“Can I have a free quote for my electrical work”, it’s one of the most common questions we’re asked. The straightforward answer is yes and typically you’ll see “free quotes” mentioned in most Electricians adverts. However, as with many things, the full explanation is not always that straightforward.
Do you provide free quotes for electrical work?
Some jobs can be quoted for and some cannot. Typically if it’s installing something then it can, for example-
A replacement consumer unit or fuseboard Additional power circuits (cooker or sockets). Additional lighting (spotlights and decorative lighting) Electric Vehicle chargepoints Solar Panels & battery storage Electrical rewires.
These jobs are all a known quantity and your electrician will know exactly how they’ll carry out the job and what labour and materials are required before they start work, so a fixed price is perfectly reasonable.
Some other types of work cannot be quoted for or covered by a fixed price. These are generally where investigation or fault-finding is required before knowing the extent of the work that needs to be carried out, issues such as-
Lighting or power circuits tripping out RCD (Residual Current Device) trip switches tripping out.A light, socket or appliance that has stopped working.Homeowner receiving an electric shock.
A relatively good rule of thumb is if you need someone with tools or test kit to investigate as part of a quote then this is a call-out and not something that can be covered by a free quote or fixed price.
Are quotes really free or is the price added to the quote?
In the same way retailers and online supermarkets offer ‘free delivery’, in reality it’s not really free, rather it’s built into their margins on the products or services that they sell you. So as with your supermarket’s ‘free delivery’, the cost of our quote is actually built in to our overheads and therefore the hourly rate we charge for our electrical services. The same applies for the van that our electrician turns up in, the fuel, office premises and staff, business insurance, even the advert where you found our details, they’re all classed as overheads that have to be included in our hourly rate along with the cost of the wages associated with providing your quote.
Is there another option besides quoted works and call outs?
Often for smaller work, for example: replacing a decorative light, sending someone out to have a look and calculating a fixed quote and then booking an electrician in to do the work can be cost prohibitive. A job that should be an hour or less suddenly becomes a two-hour job requiring visits from two separate people. In this instance, it’s far more cost effective for the customer to simply book it on an hourly rate plus materials basis. As a bonus, the lead-time to book in an electrician is far shorter than booking a quote.
If you have any questions or would like to know if your job can be covered by a quote or if you’d prefer to go ahead and book an electrician then call now on 01173039000.
Do you provide free quotes for electrical work?
Some jobs can be quoted for and some cannot. Typically if it’s installing something then it can, for example-
A replacement consumer unit or fuseboardAdditional power circuits (cooker or sockets).Additional lighting (spotlights and decorative lighting)Electric Vehicle chargepointsSolar Panels & battery storage Electrical rewires.
These jobs are all a known quantity and your electrician will know exactly how they’ll carry out the job and what labour and materials are required before they start work, so a fixed price is perfectly reasonable.
Some other types of work cannot be quoted for or covered by a fixed price. These are generally where investigation or fault-finding is required before knowing the extent of the work that needs to be carried out, issues such as-
Lighting or power circuits tripping out RCD (Residual Current Device) trip switches tripping out.A light, socket or appliance that has stopped working.Homeowner receiving an electric shock.
A relatively good rule of thumb is if you need someone with tools or test kit to investigate as part of a quote then this is a call-out and not something that can be covered by a free quote or fixed price.
Are quotes really free or is the price added to the quote?
In the same way retailers and online supermarkets offer ‘free delivery’, in reality it’s not really free, rather it’s built into their margins on the products or services that they sell you. So as with your supermarket’s ‘free delivery’, the cost of our quote is actually built in to our overheads and therefore the hourly rate we charge for our electrical services. The same applies for the van that our electrician turns up in, the fuel, office premises and staff, business insurance, even the advert where you found our details, they’re all classed as overheads that have to be included in our hourly rate along with the cost of the wages associated with providing your quote.
Is there another option besides quoted works and call outs?
Often for smaller work, for example: replacing a decorative light, sending someone out to have a look and calculating a fixed quote and then booking an electrician in to do the work can be cost prohibitive. A job that should be an hour or less suddenly becomes a two-hour job requiring visits from two separate people. In this instance, it’s far more cost effective for the customer to simply book it on an hourly rate plus materials basis. As a bonus, the lead-time to book in an electrician is far shorter than booking a quote.
If you have any questions or would like to know if your job can be covered by a quote or if you’d prefer to go ahead and book an electrician then call now on 01173039000.
