What a fair electrician call-out costs in the UK (and the certificate you must get)

An electrician call-out in the UK typically runs £40–£90 to turn up, then roughly £40–£60 an hour after that — more for a genuine out-of-hours emergency, and more again in London and the South East. Most electricians charge fairly. But because electrical work is less visible than, say, a leaking pipe, it's one of the easier trades to pad a bill on. Here's what a fair job looks like.

Call-out versus labour

A call-out fee covers travel and turning up; the hourly rate covers the work. The trap is a bill where the call-out fee quietly is the first hour. Ask one question up front: "Is the call-out included in the first hour, or on top of it?" The answer tells you a lot.

Why qualifications matter to the price — and to you

Certain electrical work in the home is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. A registered competent electrician (NICEIC, NAPIT or similar) can self-certify that work and issue the certificate; an unregistered one can't, and you may end up paying a council building-control fee to sign it off. A slightly cheaper quote from someone who can't certify the work isn't actually cheaper.

The jobs where costs creep

Consumer unit (fuse board) upgrades, rewires and fault-finding are where quotes vary most. Fault-finding is sold by the hour, so agree a cap or a review point before they start. For a rewire, get the scope in writing — number of circuits, sockets, and whether making-good (plastering) is included, because that's the line that's usually missing.

Always get the certificate

For notifiable work you should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (or a Minor Works Certificate for smaller jobs). It's not optional paperwork — it's proof the work is safe and compliant, and you'll want it when you sell the house. No certificate, no final payment.

The habit that prevents overcharging

Get the basis in writing before work starts: call-out, hourly rate, whether materials are itemised, and the rule that any extra work needs a quick call first. On BidsAndMore you can describe the job once and have several local, qualified electricians price it the same way — so the fair number is the one you can see three of.