-price scope. Always categorise the work on the quote so the customer knows what they are paying for.

Materials and brand

A budget breaker is $15; a smart breaker is $80+. Different brands carry different warranties. Always name the brand on the quote so the customer sees what they are paying for.

Access and complexity

An accessible cable run is straightforward; running cable through a finished wall is a full day with make-good. Quote on what is actually involved, not the label.

Time of day

Standard rates apply 7am-6pm weekdays. Emergencies and after-hours work command a 1.5x to 2x multiplier. State the multiplier on the quote so there is no surprise.

Permits and compliance

Most installations need a Certificate of Compliance. EV chargers may need utility notification. These are real costs that should be quote lines, not assumed in the hourly rate.

Distance and travel

Most electricians have a standard call-out radius (15-25km). Beyond that, expect a per-km surcharge. Multi-trip jobs (parts run) multiply the travel cost.

How to quote it

How electricians should price their work

Tips for tradies on writing quotes that win the job and protect the margin.

Quote the call-out fee upfront

State the call-out within your standard radius, the per-km charge beyond, and any after-hours multiplier. Sets expectations before you arrive.

Itemise parts by brand

List the breaker brand, outlet model, and cable spec. Customers comparing quotes pick the one that names the parts. Avoids 'cheaper is better' substitution arguments later.

Quote labour with a cap

State 'estimated 4 hours, capped at 6'. The cap protects the customer; the estimate protects you. Both sides see the maths.

Take a deposit on jobs over $1,000

30% to 40% on acceptance covers your material outlay. Without it, you are funding the customer's job and exposed to last-minute cancellations.

Always include the CoC line

Electrical work needs a Certificate of Compliance. List it as a line on the quote and the invoice with the certificate number once issued. Required for insurance.

Send the quote via WhatsApp

Electrical quotes accepted on the customer's phone close 60-80% of the time within 24 hours. Email-only quotes drift to 30%. PDF via WhatsApp with the banking details visible is the fastest path to a yes.

Watch out for

Pricing red flags to watch for

The patterns that usually signal a problem on the quote, with what to do about each one.

No CoC offered

What to do: Walk away. Electrical work without a Certificate of Compliance voids insurance and signals the work was likely not done by a licensed electrician.

Verbal quote only

What to do: Always put it in writing. WhatsApp screenshot counts. Without it, scope arguments at invoice time are unwinnable.

No call-out fee disclosed

What to do: Ask before booking. A reputable electrician will state the call-out, radius, and any after-hours multiplier upfront.

Cash-only with no invoice

What to do: Walk away. Without an invoice you have no warranty, no insurance claim path, and no compliance paper trail.

Estimate without a cap

What to do: Open-ended estimates invite bill shock. Insist on a not-to-exceed figure or a fixed quote where the scope allows.

Pressure to skip the compliance step

What to do: A real electrician will not skip the CoC. If asked to skip for a 'discount', the work is either not to code or being done off-the-books.

Sample quote

A real example: line-by-line

EV charger install, Level 2, 32A, single garage residential

Line	Rate	Total
Call-out fee (within 20km radius)	$ 120	$ 120
32A Type 2 EV charger (Wallbox Pulsar Plus or equivalent, 3-year warranty)	$ 780	$ 780
Dedicated 40A circuit breaker, isolator, RCD protection	$ 220	$ 220
Cable run (15m, 6mm conductor) from DB board to garage	$ 180	$ 180
Electrical labour (5 hours: mount, wire, commission, test)	$ 110/hr	$ 550
Certificate of Compliance (electrical)	$ 150	$ 150
Subtotal		$ 2,000
Tax (10%)		$ 200
Total		$ 2,200

Call-out fee (within 20km radius)

Rate $ 120$ 120

32A Type 2 EV charger (Wallbox Pulsar Plus or equivalent, 3-year warranty)

Rate $ 780$ 780

Dedicated 40A circuit breaker, isolator, RCD protection

Rate $ 220$ 220

Cable run (15m, 6mm conductor) from DB board to garage

Rate $ 180$ 180

Electrical labour (5 hours: mount, wire, commission, test)

Rate $ 110/hr$ 550

Certificate of Compliance (electrical)

Rate $ 150$ 150

Subtotal$ 2,000

Tax (10%)$ 200

Total$ 2,200

FAQ

Electricians pricing questions, answered

Everything customers and tradies ask about electrician pricing.

Standard rates are $75 to $150 per hour in the US, £45-120 in the UK, A$100-200 in Australia, R350-950 in South Africa, and C$75-160 in Canada. Metro areas typically command a 20-30% premium.

Hourly rates reflect overhead (vehicle, tools, insurance, compliance), region, and seniority. A Master Electrician with a wireman's licence charges more than an apprentice. Always check the licence before booking high-value work.

For anything over $500, get 2-3 quotes. Compare scope, brand specifications, and warranty terms, not just the headline price. The cheapest quote often skips parts or uses budget brands that fail in 18 months.

Typically travel time, fuel, the first 15-30 minutes on site, and basic diagnostic work. Most electricians credit the call-out against the repair cost if the customer proceeds with the job.

1.5x to 2x is industry standard for after-hours, weekends, and public holidays. The reason: out-of-hours work pulls the electrician away from their family and disrupts their normal schedule.

For any job over $1,000 with material outlay, yes, typically 30-50%. The deposit covers parts (chargers, panels, fittings) the electrician has to order. Without it, you are asking the electrician to fund your project.

Look for 'capped at X hours' on the quote. If the electrician hits the cap, they must call you before continuing. Open-ended estimates without a cap invite bill shock.

Yes for insurance claims. If a fire or shock incident traces back to electrical work, the insurer asks for the Certificate of Compliance from the last install. No CoC means no payout.

Get the call-out fee, hourly rate, and any premium upfront in writing. Itemised parts. State the cap. Confirm the CoC will be issued. Pay via banking app so there is a record. Verbal cash deals are the highest-risk path.

Yes, most modern electricians send quotes via WhatsApp as a PDF. Faster acceptance, mobile-friendly review, and the message thread doubles as a written record. Tools like QuoteGenio build the PDF on the electrician's phone and send via WhatsApp in 2 minutes.

Use a template

Free electrician quote and invoice templates

Itemised templates ready to send. Skip the manual quote builder and get from job to paid in 2 minutes.

Quote

Electrical Quote Template

Itemised electrical quote with COC fee, parts ratings, labour, and deposit terms.

Open template

Invoice

Electrical Invoice Template

Professional electrical invoice with COC fee, labour, and clear payment terms.

Open template

City pricing

What electricians charge in 160 cities

Electricians pricing benchmarks written for tradies pricing their own work in each city. Local hourly rates, common job prices, and a sample quote you can copy. Pick a country to see its cities.

New York City$75-$180/hr

Electricians pricing

What to charge for electricians jobs in New York City.

How much does an electrician charge in 2026?

Electricians typically charge $75 to $150 per hour

Electricians hourly rates by region (2026)

Common electrician jobs and what they cost

Six things that change the price of a job

Type of work

Materials and brand

Access and complexity

Time of day

Permits and compliance

Distance and travel

How electricians should price their work

Quote the call-out fee upfront

Itemise parts by brand

Quote labour with a cap

Take a deposit on jobs over $1,000

Always include the CoC line

Send the quote via WhatsApp

Pricing red flags to watch for

A real example: line-by-line

Electricians pricing questions, answered

Free electrician quote and invoice templates

What electricians charge in 160 cities

Trusted by tradespeople

More guides on pricing and quoting

From Site Visit to Sent Quote in 3 Minutes

The AI Features That Actually Save Tradespeople Time

Why the Tradie Who Wins Isn't Always the Cheapest

Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.