How much does an electrician cost in London? 2026 hourly rates, day rates and job prices
Hourly and day rates in London
| Rate | London 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate, weekday daytime | £45 to £75 | Often a minimum charge of one hour, sometimes two |
| Half day (4 hours) | £180 to £260 | Good value for a list of small jobs done in one visit |
| Day rate (8 hours) | £280 to £450 | Rewires, consumer unit work, second fix on refurbishments |
| Call-out charge | £60 to £120 | Usually includes the first 30 to 60 minutes |
| Evening, weekend, bank holiday | 1.5x to 2x | See the emergency section below |
Hourly rates matter less than most people think, because a good electrician prices almost everything as a fixed job. What you should compare is the price for your job, what it includes (materials, certificate, making good) and whether the person quoting is registered with a government-approved competent person scheme.
Fixed prices for common jobs
These are Energy North's prices in London, including VAT. The right-hand column is the range you will see from other London electricians for the same work.
| Job | Energy North price | Typical London range |
|---|---|---|
| EICR, 1 to 3 bedroom home | £114 | £120 to £200 |
| EICR, 4 bedroom home | £135 | £160 to £250 |
| EICR, up to 6 bedrooms | £180 | £200 to £320 |
| EICR, commercial | £15 per circuit | £12 to £25 per circuit |
| PAT testing, 1 to 3 bedroom property | £100 | £80 to £150 |
| Fire alarm certificate (BS 5839-6), 1 to 4 bedrooms | £114 | £90 to £160 |
| Fire alarm certificate, HMO up to 6 bedrooms | £150 | £140 to £250 |
| EV charger, replacement plug on existing wiring | £140 | £120 to £200 |
| EV charger, plug connection plus RCBO in the board | £180 | £150 to £260 |
| EV charger, full installation, labour only, up to 15 m cable | £350 | £350 to £600 |
| EV charger, installation with driveway wiring plus RCBO | £420 | £400 to £700 |
| EV charger, all materials, RCBO or garage unit, certificate | £450 | £500 to £1,000 |
| Fuseboard (consumer unit) upgrade, 10-way with RCBOs | Quote in advance | £450 to £900 |
| Extra double socket, surface or chased | Quote in advance | £90 to £160 |
| Replace a light fitting (customer supplies fitting) | Quote in advance | £60 to £120 |
| Outdoor socket with RCD | Quote in advance | £120 to £220 |
| Full rewire, 3 bedroom house | Quote in advance | £4,000 to £7,500 |
Where the table says quote in advance, the job depends on the property and we give a fixed price after a few questions or a look at a photo of the board. The price you get is the price you pay.
What changes the price
Materials. A light fitting can cost £15 or £400. Most electricians quote labour and let you choose fittings, so compare labour to labour.
Access and making good. Chasing cables into solid walls, lifting floorboards and re-plastering are what turn a two-hour job into a day. Surface trunking is cheaper and can be tidy.
The state of the existing installation. An old fuseboard without RCD protection means some jobs, an outdoor socket for example, legally need protection added first. A good electrician tells you this before quoting, not after.
Certification. Notifiable work under Part P (new circuits, consumer units, work in bathrooms) needs a certificate and a notification to building control. A registered electrician self-certifies for a few pounds; an unregistered one leaves you to pay the council several hundred.
Where and when. Inner London parking and congestion charge are built into every quote. Evenings and weekends cost more everywhere.
Emergency and out-of-hours rates
An emergency call-out in London runs £100 to £200 for the first hour and £70 to £120 an hour after that, more on bank holidays. Most "emergencies" are a tripping RCD or a dead circuit and can wait for the next morning at normal rates if you switch the affected circuit off at the board. See our separate guide on emergency electrician costs in London for what counts as a real emergency and what to do first.
How to read an electrician's quote
A quote worth accepting says five things: the exact work, whether materials are included, whether a certificate is included, whether making good is included, and the total with VAT. It also names the scheme the electrician is registered with. If a quote is a single number on a text message, ask for those five things in writing. It takes two minutes and removes almost every dispute that ends up in small claims court.
How to choose the right electrician
Check registration with a government-approved competent person scheme (you can search the register online). Check public liability insurance of at least £2 million. Read recent reviews with the reviewer's full name. Ask how the certificate will be delivered. Then compare two or three quotes for the same written scope. On Energy North every electrician who buys a lead in a regulated trade holds a verified badge, so the registration check is done for you.
Where these prices apply
This guide is written for London. The figures hold across the boroughs we work in most, Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden, Islington, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Redbridge, Westminster, Ealing, Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, and across the rest of Greater London within a small travel allowance. Outside the M25 prices are usually a little lower because day rates and parking cost less.
Frequently asked questions
What is the hourly rate for an electrician in London in 2026?
About £45 to £75 an hour on a weekday, usually with a one-hour minimum. Day rates run £280 to £450. Most jobs are priced as a fixed price instead.
How much does an electrician charge for a call-out in London?
Typically £60 to £120, which usually covers the first 30 to 60 minutes. Out of hours the call-out rises to £100 to £200.
How much does an EICR cost in London?
From £114 for a 1 to 3 bedroom home with Energy North, £135 for 4 bedrooms and £180 for up to 6 bedrooms. Other London electricians typically quote £120 to £300.
How much does it cost to install an EV charger in London?
From £350 labour only for a straightforward installation with up to 15 metres of cable, £420 with driveway wiring and an RCBO, or £450 with all materials and the certificate, at Energy North prices. Elsewhere in London expect £500 to £1,000 all in.
Do I need a certificate for electrical work?
For notifiable work under Part P (new circuits, consumer unit replacement, work in bathrooms) yes, and a registered electrician self-certifies it. Minor work such as a like-for-like socket does not need notification but should still come with a minor works certificate.
Is a cheap electrician a false economy?
Often. An unregistered electrician cannot self-certify notifiable work, so you pay building control separately, and uninsured work can void your home insurance. Compare registered electricians on the same written scope.
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Related guides
- How much does an EICR cost in London?
- Emergency electrician cost in London
- Consumer unit replacement cost in London
- EV charger installation cost in London
- House rewire cost in London
Prices checked 12 September 2026. They are guide prices for Greater London and include VAT where Energy North is the installer; other electricians may quote differently. Nothing on this page changes the legal duties described, which come from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 and BS 7671.