Per-point pricing, material markup, labour rates, contingency, and the common mistakes that cost electricians thousands. Practical, financially accurate guidance for pricing electrical work in 2026.
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Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.
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Every electrical job you take on either makes you money or costs you money — and the difference is almost always decided at the estimating stage, not on site. Get your estimate wrong and you are locked into a price that either loses you money or prices you out of the job.
This guide covers the core estimating methods used by UK electricians in 2026: per-point pricing for fast domestic quotes, detailed labour-and-material estimates for larger jobs, material markup strategy, how to calculate a sustainable labour rate, and the contingency you need to protect your margin.
Whether you are a newly qualified sparky pricing your first rewire or an experienced contractor reviewing your rates, getting your estimating right is the single biggest factor in running a profitable business.
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Per-point pricing is the most common method for domestic electrical work. One "point" is a single socket outlet, light fitting, light switch, fused connection unit (FCU), or data point. Each point includes the cable run, back box, front plate, accessories, first fix, second fix, and testing.
What is NOT included in a point: The consumer unit, distribution board, main switch, bonding, earthing, smoke detection (unless specified), external supplies, specialist fittings, very long cable runs (over 15m), or making good of chases beyond basic filling. These should be priced as additional line items.
Per-point pricing works well for standard domestic work — extensions, rewires, new builds. For commercial, industrial, or complex domestic work, use a detailed labour-and-material estimate instead.
Marking up materials is not a dodgy practice — it is a standard part of running a trade business. You incur real costs sourcing, collecting, transporting, and storing materials. The markup compensates for those costs and the risk you carry.
Cable, back boxes, trunking, conduit, clips, fixings, socket fronts, switch plates — mark up by 20% to 25% on your trade price. These are low-value, high-handling items. The markup covers your collection trips, waste, off-cuts, and van storage.
Consumer units, EV chargers, lighting packages, distribution boards — mark up by 10% to 15%. The absolute margin is higher on these items even at a lower percentage. Customers can easily price-check high-value items online, so keep the markup reasonable.
Always itemise materials on your quotes. Customers appreciate transparency, and it protects you if the specification changes. Use your trade account prices as your cost base, not retail.
Most electricians massively underestimate what they need to charge per hour. They think "I want to earn £35/hour" and charge £35 — ignoring the fact that £35/hour gross does not cover their business costs, unbillable time, holidays, or pension.
Round up to £52 or £55/hour. That is the minimum you need to charge to hit a £40,000 take-home. If you want a profit margin on top (to grow the business, replace equipment, or build a buffer), add 10% to 20% — taking you to £57 to £66/hour.
Contingency is a percentage added to your estimate to cover unknowns. Overheads are the fixed costs of running your business that must be recovered through every job you price.
Overheads (van, insurance, tools, admin) should already be built into your hourly rate. Do not add them as a separate line item on the quote — this confuses customers and makes your price look inflated. The customer should see: labour, materials, and a total. Your overheads are invisible to them but built into your rate.
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If you are winning 80%+ of your quotes, your prices are too low. A healthy conversion rate is 30% to 50%. Being the cheapest means you are subsidising your customers from your own pocket. Price for sustainability, not desperation.
A job that takes 8 hours on site actually costs you 10 to 12 hours when you include travel, material collection, quoting, invoicing, and follow-up. If you only price for on-site time, you are working those extra hours for free.
"Full rewire — £5,000" with no specification leads to disputes. Always list what is included AND what is excluded. Specify the number of points, consumer unit type, whether you are making good chases, and whether decoration is included (it almost never should be).
Always walk the job with a checklist and count every point, circuit, and special requirement. "I can do that for about five grand" is not estimating — it is guessing. Guesses are wrong more often than they are right.
Good estimating is a skill that improves with every job. Track your actual costs against your estimates on every project — this feedback loop is how you get better.
The Elec-Mate quoting app builds your per-point rates, material markup, and contingency into professional PDF quotes in minutes.
Log every quote you send and whether you win or lose it. If your win rate is above 50%, raise your prices. If it is below 25%, review your presentation and follow-up process — it may not be price at all.
Elec-Mate helps you build professional, itemised quotes in minutes — with per-point pricing, material markup, and instant PDF delivery. 7-day free trial.
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