Transparency
How I Work & What Things Cost
Most people contact an electrician not knowing what to expect. I wrote this page to change that. Here’s how the process works from first call to final invoice — and exactly what drives the price.
The one thing that doesn’t change
“I tell you what it costs before I start. I do the job properly. There’s nothing extra at the end.”
That’s it. Everything else on this page is detail about how that works in practice.
How it starts
When you get in touch, you speak to me directly — not a call centre, not an office assistant. I’m the person who’ll actually do the work, so the conversation from the start is with the person who has all the answers.
I’ll ask what you’re trying to achieve — not just what you want fitting. There’s a difference. Sometimes a customer asks for a new light fitting and what they actually need is a different circuit. Sometimes they ask about a consumer unit upgrade and the right answer is an EICR first. I’d rather spend two minutes asking the right questions than show up and price the wrong job.
The quickest way to get a ballpark figure is to send me a photo via WhatsApp — a photo of your consumer unit for an EICR or fuse board upgrade, or a photo of the area you need work done. I can usually give you a rough figure before I’ve even visited.
Why I use the word “estimate” rather than “quote”
A quote is a legally binding fixed price. An estimate is a clear, realistic price based on everything I know at the time of pricing. In practice, my estimates almost never change — if I’ve surveyed the job properly, I’ve priced it properly.
The reason I use “estimate” is honesty. Occasionally, something genuinely unexpected comes up during a job — a borrowed neutral in old wiring that wasn’t visible during the survey, or asbestos that stops work. If that happens, I stop, show you what I’ve found, and we agree on what to do next before any additional work starts. You are never committed to extra cost without being asked first.
What never changes: no “sundries”, no call-out fees on top of hourly rates, no sharp intake of breath when you ask about price, no invoice surprises.
What actually drives the price
Understanding what affects price means you can make better decisions — and have a better conversation with me about your job.
Time on the job
You’re paying for my time. For EICRs, that’s driven by circuit count — every circuit needs individual testing. For consumer unit upgrades, it’s circuits again, because every circuit needs its own RCBO connected and tested. For rewires, it’s property size and layout. For smaller jobs, it’s how straightforward the cable route is.
Materials
I charge materials at cost — no markup. I use professional-grade products: Hager consumer units, individual RCBOs, quality cable. This isn’t about brand snobbery. It’s because cheap components fail, and I won’t install something I wouldn’t put in my own home.
Access
Jobs that require awkward cable routes — through thick stone walls, up through a three-storey property, across a long loft run — take more time than straightforward ones. I’ll always flag this at the survey stage so it’s reflected in the estimate, not discovered on invoice day.
Condition of existing installation
Old wiring sometimes has issues that need sorting before new work can connect safely — borrowed neutrals, non-standard wiring, deteriorating insulation. These aren’t gotchas; they’re things an EICR before the job would have flagged. When they come up, I stop and show you before doing anything extra.
Certification and notification
Notifiable work — consumer unit replacements, new circuits, rewires — requires an Electrical Installation Certificate and Part P Building Control notification. As an NICEIC Approved Contractor, I self-certify all of this. There’s no extra charge for paperwork — it’s included in the price of the job.
Quick pricing reference
These are guide figures. Your survey confirms the exact price. All prices exclude VAT.
All jobs, standard hours. Plus materials.
£15+VAT per additional circuit above 6.
£50+VAT per additional circuit above 6. Hager + RCBOs + SPD included.
Includes new consumer unit, cable, accessories, certification.
Labour from. Charger unit additional. DNO application included.
£100+VAT per hour after first hour.
Full pricing detail, including the rationale for circuit-based pricing: pricing page →
What I use — and why it matters
You’re paying not just for labour but for what gets left behind in your walls and consumer unit. Here’s what I choose and why.
Hager consumer units
Professional-grade, widely used in domestic and commercial installations across the UK. Built to last, with parts readily available for future maintenance. I fit them in my own home and in every upgrade I carry out.
Individual RCBOs on every circuit
An RCBO is a single device that combines overload protection (MCB) with earth fault protection (RCD) for one circuit. On older boards with a shared RCD, one fault takes out half the house. With individual RCBOs, only the faulty circuit trips. Safer and less disruptive. This is standard on every consumer unit I replace — not an optional upgrade.
Integrated Type 2 surge protection
The 18th Edition wiring regulations (BS 7671) now require surge protection on most domestic installations. The Hager units I specify have it built in. No add-ons, no extras — compliant as standard.
Twin and earth cable — not the cheapest available
Cable is what stays in your walls for the next 30 years. I use reputable-brand cable, not the cheapest product that meets the minimum standard. The cost difference on a typical job is minimal. The long-term difference is not.
On the day
I arrive at the agreed time. I don’t operate a “between 8am and 5pm” window — I agree a specific arrival time and stick to it. If something genuinely delays me, I call ahead.
I put dust sheets down. I work tidily. At the end of the job, I clean up after myself — not just a cursory sweep but a proper tidy. The goal is that the only evidence of my being there is the completed work.
Before I leave, I walk through what I’ve done. For any job involving an EICR or new installation, I explain every finding or every switch on the new board. I want you to understand what you’ve got, not just hand you a certificate and leave.
Certificates are issued digitally, usually the same day. For EICRs, you’ll have the report before I’ve packed the van.
The invoice
Invoices are issued via Tradify and include a full breakdown of labour and materials. VAT is shown separately. Payment is due within 7 days of the invoice date. I accept BACS bank transfer.
For larger jobs — full rewires, major commercial work — I’ll typically agree a stage payment structure upfront: a percentage on commencement, the balance on completion. This is always agreed in writing before work starts.
If something isn’t right, I want to know. I can’t fix what I don’t know about, and I’d far rather put something right than lose your trust. All work carries a 12-month warranty (subject to the conditions in the full terms and conditions).
What you won’t get
Worth being specific, because these are the things that most erode trust in tradespeople:
No price hiking after work has started. The estimate I gave you is what you pay. If the scope genuinely changes, we discuss it first.
No inventing problems. If it doesn’t need fixing, I’ll tell you it doesn’t need fixing. I’m not here to maximise my invoice.
No unexplained charges. Every line on the invoice is something we agreed. No “sundries”. No “miscellaneous”.
No recommending work that isn’t necessary. If a consumer unit upgrade isn’t warranted, I won’t say it is. If C3 items on your EICR can wait, I’ll tell you that.
No subcontracting without telling you. I do the jobs I price. I don’t quote, then send someone else.
Ready to get started?
Get in touch and I’ll give you a clear, honest estimate. No obligation.