COST OF HIRING AN ELECTRICIAN

Several vital factors come into play when trying to hire an electrician in your home or office. One critical thought that comes into play is the cost of hiring an electrician. To cut down on this process, Electric Works London is always available to provide affordable and reliable services in and around London. On average, the cost of hiring an electrician for minor electric works like fixing switches, socket outlets, lamp and lamp holders ranges between $141 and $419. For extensive work like replacing a service panel, the cost is about $2000 and $6000.

Table Of Contents

1. The average cost of an electrician
2. Hourly rates
   • Experience level of electrician
   • Service call fee
   • Emergency electrician
   • Commercial electrician
3. Average electrician charge for various works
   • Wiring a house
   • Switches and Sockets and outlets
   • Light fixtures
   • Electrical inspection
   • Fan installation
   • Installation of electrical panel
   • Generators
   • Smart home devices
4. Labour Cost Factors
   • State Labour rate
   • Urgency and service time.
   • How to save money with electrical works.
5. Hiring the right electrician.

The Average Cost Of An Electrician

Different electricians charge differently depending on the type of electrical work to be done. The average charge is between $40 and $100 per hour with a service call-out fee of $75. On average, most electricians charge homeowners about $280 for an electrical project depending on the particular electrician and company policy, level of experience of the electrician and the type of electrical work to be done.

While some projects are billed at an hourly rate, others are done with a flat fee attached to them. Most times, homeowners prefer to be charged at a flat rate. This is because electrical works sometimes take longer than estimated, and if you are billed hourly, it will increase your charge.

Average Cost Of An Electrician

Hourly Rates

As seen from the table above, the hourly rate of an electrician varies with respect to the level of experience of the electrician in charge. Their level of experience is determined by how long they have been operating as an electrician, level of experience and the size of their business.  A master electrician that has a large business to handle will charge more than an apprentice electrician. Note that the hourly pay rate is different from the electrician hourly rate. A complete hourly bill rate will include the supervisor expense, vehicle maintenance and building rent, payroll taxes and insurance, charge for cleanup, setup and moving equipment. So, asides the general hourly bill, one may still have to pay other minor charges, possibly for the apprentice helping out the main electrician, a trip charge and supplies.

Experience Level of Electrician

The general experience level of an electrician is grouped into 3;

Apprentice Electrician : At this level, the electrician is not yet certified. They are still learning to be an electrician. They have basic electrical knowledge and can perform the basic electrical tasks like installing and fixing lights and switches. It takes about four years of apprenticeship and work under a master electrician for an apprentice to complete training and meet all specifications and requirements. They work and receive reduced compensation while learning their trade.

Journeyman Electrician: At this stage, the electrician has passed the Electric Journeyman exam.  By the local, state and national bodies for electrical licensing, they have proved to be competent. They can work without supervision and can do most extensive electrical fixing and installations.

Master Electrician: A master electrician has worked for two years after successfully passing the journeyman exam. They are the professionals and at this stage, they can handle their own businesses.

Service Call Fee

The service call fee for an apprentice and a journeyman is about $75 on average, while the call fee for a master electrician is $120. The service charge usually covers the first hour spent. Most times, if the owner of the home has already identified the electrical fault, then the trip to the home to estimate the cost of the work that is needed is done by the electrician for free.

Emergency Electrician

Sometimes electrical emergencies come up. An emergency electrician cost is about $150 per hour, with a service call fee of about $75. To work outside regular working hours, they may give a flat rate of $200 to $400.

Commercial Electrician

On average, a commercial electrician costs about $95 to $120 per hour. Since commercial jobs are larger than residential jobs, commercial electricians will work with higher voltage and bigger equipment which increases the risk; there is a 10 – 30 percent increase in the charge rate.

Average Electrician Charge For Various Works

Wiring a House

The price of wiring a house varies depending on the number of outlets, appliances, and lighting fixtures that the homeowner needs. The average cost for rewiring a 3 bedroom home of about 1,500 square foot is about $2300 – $5600. If you have to wire the house by running them through main walls, then you may have to break walls and remove old wires. This will cost about $6000 – $10000.

Switches, sockets and outlets

For an interior outlet, it costs about $120 – $150. For external outlets, it costs about $200 – $275 for replacements. For switches, with anything from $80 – $200 you can install or replace a switch. A single pole switch costs between $150 to $200 while three-way pole switch costs between $100 – $250.

Light Fixtures

For lightings, an electrician charges about $135 – $415. For additional fixtures on the lightings, it costs about $10 – $670.

Electrical Inspection

During an electrical inspection, the full electrical system of the home will be checked to ensure that it meets the National Electric Code standards. Before purchasing a new home, it is best to carry out a proper electrical inspection.

Electrical inspections are usually free, except it is a mandatory home inspection by a contractor. For the latter, it costs about $250 – $400. This charge varies depending on some questions like;

• Is the building commercial or residential?
• What is the size of the building? For buildings not up to 1,000 sq.ft, it costs $200, while for buildings over 2,000 sq. Ft, inspection is about $400.

Fan Installation

Ceiling fans are important in the home. They help the circulation of air in a room and can help save energy costs. An attic fan is also useful in dealing with allergies in the home. Installing a ceiling fan costs about $100 to $300.

Installation of electrical panels

A 200-amp panel is common in most homes today. However, for a very large home, you may need to purchase the 400-amp panel. The 200-amp panel cost about $900 – $2500, while the 400-amp panel cost about $2000 – $4000.

Generator

Generators are important because, in the case of a power outage, they come in handy. Most times while taking vacations, generators are also very useful. It is important to keep your generators in good working shape. The installation of a generator costs about $2500 – $7000.

Smart home devices

A little automation won’t hurt. To enjoy maximum comfort today, there are some automated devices which you can purchase to make your life easier.  Today, there are smart blinds, automated lighting systems, automated switches, sound controlled doors and a whole lot of systems. For basic home automation, you can spend between $600 and $1800. However, there are smart devices that you can get for as little as $100. To automate a full home with about 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, about $12000 will do the job.

LABOUR COST FACTORS

State Labour Rates

The labour rate depends on the location. Areas with higher living standards will have higher labour rates. Before an electrician can give you a rate, some considerations are made including; local fees, tax, and the general regulation surrounding the state of residence.

Urgent Repairs and Service Time

An emergency situation is done with urgency; therefore, it costs about 1.5 times the normal rate.

How to Save Money with Electrical Works

There are so many ways to save money and get your electrical work done just as well.

• Combine repairs: Sometimes, for just one repair, the service call out fee you will pay may be higher than the cost of the repair. It is usually smarter to go through the home and find all faults, then fix them at once.
• Skip the booking agency and call directly
• Request for quotes.
• Get your own devices, appliances and fixtures so you do not have to keep including that in the fee.
• Install energy-efficient fixtures.
• If you can, find out where the problem is coming from.

HIRING THE RIGHT ELECTRICIAN

To be certain that you are choosing the right person for your job, you need to consider some factors.

• To confirm the emergency electrician costs in London, get different quotes from about three to five electricians for any electrical work to be done.
• Check the kind of warranty that is offered.
• Run a background check on the electrical company, and check if you feel comfortable with them around.
• Their insurance should carry a minimum of $500,000.