Labour costs electrician

[hopkins]

What is a reasonable payment per hour with regard to labour costs for an electrician carrying out relatively straightforward jobs (e.g., replace dimmer switches with standard ones) in the home? Just had an invoice for labour costs from an electrician amounting to £50 for about half-an-hour's work.

[stoneyboy]

hopkins,
If the £50 does not include travelling costs then its about right.
end

[ericmark]

Back in 1985 my time was charged out at £25 per hour when I got under £5 per hour so today with wages for electricians at around the £15 per hour to charge £40 per hour would not be OTT. Also of course transport and paperwork has to be considered so normally there is a minimum charge of 1 to 3 hours according to area so to have a minimum charge of £75 would not be unreasonable. When you consider with DIY in a kitchen if you do the simplest of work for example plug in an extension lead and fix the cable to units out of way the council charge £100+ under Part P then I see no reason why an electrician should not follow councils lead?

However nearly every electrician will give you his charges before he arrives and it is as always up to you to agree or find another.

[hopkins]

hopkins,
If the £50 does not include travelling costs then its about right.
end

Thanks for the helpful reply.

[hopkins]

Back in 1985 my time was charged out at £25 per hour when I got under £5 per hour so today with wages for electricians at around the £15 per hour to charge £40 per hour would not be OTT. Also of course transport and paperwork has to be considered so normally there is a minimum charge of 1 to 3 hours according to area so to have a minimum charge of £75 would not be unreasonable. When you consider with DIY in a kitchen if you do the simplest of work for example plug in an extension lead and fix the cable to units out of way the council charge £100+ under Part P then I see no reason why an electrician should not follow councils lead?

However nearly every electrician will give you his charges before he arrives and it is as always up to you to agree or find another.

Thanks for detailed reply. Helpful and much appreciated.