How to Price Electrical Work

Why pricing matters more than you think

Pricing is where most electricians leave money on the table. You might be the best sparky in your area, but if your quotes are too low you erode your margin, and if they are too high without clear justification you lose the job to someone who priced it properly.

The difference between a profitable electrical business and one that just stays busy often comes down to a few decisions: what pricing model you use, how you calculate your true costs, how you mark up materials, and whether you build compliance costs into the quote or absorb them.

This guide covers each of those decisions with real Australian benchmarks so you can price with confidence.

Step 1: Know your true cost per hour

Before you set a charge-out rate, you need to know what an hour of your time actually costs. This is your loaded hourly cost, and it includes everything the business pays to put you on site for 60 minutes.

For a sole trader sparky, total annual costs typically land between $95,000 and $150,000. At 1,800 billable hours per year (allowing for travel, admin, quoting, and holidays), your loaded cost per hour sits between $53 and $83.

Your charge-out rate needs to cover this cost plus your profit margin. A healthy margin for a residential electrician is 30-40% on top of costs, which is how most sparkies land in the $90-140/hr range for standard hours.

Step 2: Pick the right pricing model

There is no single right way to price electrical work. The best model depends on the job type.

Callout plus hourly

Best for: fault-finding, diagnostics, repairs, and maintenance where the scope is uncertain.

You charge a callout fee ($80-150 in metro areas) plus an hourly rate ($90-140/hr). Some sparkies include the first 30-60 minutes in the callout. This model protects you on jobs where you walk in and find something unexpected behind the switchboard.

The downside: customers want certainty. If you quote "callout plus hourly" on a defined job, you may lose to someone who gives a fixed number.

Fixed price

Best for: switchboard upgrades, EV charger installs, downlight packages, safety switch installs, and any job where you can accurately estimate time and materials.

You assess the scope, calculate your time and materials, add your margin, and give the customer one number. This is where experienced sparkies make their best margins, because efficiency gains go straight to profit.

The risk: underquoting a job you have not assessed properly. Always do a site visit or detailed scope conversation before giving a fixed price on anything more complex than a straightforward install.

Per-point pricing

Best for: new builds, renovations, and large fitouts where the scope is measured in electrical points (power outlets, switches, light fittings, data points).

You charge a rate per point, typically $100-180 depending on the type of point and the cable run. This model scales naturally with the job size and is easy for builders and project managers to compare.

The trap: quoting a low per-point rate to win the job and then finding that the cable runs are longer than expected, the ceiling cavity is tight, or the switchboard needs upgrading. Always state your assumptions and exclusions.

Step 3: Benchmark your rates against the market

Hourly rates by location (2026)

After-hours means evenings and Saturdays (1.5x). Sundays and public holidays are typically 2x the standard rate.

Common job pricing benchmarks (2026)

These ranges cover labour and standard materials. Complex installations (long cable runs, difficult access, three-phase, strata approvals) push prices toward the higher end. Always state what is and what is included in the quote.

For a detailed walkthrough of switchboard upgrade pricing, see How to Quote a Switchboard Upgrade.

Step 4: Mark up materials consistently

Your material markup covers sourcing, handling, delivery, waste, and the risk of defects or returns. It is a legitimate part of your pricing. Customers who buy their own gear to save money often buy the wrong spec, and you still carry the liability for the install.

Specialty items like EV chargers often have slimmer markups because the customer can easily check the retail price. The margin on these jobs comes from the labour and the expertise, not the hardware.

Use current supplier pricing when quoting. Last month's price list can cost you if copper or switchgear prices have moved. Review your supplier agreements at least once a year.

For jobs over $2,000 in materials, consider requesting a deposit (typically 30-50% of the total or the full material cost) before ordering. This protects your cash flow and reduces the risk of cancellation after you have bought the gear.

Step 5: Build compliance costs into every quote

Every state and territory in Australia requires a certificate of compliance for electrical work. The name and process varies, but the obligation is the same: you must certify that the work meets AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules) and lodge or supply the certificate to the customer within a set timeframe.

The time to complete and lodge a certificate is real work. On a straightforward job it might take 15-20 minutes. On a switchboard upgrade or rewire with multiple circuits, it can take 30-60 minutes of testing and documentation. Build this time into your quote.

Penalties for failing to supply a certificate to the customer are substantial. In NSW, on-the-spot fines can reach $1,000 per occurrence. It is easier to build the cost in upfront than to absorb a fine.

Step 6: Present the quote so it converts

A professional-looking quote converts better than a text message with a number. Research shows that 31% of trade quotes are perceived as unprofessional, and unprofessional presentation depresses win rates regardless of the price.

What to include

• Clear scope description in plain language. "Replace 20A single-phase switchboard with 40A main switch, 6 RCDs, 12 circuit breakers, and new earth stake" tells the customer exactly what they are getting.
• Itemised pricing with labour and materials broken out (or at least sectioned by work area). This builds trust and makes it easy for the customer to approve add-ons.
• Inclusions and exclusions so there is zero ambiguity. State what is covered, what counts as a variation, and who supplies what.
• Validity period (14-30 days is standard). Material prices move, and you want an expiry so you can requote if the customer sits on it.
• Payment terms including any deposit, progress payments for larger jobs, and final payment on completion.
• Your licence number and insurance details. This is a trust signal and, depending on your state, a legal requirement on quoted work.

Timing

Send the quote within 24 hours of the site visit. Every day you delay, the customer cools off and your conversion rate drops. If you can build the quote on site, even better.

Follow up within 48 hours if you have not heard back. A short call or text is enough. Studies show that 48% of tradies never follow up on their quotes, and systematic follow-up lifts win rates by 10-15 percentage points.

Pricing mistakes that cost electricians money

• Skipping the minimum charge. A powerpoint install that takes 20 minutes still consumed an hour of your day once you add travel, setup, and compliance paperwork. Set a minimum charge of $200-250.
• Absorbing compliance costs. Certificates, testing, and lodgement are real work. Quote for them or they come out of your margin.
• Using last month's material prices. Copper and switchgear prices can move 5-10% in a quarter. Always quote from current supplier pricing.
• Quoting complex jobs over the phone. If you have not seen the switchboard, the cable runs, and the ceiling cavity, you are guessing. A site visit takes 30 minutes and can save you thousands.
• Matching a competitor's low price. If someone is significantly cheaper, they are either undercosting or cutting corners. Compete on quality, speed, and professionalism rather than racing to the bottom.
• Forgetting after-hours multipliers. If a customer books you for a Saturday, your rate should reflect it. Set your after-hours rates in your terms and quote them clearly.

For more on common quoting errors across all trades, see 7 Quoting Mistakes That Cost Tradies Money.

How to quote faster without cutting corners

The biggest drag on quoting is the admin between the site visit and the customer getting a number. You assess the job, drive home, sit down at the laptop, type up the line items, look up prices, format the quote, and send it through Xero. By then it is 9pm and the customer has already called someone else.

FlowSpec cuts that loop. You speak your line items into your phone during the site visit (or type them), your price list fills in the numbers, and the quote goes straight to Xero. A job that used to take an hour of desk time takes 30 seconds on site.

See how it works for electricians at Electrician Quoting Software, or check pricing ($50/month for your first quoting seat).