How Much Does an Electrician Cost in London?

The cost of hiring an electrician in London depends heavily on what you need doing. Here are current 2026 price ranges for the most common electrical jobs across Greater London, covering both labour and standard materials where applicable:

Repairs and fault-finding

• Fault-finding / electrical diagnostic: £100–£180 (first hour, including call-out)
• Replace a single socket or switch: £80–£150
• Replace light fitting: £80–£140
• Fix tripping RCD or MCB: £100–£200 (diagnosis + repair)
• Repair outdoor light or garden socket: £120–£220

Installations

• Install additional socket or USB socket: £120–£200 per socket
• Install new light fitting or downlights: £100–£200 per light
• Install outdoor socket or garden power: £180–£350
• Install EV charger (home): £800–£1,400 (including OZEV grant deduction)
• Install or upgrade extractor fan: £150–£280

Major work

• Consumer unit (fuse box) replacement: £700–£1,400
• Partial rewire (one floor or extension): £1,200–£3,000
• Full house rewire (3-bed Victorian terraced): £4,000–£8,000
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR): £180–£350
• Install new circuit from consumer unit: £250–£500

These figures reflect the London market. Equivalent jobs outside London typically cost 20–35% less, primarily reflecting lower labour rates and lower operating costs for the electrician.

Most London electricians charge £60–£100 per hour for standard daytime work, with day rates of £400–£700. For emergency or out-of-hours work, expect to pay £100–£180/hr.

On top of the hourly rate, most electricians apply a call-out fee of £80–£150. This covers travel and typically includes the first hour of work. Always confirm whether the call-out fee is in addition to or absorbed into the first hour of labour when getting a quote.

Cost Component	London Range
Call-out / minimum charge	£80 – £150
Hourly rate (standard hours)	£60 – £100
Day rate (8 hours)	£400 – £700
Emergency / out-of-hours rate	£100 – £180/hr
Materials mark-up	15 – 25% on trade cost

London's higher rates compared to the rest of the UK are largely explained by real additional costs: ULEZ charges (£12.50/day), the Congestion Charge (£15/day in central zones), parking (£5–£20/hr in many London streets), and the higher cost of living that tradespeople need to factor into their earnings. A London electrician on £80/hr is not necessarily more profitable than one charging £55/hr in Birmingham. They're covering different cost structures.

Not all of London is equally expensive. There's a meaningful price difference between working in central and inner London versus the outer boroughs.

Inner London boroughs (Islington, Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Southwark): expect rates at the higher end of all ranges above, and minimum call-out fees of £120–£150. The Congestion Charge and ULEZ both apply in many of these areas, and parking is extremely limited and expensive.

Outer London boroughs (Croydon, Bromley, Hounslow, Havering, Enfield, Sutton): rates tend to be at the lower end of London ranges. ULEZ still covers the whole of Greater London, but no Congestion Charge, easier parking, and shorter travel times all contribute to lower operating costs. You'll often find more electricians operating in outer boroughs, which also moderates prices slightly through competition.

The practical difference on a typical job: a consumer unit replacement might cost £900–£1,100 in Hackney and £750–£950 in Bromley. These aren't huge differences, but they're real and worth knowing when evaluating quotes.

The job type and hourly rate are starting points, several other factors affect what you'll actually pay:

• Age and condition of existing wiring: Pre-1970s wiring (rubber-insulated or aluminium) significantly increases the complexity and time of any electrical work. Electricians in London encounter this frequently in Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing stock. If your property has old wiring, budget for additional time and potentially new cable runs.
• Access: Chasing cables into walls, working in tight loft spaces, or navigating listed building restrictions all add time. Period properties common in inner London boroughs (Camden, Islington, Hackney) are more likely to involve these complications.
• Certification: Any notifiable work (new circuits, consumer unit replacement, work in kitchens or bathrooms) requires a certificate under Part P of the Building Regulations. This adds £50–£150 to the total cost but is non-negotiable and legally required. An electrician who doesn't mention certification is a red flag.
• Making good: Electrical work often requires cutting into walls or ceilings. Ask explicitly whether your quote includes making good (filling and plastering). Many electricians exclude this, meaning you'll need a separate plasterer.
• VAT: Electricians with a turnover above the VAT threshold (£90,000) must charge 20% VAT. This is a significant addition. Always check whether quotes are ex-VAT or inclusive, particularly for larger jobs where the difference is hundreds of pounds.

The London market is large and competitive enough that there are both excellent value and overpriced electricians operating within the same postcode. Here's how to navigate it:

• Get at least three quotes for any job over £300–£400. In London, quote variations of 30–50% on the same job are not unusual. Make sure quotes are like-for-like. Some will include certification and making good, others won't.
• Verify NICEIC or NAPIT registration before booking. These schemes require electricians to meet technical standards and allow them to issue legally valid certificates. Unregistered electricians cannot certify their own work, which causes problems with insurance, mortgage lenders, and future buyers.
• Book in advance for non-urgent work: Emergency and short-notice call-outs cost significantly more. If your consumer unit needs replacing or you want an EICR done, booking a week or two ahead typically saves £100–£200 on the quote.
• Bundle jobs where possible: If you have multiple small electrical tasks (a new socket, a failing light fitting, a junction box check) getting them done in one visit avoids multiple call-out fees. A London electrician might charge £120 as a call-out fee, so combining three small jobs into one visit can save £200+ versus booking three separate visits.
• Read reviews carefully: Platforms like Checkatrade, Google, and Trustpilot show real customer feedback. An electrician with 50+ verified reviews averaging 4.8 stars is a far safer choice than an unknown electrician undercutting by £20/hr.

Reliability shows up before the job too, in how fast an electrician replies and how clearly they keep you posted. The London firms running on Tradehand answer every enquiry within the minute, day or night, give you an exact arrival window with live tracking, and send the quote, invoice and receipt as one link, which makes it far easier to tell a well-run outfit from one that goes quiet after the first call. If you want to check credentials before booking, our guide on how to find a reliable electrician in the UK covers the scheme registrations to look for.

London's size means it attracts some unscrupulous operators. These warning signs are worth knowing before you book:

• No scheme registration: Any electrician doing domestic work should be registered with NICEIC or NAPIT. "I'm fully qualified" without a scheme registration to back it up means they cannot legally certify their own work.
• Quote sight-unseen: A legitimate electrician will want to see the job before quoting accurately. Anyone quoting a definitive price over the phone without visiting is either guessing or setting a low number they'll revise upward on the day.
• Cash-only insistence: This may indicate the electrician isn't registered for VAT, lacks insurance, or plans to avoid issuing a certificate. Always get a proper invoice.
• Pressure to decide immediately: Urgency tactics ("I can only hold this price for today") are a red flag. A trustworthy electrician is happy for you to take time and get other quotes.
• No mention of certification: For any notifiable work, a certificate is legally required. If an electrician doesn't mention it, ask directly. If they say it isn't needed or that you don't need to worry about it, that's a serious red flag.