Electrician quote template UK: examples and wording
Electrical quotes carry more compliance weight than most trade quotes. Part P notification, EICR sign-off, RCD upgrades, the 18th Edition wiring regs and the testing line items all need to show on the page. Here is what belongs on a UK electrician quote and the wording that keeps you out of trouble.
A vague electrician quote is the easiest way to lose a job and the easiest way to land one that costs more than it should. The customer comparing three quotes for a consumer unit upgrade picks the one that lists the testing line items, names the consumer unit model, and mentions Part P notification before they pick the cheapest. The vague quote loses on credibility even when the number is competitive.
Electrical work also generates more variation risk than almost any other trade. You can quote a kitchen rewire from a survey, open the wall, and find borrowed neutrals from the 1970s, a missing earth, or aluminium cable that has to be replaced before you can install the new circuit. None of that work was in the survey, all of it is essential, and the wording on the page is what determines whether the variation goes through smoothly or turns into a dispute.
The article below is the template: the nine line items every UK electrician quote should carry, the wording for the bits that catch electricians out (Part P, EICR remedials, found-on-site work, materials volatility), the layout that gets the customer to read and sign rather than skim and forget, and three worked examples - consumer unit upgrade, EICR with remedials, and a single-circuit EV charger install.
The nine line items every electrician quote needs
A good electrician quote reads as a parts, labour, testing and compliance breakdown. The customer should be able to point at any number and see what it is for. Nine lines cover most domestic electrical jobs from a socket addition to a full rewire.
- Labour - hours x rate, clearly stated. "1 day @ £400" reads as one big number; "8 hours @ £50/hr" reads as a professional rate and lets the customer compare it against other trades.
- Parts - itemised by name and model. "Hager VML112SPD 12-way dual RCD consumer unit with SPD" beats "new consumer unit"; "Type C 32A MCBs x 6" beats "MCBs".
- Access and isolation - turning off the main supply, capping circuits, lifting floorboards or chasing walls. Always its own line, never bundled into labour, because the customer often does not realise the dust and disruption are real time.
- Testing and certification - continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, RCD trip times, earth fault loop impedance. List by name even where the cost is rolled into labour; customers comparing quotes look for these.
- Certificates - Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) for full circuits, Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) for minor work, EICR for inspections. Note the certificate type that the job will produce. This is the single biggest credibility signal on the page.
- Part P notification - "Building control notification via competent person scheme - included" or "fee £X". Notifiable work in domestic dwellings must be notified; customers comparing quotes drop the ones that do not mention Part P.
- Disposal and waste - old consumer unit removal, cable offcuts, packaging. Customers underestimate these; if you absorb them into "labour" they assume the labour line is padded.
- Provisional sums - allowances for what you cannot see until isolation. Phrase as "Allowance: £180 for remedial work if existing borrowed neutrals or missing earths are found on the lighting circuit; charged at cost if exceeded." Removes the "you quoted £1,400 then charged me £1,800" surprise.
- Total, guarantee and payment terms - subtotal, VAT (if registered), grand total, parts warranty (typically the manufacturer's), labour warranty (typically 12 months), payment schedule, accepted methods.
Wording for Part P, EICR remedials, and find-on-site work
Three situations recur on electrical jobs and cause more disputes than anything else: Part P notifiable work where the customer did not realise notification was needed, EICR inspections that turn up Code 1 and Code 2 items needing remedial work, and finding old or non-compliant installations once isolation reveals what was behind the fuse board. The wording for each one belongs on the quote, not in a phone call you wish you had recorded.
- Part P notification clause - "Work covered by Part P of the Building Regulations (full circuits in kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors, new circuits, consumer unit replacement) will be notified to local building control via the [competent person scheme name] competent person scheme. Notification fee included in the total above. Certificate will be issued to you on completion." Customers who did not know notification was required appreciate the clarity, and the line removes one of the most common misunderstandings.
- EICR remedials clause - "This EICR inspection produces a report with any observations classified as C1 (immediate danger), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended) or FI (further investigation required). Any C1 or C2 items found require remedial work to be carried out before the installation can be classified as Satisfactory. Remedial work is quoted separately after the inspection; you are under no obligation to use us for it." This sets the customer up for a possible second quote rather than springing one on them.
- Found-on-site work clause - "This quote covers the work described above based on the visible installation. If isolation reveals borrowed neutrals, missing earths, aluminium conductor, undersized cabling, or other non-compliant work that must be remedied for the new install to satisfy BS 7671, we will stop, photograph the issue, and send a separate quote before continuing. Nothing is charged without your written go-ahead."
- Materials volatility clause - "Materials prices are based on supplier rates as of [date]. If copper cable, accessories or consumer unit components move more than 5% before the job start date, the materials line will be repriced and reconfirmed before any work begins."
- Emergency or after-hours callout clause - "Initial callout covers the first hour of diagnostic and emergency make-safe work. If the fault requires further parts or more than one hour on site, the work is quoted as a separate job. Customer agreement required before continuing." Stops the moment a £100 callout becomes a £500 invoice without warning.
How to lay the quote out so customers read it and sign
A clear electrical quote with headers, breakdowns, and white space gets read in full and signed the same day. A wall of text gets skimmed and forgotten. The layout below is what works for UK domestic electrical quotes between £200 (socket addition) and £8,000 (full rewire).
- Top of the page - business name, your scheme membership number (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, Stroma), the customer name and the job address. Quote reference and valid-until date in the top right. Scheme membership signals competence faster than any other badge on the page.
- Scope summary - two or three sentences describing the work before any prices. "Replace existing 8-way split-load consumer unit with new Hager VML112SPD 12-way dual RCD board with SPD, fit Type A RCBOs on shower and oven circuits, full test and EIC certificate issued, Part P notified via NAPIT, two-year labour guarantee." The customer should be able to read just this and brief their partner.
- Itemised table - description, quantity, unit, price per row. Customers compare quotes by scanning the table; readability wins on clarity even when it does not win on price.
- Testing checklist - a short bulleted list of the test results that will be on the certificate. "Continuity (R1+R2), insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD trip time at IΔn, prospective fault current at origin." This is the most underused credibility move in domestic electrical quotes; it tells the customer that you do testing as a discipline rather than a tick-box.
- Exclusions box - decorating after chase work, structural work, replacement of customer-supplied accessories that fail testing, builders work to lift and re-lay flooring, etc. The exclusions section is what protects you against the cheaper quote that fails to mention them.
- Accept-and-pay button - one click to accept; deposit clears through the portal. Acceptance rates jump significantly when the friction is removed.
Three worked examples: consumer unit upgrade, EICR with remedials, EV charger install
The three examples below cover most of the volume in UK domestic electrical work. Each follows the same structure: scope summary, labour, parts, access and isolation, testing and certification, Part P notification (where required), disposal, provisional sums (where appropriate), total. Adjust the numbers to your real rates; the structure is the bit that wins jobs.
- Example 1 - Consumer unit upgrade. Scope: replace 8-way split-load with Hager VML112SPD 12-way dual-RCD board with SPD, fit Type A RCBOs on bath and EV circuits. Labour 8 hrs @ £50 = £400. Parts: Hager VML112SPD (£155), Type A RCBOs x 8 (£128), tails and fittings (£35) = £318. Access and isolation = £40. Testing and EIC = £80. Part P notification (NAPIT) = £25. Disposal of old consumer unit = £15. Subtotal £878. VAT (if registered) £175.60. Total £1,053.60.
- Example 2 - EICR with remedials. Scope: full periodic inspection and EICR on 3-bed semi, including testing of all circuits, RCD trip times, earth bonding check, written report. Labour (inspection and report) 4 hrs @ £50 = £200. Testing instrument calibration share = included. Report and EICR document = included. Subtotal £200. Remedials (if Code 1 or Code 2 items found) quoted separately after inspection with no obligation. Total £200 for the inspection itself; remedial quote follows.
- Example 3 - Single-circuit EV charger install. Scope: install 7kW Type 2 tethered charger on rear-of-house location, dedicated 32A Type C RCBO from consumer unit, 6mm² 3-core SWA cable run approx 12m through loft and down to charger position, earthing arrangement and earth-rod where required, test and MEIWC certificate. Labour 1 day @ £400 = £400. Parts: charger (£550), 6mm² SWA cable 15m (£75), 32A Type C RCBO (£25), earth rod and clamps (£20), Type 2 connector (£15) = £685. Access and routing = £50. Testing and MEIWC = £35. Part P notification (NAPIT) = £25. Provisional sum: earthing arrangement upgrade if TT system required = £80 (charged at cost if exceeded). Subtotal £1,275. VAT (if registered) £255. Total £1,530.
Common mistakes that lose electrical quotes
A few patterns show up in electrical quotes that lose jobs they should have won. Most have nothing to do with the price and everything to do with what the quote signals about your professionalism.
- No scheme membership shown - NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or Stroma membership is the fastest signal of competence on the page. Customers comparing quotes drop the ones without a registration body before reading the prices.
- No mention of Part P on notifiable work - leaving this off makes the customer wonder whether you are aware of the regulation. Always state how the work will be notified, even if the notification fee is included in the total.
- Bundling testing into labour - "Supply, fit and test £1,200" reads as opaque. The competing quote that lines out "Testing and EIC certificate £80" looks more professional even when the total is identical.
- No EICR codification explanation - if you are quoting an EICR, name the four classification codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) and explain what they mean. Customers who have never had an EICR before do not know what a "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory" rating means until you tell them.
- No exclusions list - "I will sort the consumer unit" sounds great until the customer thinks decorating, plaster make-good, and replacing the kitchen cabinet you cut into are also included. The exclusions section is the most-missed line item across electrical quoting.
Un flujo de trabajo simple para preparar mejores cotizaciones
Before sending the quote - itemise the nine line items (labour, parts, access, testing, certificates, Part P, disposal, provisional sums, total + guarantee + payment terms). Customers comparing quotes look for testing and certificates before they look at the price.
Add the five wording clauses (Part P notification, EICR remedials, find-on-site, materials volatility, emergency callout) that handle the situations most likely to turn into disputes later.
Show your scheme membership number (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, Stroma) in the header. It is the fastest credibility signal on the page.
Include a short bulleted testing checklist showing the test results that will appear on the certificate. Most quotes leave this off; it is one of the strongest professionalism signals you can add.
Send via a quote-acceptance portal where possible so the customer can click to accept and the deposit clears before you order parts.
A good electrician quote does most of the work for you. The price is rarely the thing that decides a domestic electrical job - the clarity of the breakdown, the visible scheme membership, and the customer's sense that you treat Part P, EICR codes and BS 7671 testing as everyday discipline rather than tick-boxes is what closes the comparison.
Use the nine-line structure on your next quote, copy the five wording clauses, and watch what happens to your acceptance rate. Most electricians find they win more jobs at full price after the template change than they ever did with a vague "Supply and fit £1,400" bottom line.
Preguntas frecuentes
What should a UK electrician include in a quote?
Nine line items: labour (hours x rate), parts (itemised by name and model), access and isolation, testing and certification, certificates (EIC, MEIWC, EICR as applicable), Part P notification where required, disposal, provisional sums for unknowns, and a total with VAT, guarantee terms, and payment schedule. Adding a short testing checklist and your scheme membership number (NICEIC/NAPIT/ELECSA/Stroma) in the header signals competence faster than anything else on the page.
Do I need to mention Part P on my electrical quotes?
Yes - on any quote that includes notifiable work (full circuits in kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors, new circuits, consumer unit replacement). State how the work will be notified, name the competent person scheme you are registered with, and whether the notification fee is included in the total. Customers comparing quotes drop the ones that do not mention Part P because it raises a doubt about whether you handle compliance.
How do I quote for an EICR with possible remedial work?
Quote the inspection itself as a fixed price (typically 2-4 hours for a 3-bed semi, plus the EICR report). State on the quote that the inspection produces a report with C1, C2, C3 and FI observation codes, and that any C1 or C2 items require remedial work for a Satisfactory rating. Make it clear that remedial work is quoted separately after the inspection with no obligation to use you. This avoids the "you said EICR for £180 then charged me £600" misunderstanding.
How do I handle find-on-site work on electrical jobs?
Add a clause to the quote stating that if isolation reveals borrowed neutrals, missing earths, aluminium conductor, undersized cabling, or other non-BS-7671-compliant work that must be remedied before the new install can be certified, the work stops, the issue is photographed, and a separate quote is sent before continuing. Never carry out variation work without written customer agreement. This wording is the difference between a fair extra charge and a "you said £1,400 then billed me £1,900" dispute.
Should I show test results on the quote itself?
Not the actual numbers - those come after the work - but the test names should be listed. A short bulleted checklist of "continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD trip time at IΔn, prospective fault current" tells the customer you do testing as a discipline rather than a tick-box. It is one of the strongest under-used credibility moves in domestic electrical quoting, especially against quotes that just say "Test and certify - included".
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