What is the average electrician hourly rate in the UK?

The average hourly rate for a qualified self-employed electrician in the UK in 2026 is between £40 and £60 per hour for standard domestic work during normal working hours. In London and the South East, rates of £55 to £75 per hour are common. In the North of England, Wales, and parts of Scotland, typical rates are £35 to £50 per hour. These rates are for labour only — materials are charged separately. The rate varies based on the electrician experience, qualifications, the type of work, and local market conditions. Commercial electricians working on sites typically charge day rates rather than hourly rates, but the hourly equivalent is usually similar or slightly higher.

Should I charge per hour or per job?

For most domestic electrical work, fixed-price quoting (per job) is better for both you and the customer. The customer knows exactly what they will pay, which reduces disputes and makes it easier for them to say yes. You benefit because fixed pricing rewards efficiency — the faster you complete the job, the higher your effective hourly rate. Hourly rates are more appropriate for work with unpredictable scope — fault finding, diagnostic work, and maintenance where you genuinely do not know how long it will take. Even then, many electricians offer a fixed-price diagnostic fee (e.g. £80 for the first hour) and then quote a fixed price for the repair based on their findings. The key is transparency: whichever method you use, make sure the customer understands what they are paying for before you start.

How much should I charge for a callout?

A callout charge covers your travel time to the property, initial diagnosis, and the first period of work (typically the first hour). Average callout charges in the UK range from £50 to £100 depending on your location and time of day. In London and the South East, £80 to £120 is common. For evening and weekend callouts, most electricians charge 1.5x to 2x their standard callout fee. The callout charge is separate from any additional work — if the repair takes longer than the first hour, you charge your standard hourly rate or quote a fixed price for the additional work. Always state your callout charge upfront when the customer calls. This avoids disputes and filters out customers who are purely price-shopping.

What should I charge for emergency electrical work?

Emergency callout rates for electricians typically range from £80 to £150 per hour, depending on the time of day and your location. Standard evening (after 6pm) and Saturday rates are usually 1.5x your normal rate. Sunday, bank holiday, and late-night (after 10pm) rates are typically 2x your normal rate. For example, if your standard rate is £50 per hour, your evening rate would be £75 and your Sunday rate would be £100. Emergency work should always be priced higher than standard work — you are providing an on-demand service outside normal hours, which means sacrificing your personal time. Some electricians charge a flat emergency callout fee (e.g. £120 to arrive within 2 hours) plus their hourly rate for work beyond the first hour. Whatever your pricing structure, make it clear to the customer before you attend.

How do electrician rates compare to other trades?

Electricians typically charge similar rates to plumbers and slightly more than general builders and carpenters. In 2026, average hourly rates across UK trades are approximately: electricians £40-£60, plumbers £40-£60, gas engineers £45-£65, carpenters £30-£45, general builders £30-£45, and decorators £25-£40. The higher rates for electricians, plumbers, and gas engineers reflect the longer training periods, the regulatory requirements (competent person schemes, certification), and the safety-critical nature of the work. Specialist electrical work (testing, EV charging, solar) commands even higher rates. The key point is that electricians should not feel uncomfortable charging £45 to £60 per hour — this is the market rate for skilled, qualified, insured, and regulated trade work.

How often should I increase my hourly rate?

You should review your rates at least once per year, ideally in January. Most electricians increase their rates by 3-7% annually to keep pace with inflation, rising costs (fuel, insurance, materials), and their growing experience. If you have not raised your rates for 2 or more years, you are effectively taking a pay cut after inflation. When you raise your rates, notify existing customers in advance and explain the reason (increased costs, additional qualifications, inflation). Most customers accept reasonable annual increases without complaint. If you lose a few price-sensitive customers, replace them with new clients at your higher rate. The electricians who earn the most are those who raise their rates consistently and confidently, not those who are afraid to charge what they are worth.

PRICING GUIDE

Electrician Rates Per Hour UK: The 2026 Pricing Guide

From standard hourly rates to emergency callout charges — this is the definitive guide to electrician pricing in the UK. Know what to charge, how to structure your rates, and the common mistakes that cost you money.

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12 min readUpdated 2026-05-18Andrew Moore, Founder of Elec-Mate

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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Key Takeaways

1The average electrician hourly rate in the UK in 2026 is £40 to £60 per hour for standard domestic work, with London and the South East at the higher end.
2Callout charges typically range from £50 to £100 for the first hour, covering travel time, diagnosis, and the first hour of labour.
3Emergency and out-of-hours rates are 1.5x to 2x the standard hourly rate — typically £80 to £120 per hour for evening and weekend callouts.
4Most experienced domestic electricians prefer fixed-price quoting over hourly rates because it rewards efficiency and gives the customer certainty.
5Elec-Mate quoting app calculates job prices based on your hourly rate, estimated time, materials, and overheads — producing professional quotes in minutes.

01 · Pricing Guide

Average Electrician Hourly Rates in the UK (2026)

The hourly rate is the most common way for domestic electricians to price their work, particularly for smaller jobs, fault finding, and maintenance work. Here are the current average hourly rates across the UK:

London: £55 to £75 per hour. The highest rates in the UK, reflecting the cost of living, congestion, and strong demand.
South East: £45 to £65 per hour. Close to London rates in cities like Brighton, Reading, and Guildford.
South West: £40 to £55 per hour. Bristol and Bath at the higher end; rural areas lower.
Midlands: £38 to £55 per hour. Birmingham, Coventry, and Nottingham pay above average.
North West: £35 to £50 per hour. Manchester and Liverpool at the higher end.
North East and Yorkshire: £35 to £48 per hour. Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle are the best-paying cities.
Scotland: £35 to £50 per hour. Edinburgh and Glasgow above average.
Wales: £35 to £48 per hour. Cardiff above average; rural Wales at the lower end.

These rates are for labour only during normal working hours (typically 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). Materials, callout charges, and out-of-hours premiums are separate. If you are charging below the lower end of these ranges for your area, you are almost certainly undercharging.

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02 · Pricing Guide

Callout Charges: What to Include

A callout charge covers the cost of travelling to the property, diagnosing the issue, and the first period of work. It is your minimum charge for attending — even if the job only takes 15 minutes, the customer pays the callout fee.

Typical Callout Charges 2026

Standard callout (daytime): £50 to £100, typically covering the first hour including travel, diagnosis, and initial work.
Evening callout (after 6pm): £80 to £130. Premium for attending outside normal hours.
Weekend callout: £100 to £150. Saturday and Sunday work commands a significant premium.
Emergency callout (immediate): £120 to £200. For urgent situations where you attend within 1-2 hours, any time of day or night.

Always state your callout charge when the customer first contacts you. This sets expectations, avoids disputes, and filters out customers who are not serious. A customer who balks at a £75 callout fee is unlikely to accept a £400 repair quote — better to know this before you drive to the property.

03 · Pricing Guide

Emergency and Out-of-Hours Rates

Emergency electrical work is one of the most profitable services an electrician can offer. Customers calling with a power outage, sparking socket, or tripped RCD at 9pm on a Saturday are not price-shopping — they need the problem fixed and they will pay a premium for fast response.

Emergency Rate Structure

Evening (6pm to 10pm): 1.5x standard rate. If your standard rate is £50/hour, charge £75/hour.
Saturday: 1.5x standard rate. Same premium as evening work.
Sunday and bank holidays: 2x standard rate. Double time reflects the sacrifice of your rest day.
Night (10pm to 8am): 2x to 2.5x standard rate. Late-night work disrupts your sleep and the next working day — price accordingly.

A simple emergency rate card on your website and van makes it easy for customers to understand your pricing. Being transparent about emergency rates builds trust — customers appreciate knowing the cost before they commit.

Some electricians choose not to offer emergency callouts because they value their evenings and weekends. This is a personal choice — there is no obligation to be available 24/7. But if you do offer emergency services, price them properly. Your personal time has value.

04 · Pricing Guide

Weekend and Evening Rates

Weekend and evening work is increasingly common for domestic electricians because many customers work during the day and prefer tradespeople to attend outside their own working hours. If you offer weekend and evening appointments as standard, you need a clear pricing structure:

Saturday mornings: Many electricians treat Saturday mornings as normal working hours at standard rate. This is a competitive advantage — customers love Saturday availability without a premium.
Saturday afternoons and evenings: 1.5x standard rate is the market norm for planned work outside normal hours.
Weekday evenings (6pm to 9pm): 1.25x to 1.5x standard rate for pre-booked evening work. This is separate from emergency callouts.
Sundays: 2x standard rate. Most electricians do not work Sundays unless it is emergency or premium-rate work.

Offering flexible hours at premium rates is a smart business strategy. You earn more per hour during unsociable hours, and customers who need weekend or evening appointments are often willing to pay extra for the convenience. Use your pricing strategy to maximise income from your available hours.

05 · Pricing Guide

Rates by Job Type

While hourly rates provide a baseline, many common domestic electrical jobs have typical price ranges that reflect the time, skill, and materials involved:

Socket or switch replacement: £60 to £120. A simple like-for-like swap takes 30 to 60 minutes including testing.
New socket or light point: £120 to £250. Running new cable, cutting in the back box, connecting, and testing.
Consumer unit replacement: £450 to £900. Half to full day job including new board, MCBs/RCBOs, testing, and certification.
Full house rewire (3-bed): £3,500 to £5,500. Major project taking 5 to 8 days. Materials, first fix, second fix, board, testing, and certification.
EICR (3-bed house): £150 to £250. Periodic inspection and testing taking 2 to 4 hours including the report.
Fault finding: £80 to £150 per hour. Diagnostic work requires experience and specialist test equipment. Premium pricing is justified.

These prices include labour and certification but typically exclude materials (which are charged separately at cost plus 15-30% markup). Always quote a total inclusive price to the customer — they do not care about your hourly rate, they want to know the total cost.

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06 · Pricing Guide

How to Set Your Hourly Rate

Your hourly rate should be calculated from your costs, not copied from a competitor. Here is the formula:

Calculate your annual costs: Target income + pension + insurance + van + tools + competent person scheme + accountant + phone + PPE + training + marketing = total annual costs.
Calculate your billable hours: 52 weeks minus 5 weeks holiday minus 1 week sick minus 1 week training = 45 working weeks. Multiply by 5 days = 225 days. Subtract 25-30 days for admin, quoting, and non-billable time = approximately 200 billable days. Multiply by 7 productive hours per day = 1,400 billable hours.
Divide costs by billable hours: If your annual costs are £65,000 and you have 1,400 billable hours, your minimum hourly rate is £46.43. Add 15% profit margin = £53.39. Round to £55 per hour.

This calculation tells you the minimum you need to charge. The market may support a higher rate — if so, charge more. Your rate should also account for your experience level, your qualifications, and the value you provide. An electrician with 15 years of experience, a C&G 2391, and a reputation for reliability should charge more than a newly qualified electrician with no track record.

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07 · Pricing Guide

Hourly Rate vs Fixed Price: Which Is Better?

This is one of the most debated topics among self-employed electricians. Both approaches have advantages, and the best choice depends on the type of work:

Hourly Rate

Best for: Fault finding, diagnostic work, maintenance, jobs with unpredictable scope.
Pros: You always get paid for your time. No risk of underquoting. Simple to explain.
Cons: Customers dislike open-ended costs. You earn the same whether you work fast or slow. Can create distrust if jobs take longer than expected.

Fixed Price

Best for: Defined installation work — new circuits, rewires, consumer units, lighting, socket additions.
Pros: Customers love certainty. You earn more if you work efficiently. Higher perceived professionalism.
Cons: Risk of underquoting if the job takes longer than expected. Requires accurate time estimation skills.

The most successful domestic electricians use a hybrid approach: fixed prices for defined installation work (where they can estimate time and materials accurately) and hourly rates for diagnostic and unpredictable work. The Elec-Mate quoting app supports both approaches, letting you create professional quotes based on either method.

08 · Pricing Guide

Common Pricing Mistakes to Avoid

Pricing mistakes cost electricians thousands of pounds every year. Here are the most common errors and how to avoid them:

Forgetting non-billable time. If you spend 2 hours per day on quoting, admin, purchasing materials, and travel, you only have 6 billable hours. Your rate needs to cover 8 hours of your time in 6 billable hours.
Not charging for certification time. Completing an EIC or Minor Works certificate takes 30 to 60 minutes. If you do not include this in the job price, you are working for free.
Underpricing materials. Always add a markup to materials — 15-30% is standard. You are providing a service by sourcing, transporting, and managing materials. The customer pays trade price plus your markup, which is still usually less than retail.
Racing to the bottom. Competing on price is a losing strategy. The cheapest electrician in an area attracts the worst customers — they will haggle, complain, and pay late. Compete on quality, reliability, and professionalism instead.
Not reviewing rates annually. Inflation, rising fuel costs, and increasing insurance premiums erode your margin every year. If you do not raise your rates, your real income is falling.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Electrician Hourly Rates

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Electrician Rates Per Hour UK: The 2026 Pricing Guide

Key Takeaways

Average Electrician Hourly Rates in the UK (2026)

Get the BS 7671 A4:2026 Cheat Sheet — free

Callout Charges: What to Include

Typical Callout Charges 2026

Emergency and Out-of-Hours Rates

Emergency Rate Structure

Weekend and Evening Rates

Rates by Job Type

Price the job in minutes, not evenings

How to Set Your Hourly Rate

Calculate your true hourly rate and job profitability

Hourly Rate vs Fixed Price: Which Is Better?

Hourly Rate

Fixed Price

Common Pricing Mistakes to Avoid

Professional quotes that win work at the right price

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrician Hourly Rates

What is the average electrician hourly rate in the UK?

Should I charge per hour or per job?

How much should I charge for a callout?

What should I charge for emergency electrical work?

How do electrician rates compare to other trades?

How often should I increase my hourly rate?

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What electricians say

One App for Everything!

Fantastic app for electricians

Absolutely amazing

Trusted by electricians across the UK

Price Every Job Right with Elec-Mate