Many homeowners leave electrical work to professionals because of the risks involved in working with electricity. Professional electricians are needed from simple wiring to fixing faulty lights and even managing big electrical installations.
Using a reputable electrician has many advantages, and homeowners can feel safe knowing that their electrical work is handled by a professional. But, of course, many factors go into choosing the best electrician, and some electricians may be specialists in certain types of electrical work. But what does it cost to hire an electrician?
What Is The Average Cost Of Hiring An Electrician?
According to Home Advisor, the average cost of hiring an electrician is between $162 and $525. However, electrical services vary considerably; many electricians quote per project or have hourly rates with additional fees for call-outs and other services.
Different types of electricians will charge differently. The cost of an electrical project will depend on factors like the size of the home, the kind of electrician required, and the difficulty of the electrical task.
Additional cost factors that can increase the price of electrical services include:
- Location: Some electricians may charge more in places where the cost of living is higher or if the electrician has to travel quite a distance to carry out electrical repairs.
- Home inspections: Safety and other checks required by law can also increase the cost of electrical work. These inspections can be an additional $100 but can even be as high as $500, depending on the nature of the assessment.
- Emergency electrical work: Any emergency electrical work will be more costly than a scheduled electrical repair. Emergency electrical work, needed outside the typical working hours, will also cost more.
- Accessibility: If the electrical work needs to be carried out in an area where it isn’t easily accessible, there may be an extra fee that applies. This could be behind a wall panel, a tricky light fixture, or a tight spot where it is challenging for the electrician to work.
- Permits: In many electrical projects, permits are required to carry out electrical work on rewiring or installing home fixtures, which can increase the cost of your electrical work by $75-$800.
- Quality of parts: Some electricians may insist on using quality parts for electrical work. In contrast, others may be happy to use slightly cheaper alternatives. The quality of the components used can influence the overall cost of electrical services. Better quality parts will be more costly than the cheaper alternatives.
- Duration of the project: Longer projects are likely to be more costly than electrical work that can be completed in a couple of hours or a day. Electricians are likely to charge more if required to do more work over an extended period.
What Do Electricians Charge Per Hour?
Electricians charge between $60 and $90 per hour, with an average cost of around $80 – $95 per hour. Electricians on the higher end of the market are likely to charge in the region of $175 per hour.
Many electrical projects are completed in a couple of hours, so it makes sense for electricians to charge an hourly rate. Other electricians may charge a fixed rate for projects like light fittings, outlets, circuit breakers, and exposed wiring fixes.
An entry-level electrician will be much cheaper than an experienced electrician. Electricians that work for an electrical company may charge more than a private electrician, but this does depend on which state, county, or town the electrician is located.
What Do Electricians Charge Per Project?
Electricians may charge per project, and there are fixed costs for this. Most homes require several standard electrical services, and these costs are generally fixed. Some of the most common electrical projects and their prices include:
| Project | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Repairing, replacing, or installing an outlet | + – $225 |
| Light fixture installation or replacement | $150 -$900 |
| Installing ceiling fans | $100 – $650 |
| Installing a new switch | $150 – $900 |
| Installing a 220/240-volt outlet. | $200 – $400 |
| Generator services | $250 – $8,500 |
| Replacing a circuit breaker | $1,150 – $1,800 |
| Rewiring a house | $1,500 – $10,000 |
| Home inspection | $200 -$500 |
| Upgrading an electrical panel | $1,300 – $3,000 |
Types Of Electricians And The Costs Of Using Them
There are various types of electricians, and those looking for an electrician may require a commercial electrician or an industrial or residential electrician. The cost of an electrician is greatly influenced by their skill level and the number of years they have worked in the electrical industry.
Electricians in a specialized field with many years of experience will be more costly than electricians who have just received their license to operate.
When looking for an electrician, you can choose between an apprentice electrician, a journeyman, and a master electrician. This is what you could pay if you use one of these electricians:
Apprentice Electrician
An apprentice electrician is not a qualified electrician but someone who is completing their apprenticeship to become a qualified electrician. Apprentice electricians are accompanied by a licensed electrician and usually help perform electrical work during a project.
Apprentice electricians can not operate without the supervision of a licensed electrician. Generally, an electrical apprenticeship takes four years to complete; after that, the apprentice becomes licensed and can carry out electrical work independently.
An apprentice electrician costs between $40 and $60 per hour.
Journeyman Electrician
A journeyman electrician is an electrician that has just received their qualification, completed their apprenticeship, and passed their journeyman test. This electrician can do most electrical jobs and operate independently or for an electrical company.
Journeyman electricians have completed a minimum of 8000 hours of experience and learning, and journeyman electricians are fully qualified to maintain, install and repair all kinds of electrical systems.
A journeyman electrician costs between $60 -$90 per hour.
Master Electrician
A master electrician has completed a master electrician exam and worked as a journeyman for a minimum of 2 years. Master electricians must know the national electrical code and need various skills to carry out complex electrical projects and design electrical systems.
Master electricians perform many duties:
- Working with contractors to develop electrical plans
- Obtaining permits
- Ensuring electrical systems adhere to building codes
- Standard electrical work
A master electrician costs between $90 – $120 per hour.
What Is The Cost Of Hiring An Emergency Electrician?
When you have an electrical crisis, you may be tempted to fix the problem, but it’s best to be cautious and avoid fixing it yourself and call an emergency electrician instead. Emergency electricians can carry out all the electrical work needed in an emergency.
Many emergency electricians have years of experience and can help fix your electrical problems. Emergency electricians are slightly more expensive than standard electricians because they are called out in emergencies and work during odd hours.
The typical electrical jobs that emergency electricians are called out to include the following:
- Shocks from electrical devices
- Sparks from outlets
- Burning smells or smoke
- Water damage
- Power interruptions or a power outage
- Blown fuses
- Faulty or exposed wires
- Faulty switches
- Flickering lights
Determining The Cost Of An Emergency Electrician
The cost of an emergency electrician can vary greatly and mainly depends on the location, transport costs, and the required size and type of job.
It may be more costly if you require an electrical repair in a place that is difficult to get to. If you have a large house with lots of electrical issues, it could be more expensive than a smaller home with just a few electrical issues.
If your electrical problem takes many hours to complete, then the emergency electrician will have to charge more for the amount of work carried out. Emergency electricians usually charge per hour with additional fees, including a call-out fee, travel fee, and a fee for the materials used.
The average cost for an emergency electrician is between $100 and $150 per hour, but this can vary.
When choosing an emergency electrician, it’s essential to consider the costs involved in the call-out and the associated costs to determine if hiring an emergency electrician is feasible. It’s best to get a few quotes and compare prices before deciding which electrician or electrical company is the best option for completing your electrical work.
How To Get The Best Rate From An Electrician?
There are a few ways to get the best hourly rate from an electrician to save money and avoid a substantial electrical repair bill.
Offer To Pay In Full
If you offer to pay the electrician upfront, they may be willing to reduce the cost of the project or give you a discount on the total cost of the repairs.
Enquire About A Discount
Many electricians may be open to offering a slight discount or negotiating the price. Private electricians are more open to doing this than electrical companies.
You can also look for promotions and discounts advertised by electrical companies that you can use to make your electrical work cheaper.
Consider Multiple Quotes
When looking for an electrician, you should consider multiple quotes and not just choose the first one you find. By comparing quotes, you get an idea of what other electricians are charging and what you can expect to pay for the electrical work you require.
Explore Private Electricians Over Electrical Companies
Private electricians are more likely to charge less than established electrical companies and are more likely to provide a discount or be open to negotiating the price for electrical work. On the other hand, electrical companies will have fixed fees for specific projects and may be less likely to offer a discount and can be more expensive.
Tips On Negotiating Costs With Your Electrician
Electrical work can be expensive, especially when you require several electrical projects to be completed. Most electricians are open to negotiating, and there’s always a way to get the most out of an electrical quote and reduce the overall costs of electrical work.
Some of the best ways to negotiate with your electrician include the following:
Request A Cost Breakdown
In some cases, your electrician may provide a general overview of the cost of electrical work but not give a cost breakdown. If a cost breakdown is requested, you can determine the total cost for the materials and the labor.
This allows you to ask the electrician if there is a way to cut down on the cost of materials or use cheaper alternatives to save on the cost of electrical work.
Purchase Materials Yourself
You can negotiate the cost of electrical work if you offer to purchase the materials yourself. If this is the case, you’ll only be required to pay for the labor. If you buy the materials yourself, you may save a couple of dollars, and it is an excellent way to negotiate a reduction in the total electrical repair costs.
Complete Multiple Electrical Projects At Once
If you have many electrical projects to complete, your electrician may be open to negotiating the price if the projects are combined and completed at once. This strategy can also be used when the demand for electrical services is low.
Determine The Average Costs For Hiring An Electrician
Before negotiating with your electrician, you should determine the average cost of hiring an electrician in your area. This involves taking into account the hourly rate, additional charges, and the rate per project.
Once you have determined the average cost of hiring an electrician, you can use this to negotiate with your electrician and possibly receive a discount on the electrical work or their services.
Build A Relationship With Your Electrician
Through mutual respect and building a relationship with your electrician, they may be more willing to negotiate on the price quoted for electrical services. If you find an electrician through a recommendation from friends or family members, the electrician may also be more open to negotiating the cost of repairs.
