How to quote an electrical job

Why most underpriced jobs go wrong before the van is loaded

Very few electricians lose money on the bit they can see, the hours on the tools. The money goes on everything around it: the second trip to the merchant, the hour spent on testing and paperwork, the drive across town, the call-out that was never mentioned. A good quote is simply a list that does not forget any of those. This guide walks through building one, step by step. You will not find "average rates" here, because a rate copied from someone else's area and costs is the fastest way to work for nothing. The right numbers are your own.

How to quote an electrical job in eight steps

1. Survey the job and pin down the scope

Before you price anything, be certain what you are pricing. Walk the job, take photos, and write down what the customer wants in their words and then in yours: which circuits, which rooms, which accessories, and to what finish. Note what you cannot see, such as the condition of existing wiring under floors or behind plaster, because that is where assumptions belong on the quote. If the scope is genuinely unknowable until you open things up, consider whether this should be an estimate rather than a fixed quote. Our quote template page explains the difference.

2. List every material at the price you actually pay

Build the materials list circuit by circuit so nothing gets missed, and include the small items that add up: clips, fixings, back boxes, glands, labels, grommets and consumables. Price it from your own trade account rather than the shelf price at whichever merchant you happen to be near, and put a date on the quote, because prices move. If a job needs a specialist item you have not bought before, get the price before you quote rather than guessing.

3. Work out the labour, all of it

Break the job into tasks and put hours against each one. The tasks people forget are the ones that do not feel like "the job":

• first fix and second fix, priced separately if they happen on different days;
• inspection, testing and writing up the certificate;
• notifying the work where it is notifiable (see step 7);
• travel to and from site, and any materials runs during the job;
• protecting the property, clearing up and taking waste away.

Then price those hours at your own rate. To find a rate that actually works, start from the year rather than the hour: add up what you need to earn and what the business costs to run (van, fuel, insurance, tools, scheme fees, software, phone), then divide by the hours you can realistically bill. Billable hours are always fewer than hours worked, because quoting, admin, travel and quiet weeks all eat into them, so be honest about that number.

4. Decide how you handle call-out charges

A call-out charge covers the cost of getting to a job before any work is done. Whether you charge one, how much it is, and whether it comes off the bill if the customer goes ahead are all your decision, but the customer should know before you set off, not after. If you charge a different rate for evenings, weekends or emergencies, say so in writing up front as well. Surprises on the invoice are what turn a paid job into a dispute.

5. Add your markup, and know the difference from margin

Markup on materials pays for the time spent sourcing, collecting and returning them, and for the risk of something failing under warranty. Many trades also build their profit into the labour rate instead. Either way, be clear on the arithmetic, because markup and margin are not the same number:

The figures in that table only show how the sums work; they are not a suggested markup. If a job carries real unknowns, either add a contingency line and tell the customer what it covers, or state your assumptions and price anything extra as a variation once you find it.

6. Sort out VAT before you put a total on it

According to GOV.UK, you must register for VAT if your total taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000, the current VAT threshold. That is a rolling 12 months, not your tax year, and you must register within 30 days of the end of the month in which you went over. You must also register if you expect to go over the threshold in the next 30 days.

If you are VAT registered, add VAT at the correct rate and show it on the quote. The standard rate is 20%, but some goods and services carry a reduced or zero rate, so check GOV.UK's VAT rates if you are unsure. If you are not registered, do not add VAT, and say on the quote that no VAT is charged. Either way, make it obvious whether your prices include VAT, so the customer is never surprised by the total.

7. Include certification and notification

Testing and the certificate take real time, so they belong on the quote as their own line. If the work is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations in England, include the time and any fee for notifying it through your competent person scheme or building control. Approved Document P explains when notification is required.

8. Write it up and send it while the customer still cares

Put it all into a written quote: the scope, what is not included, the breakdown, VAT, how long the price stands, payment terms, how changes are handled and how to accept. Citizens Advice describes a quote as a promise to do the work at an agreed price, so a clear one protects both of you. If you agree the job in the customer's home, cancellation rules usually apply too, and Business Companion explains what you need to give them. Then send it quickly. A quote that arrives the same day looks organised; one that arrives a week later invites the customer to ring someone else.

Quick quoting checklist

Want it laid out for you? Use the free electrician quote template, and when the job is done, the free invoice template.

How Graft'd takes the hassle out of quoting

Graft'd is a job app for UK tradespeople that is built around one idea: the time you spend on a customer that never reaches the bill. Its Phantom Hours feature keeps that time visible, so the calls, site visits and materials runs become a line you either charge for or write off on purpose. On site, you can speak the job into your phone and Graft'd builds the line items for you to check. You can upload your own trade account prices as a CSV and save fixed prices for the jobs you do most, with rough guide prices read from merchant websites to fall back on (not a live price feed). The finished quote shows the materials and labour, VAT if you are registered and how long the price is valid, and your customer can accept it straight from the email.