Electrical work can be extremely dangerous and should only be carried out by qualified electricians. This doesn’t meant that it has to cost a fortune though – find out how much you’ll need to pay for electrical work with our guide to electrician prices.
Safety when repairing your electrics should be your number one priority. For all its convenience and benefits, electricity can be a source of great danger and shouldn’t be tampered with. Professional electricians are worth the reasonable price tag for their services when you consider the trouble you could cause when doing your own wiring or electrical repairs.
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How Much do Electricians Charge?
The average hourly rate for an electrician in the UK ranges from £40 – £60.
When hiring an electrician, you must keep in mind that most electricians will charge a minimum fee based on the type of project that they will take on. This is even the case for tiny projects. So, if the minimum hourly fee for an electrician is £50 per hour, it might only cover the electrician coming to your property and the first hour of work. Electricians rates will vary depending on where you live in the UK, the contractor, license, and experience of the service provider. In general, you will either be charged an electrician-hourly rate or a fixed price per job.
When hiring an electrician, you need to be very careful as they might be hidden cost factors, so be prepared before hiring one. Before contacting any professional electrician, make sure you ask for estimates or hourly rates, as most electrical contracts will be able to provide you with accurate price quotes. But many other factors may affect the cost of the electrical job, such as any additional parts and the complexity of the job. Where possible, it’s better to hire someone who will quote per job, as hourly costs can spiral, and there’s less incentive to get the job done.
By law, all electrical work needs to be carried out following the Building Regulations Part P: Electrical Safety to reduce the risk of electrical fire and shock accidents. So, you must hire someone qualified to carry out any electrical work and get advice on finding a qualified electrician.
Electrician Hourly Rates and Guarantees
Here we must point out that there is a difference between the rate the electrician gets and the rate the electrician will charge. Travel, supplies, and business expenses are not always included in the bill. However, electricians often are very clear about the actual costs and clearly indicate the labor costs and other costs. In this guide, you will find detailed information on how much a licensed electrician will charge.
In general, it is not advisable to look for companies for small jobs as they are usually not interested in taking them. Furthermore, hiring an electrician to do side work will certainly cost you less as most electrical contractors are happy to work on such projects and even work without the overhead of an electrical company. When this is the case, you might be able to find electricians charging less than a professional company.
So when hiring a local electrician, always consider the following cost factors:
Distance: The further away from your location the electricians are based, the more it is likely to charge you as they included the travel expenses into the hourly costs.
Accessibility: The simpler the project, the less you will have to pay. If your project involves complex work like running a new circuit through finished walls, the cost will increase as it will take more time to complete.
Experience: There are three license grades for electricians: Trainee Electrician, Electrician, Electrician, and Site Technician. Each grade requires more knowledge, experience, and testing, which translates into higher rates.
Location: The further away you live from London and major cities, you are less likely to pay.
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- Most electricians will prefer to work on a fixed-cost project, as it is more motivating.
- It would help if you got many detailed offers on the prices of each part that will be needed so that you will be able to save as much money as possible from the parts alone.
- Make sure you have created a detailed document with all the electrician’s work to do.
- Talk to your contractor about what will happen if you are not satisfied or if something unexpected happens after completing all work.
- Double-check all warranties and have a clear understanding of everything that is included in the estimate.
- Make sure your electrician is licensed (You can do that online easily).
- Ask for as many references as possible and read reviews on trusted-only websites from real people.
Electrician prices
| Electrical Job | Details | Price range | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perform an electrical inspection report | A domestic electrical installation condition report will reveal if any electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded and any potential electrical shock risks and fire hazards. | £90 -£180 | 4–8 hours |
| Consumer unit replacement | Installation of the distribution board, which feeds electricity via fuses to the different circuits in the house. | £350-£500 | 0.5-1 day |
| Electric shower installation | Drill holes, feed the pipe and electric cable, connect inlet pipe, fix the cable to the unit, fit the cover and rail, screw the hose to the handset. | £250-£400 | 0.5-1 day |
| Repair a damaged power cable | Damaged power cables can be hazardous, and they always need either to be replaced or repaired. | £40-£50 | 0.5-1 hour |
How much do electricians charge to install lighting?
If you plan to install or replace a light or lighting fixture inside or outside your house, the following price list will help you estimate the installation cost for each electrical job.
| Electrical Job | Details | Price range | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace light fitting | Turn off the power, remove light bulb cover and bulbs, unscrew the screws or nuts, lower fixture base, remove electrical tape or wire nuts, re-Attach wires with wire nuts, raise and position new fixtures. | £40-£60 | 0.5-1 hour |
| Install a light in the loft | Supply and fit a new light in a loft along with a switch outside the loft hatch. | £80-£150 | 2–3 hours |
| Old strip lighting replacement in the kitchen with LED downlighters | The electrician will remove the old strip lighting in the kitchen and install a new one with LED downlighters. | £280 -£400 | 5–8 hours |
| Fit an electric cooker | The installation of a new electric cooker requires its own circuit and must be controlled by its own fuse at the consumer unit. | £55-£80 | 1 hour |
| Install an external security light | Drill a hole, connect cable cores, fix the light to your wall, attach a bracket to the box, pair each wire, attach the fixture to the box. | £90-£140 | 1 -3 hours (depending on the distance of the light from the electrical supply ad the length of the cable that is required) |
| Install a double socket | Twin socket supply and installation. | £90 -£125 | 1-3 hours |
| Fit a new light in a ceiling rose | Fitting new light in a ceiling rose | £90-£140 | 1 – 2 hours |
Electricians central heating prices
Central heating problem diagnosis from £50 to £80 for the first hour, £40 for each subsequent hour. Usually, it takes 1 hour to diagnose most problems and the rest within 2 hours.
Price list for room thermostat, central heating wiring, immersion heater, boiler time clock
| Electrical Job | Details | Price range | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room thermostat, supply, and fit | Supply and fit a room thermostat to prevent your home from getting warmer than necessary. | £75 – £150 | 1-2 hours |
| Central heating wiring installation | The installation includes from wiring center, programmer, and room thermostat | £200 – £250 | 4-5 hours |
| Immersion heater | immersion heater DP switch supply and connect | £80 – £150 | 1-2 hours |
| Boiler time clock | Supply and fit a boiler control clock | £90 – £150 | 1-2 hours |
Sockets & switches prices
Bellow, you can see the price list for sockets and switches:
| Electrical Job | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Sockets supply and fit | £50 – £70 |
| Sockets replace | £30 – £50 |
| Downlighters supply and fit | £40 – £60 |
| Relocate switches | £50 – £80 |
| Cooker switches supply and fit | £125 – £150 |
| Cooker switch replace | £50 – £70 |
| Cooker hood socket | £50 – £70 |
Bathroom electricians prices
Bellow, you can see the price list for bathroom electrical jobs:
| Electrical Job | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Shower points with switch under 9.5kw | £120 -£140 |
| Shower point with a switch over 9.5kw | £140 – £160 |
| Fans supply and fit (vented by others) | £120 – £150 |
| Inline fans (vented by others ) | £130 – £160 |
| Shaver socket supply and fit | £60 – £80 |
Electrician prices for wiring and rewiring properties
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- The cost of rewiring a house will depend on the size of the property. As a guide, what price say that the average cost of a full rewire in a three-bed home comes to £2,700
- Wiring a new build three-bed house is slightly cheaper and costs around £2,500
Electrical Survey Cost
The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) recommends having your household electrics checked at least once every 10 years. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) will check that circuits aren’t overloaded and ensure that all electrical wiring and appliances are safe. EICRs were previously known as Periodic Inspection Reports, and a qualified electrician should only carry them out.
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- The cost for EICRs starts from £90 and is dependent on the size of the property.
PAT Testing Prices
It’s also a good idea to carry out portal appliance testing (PAT) to ensure that your electrical equipment and appliances are safe to use. PAT testing prices usually depend on how many items you need to have tested. The cost of Portable Appliance Testing can vary between electricians, but as a general rule, estimate £3 – £4 per appliance for contacting a professional PAT testing company. Furthermore, PAT is essential if you’re in charge of a non-domestic property; under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, you must make sure that any electrical equipment is kept in a safe condition.
Benefits of hiring an electrician
Unless you are proficient in DIY and have the necessary tools and skills to get the repairs done yourself, you are better off leaving all electrical jobs to a certified electrician. After all, you don’t want to be responsible for somebody ending with a nasty electrical shock.
In a thriving urban environment like Leeds, finding an electrician shouldn’t be too much trouble, and fortunately there several advantages in doing so, as a qualified electrician will be able to:
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- Provide several different services depending on the nature of your problem, including circuit board, fuse box and/or plug socket replacement, oven, shower, and underfloor heating repair, the rewiring of outdated cables, or even an overhaul of your complete electrical wiring system.
- Utilize their skills and expertise in electrical wiring and maintenance to get the job done safely and on time – in milder cases, often in a matter of hours – allowing you and your family access to electricity almost immediately.
- Try to find a permanent solution to the problem rather than apply ineffective quick-fix solutions that don’t address the underlying problem affecting your electricity output and efficiency.
- Recommend cost-effective materials or methods to replace or repair your electrical wiring and corresponding appliances, even directing you to local Leeds retailers in whom they have complete trust.
- Use modern and high-tech equipment designed to repair the problem much higher quality than your old, outdated tools.
- Provide post-installation support for the work they have completed (although this will depend on the nature of the contract and/or guarantee), and make sure things are still running smoothly months down the line. If they’re not, many electricians will fix them once again, usually free of charge.
- Comply with the appropriate recommendations and guidelines on electrical installation, maintenance and repair set out in chapter 13 of the British Standards of Building Regulations.
If you are unsure about what sort of electrical service is most appropriate for your problem, or if you own a council house or rented property, then you can always contact Leeds City Council or an electrician for information and advice regarding the issue.
Hire a certified electrician
When hiring your own electrician, however, be sure to shop around for the best deal and make sure they are fully certified with the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) – an independent body that helps you separate the better guys from the ‘cowboy builders’ who can leave you with a bigger mess than you had to begin with. Check references, too, just to be on the safe side, and once you’re happy with a clearly defined contract, budget and guarantee, work can usually commence right away.
Trying to perform the electrical work yourself is not only dangerous, but you will need to contact your local authority, pay a fee and conform to part P of building regulations. The electrician you hire should be certified by an approved organization like NICEIC or the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA). This will ensure reliable and safe service.
Electrical work needs to be carried out in compliance with British Standards BS 7671: Requirements for Electrical Installations, which your professional electrician will be able to do. When the work is done, the electrician will give you an Electrical Installation Certificate to prove the work meets British Standards 7671. The electrician will also give you a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, which confirms the work complies with section P; this should arrive within 30 days of the work being carried out.
Resources
2018 Electricians Salary Survey
https://www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/posts/2018-electrician-salary-survey
Domestic Pricing Guide
http://sonningelectricalservices.co.uk/Domestic-Pricing-Guide.php
Guideline Prices
http://www.judgeelectrical.co.uk/prices/index.html
Thermostat Fit
https://www.myhammer.co.uk/quotes/thermostat-fit/
Thermostats and Controls
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency/thermostats-and-controls
Boiler Controls
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/boilers/article/boiler-controls-and-thermostats