Electrical work has a pricing problem at both ends. Small jobs lose money if the drive and permit time are not counted, and big jobs like panel upgrades get shopped against the lowest bid. Both are solved the same way: one honest labor rate, and prices built from your real hours.
- Set one loaded labor rate, then price service calls, small jobs and panels from it.
- Fixr lists electrician service calls at $176 to $327 and an average hourly rate of $70 to $131.
- A 100 to 200 amp panel upgrade averages about $3,000 in Fixr's guide, within $1,500 to $4,500.
- Bundle small jobs into one visit with a minimum, and quote panel work as three options.
Start with your labor rate
Start with the wage. The closest group the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes is electricians. In its May 2025 wage survey, that group's national mean wage was $34.37 an hour and the median was $30.38 (BLS OEWS 47-2111).
Add your labor burden on top: payroll taxes, workers' comp and any paid time off. If burden in your state comes to 22% of wages, a $30 an hour tech costs you $36.60 an hour. That loaded number is what goes into the job cost.
Add your non-billable hours: driving, permits, inspections, estimates and callbacks. The free electrician labor rate calculator turns those into the hourly rate your prices need.
For a market check, Fixr lists an average electrician hourly rate of $70 to $131, and most homeowners paying $176 to $327 for a service call (Fixr).
Price small jobs so they pay
Outlets, switches, fixtures and fans take minutes to install and an hour to get to. Set a minimum that covers the trip and the first hour, then price each extra item as a flat add-on. Encourage customers to save up a list, and price the list as one visit.
Published electrical prices
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician service call | $176 to $327 | Fixr |
| Electrician hourly rate | $70 to $131 | Fixr |
| Panel upgrade, 100 to 200 amp | $1,500 to $4,500, about $3,000 | Fixr |
| 100 amp panel swap, minimal rewiring | About $1,000 | Fixr |
| 400 amp upgrade with new placement | About $12,000 | Fixr |
| Initial electrical inspection | $125 to $250 | Fixr |
A worked example: a 200 amp panel upgrade
Every input is an assumption for the example. Permit fees and utility work vary by town.
- Upgrade from a 100 amp panel to 200 amp service, panel stays in the same place, no substantial rewiring.
- Two electricians, seven hours each, at $36.60 an hour loaded.
- Overhead 25% of the price and profit 15%.
- Panel, breakers and meter base parts: $1,150
- Wire, grounding and fittings: $260
- Labor: 2 electricians x 7 hours x $36.60 = $512.40
- Permit: $150
- Drive: 2 trips x 22 miles x $0.76 = $33.44
- Direct cost: $1,150 + $260 + $512.40 + $150 + $33.44 = $2,105.84
- Overhead plus profit: 25% + 15% = 40% of the price
- Price: $2,105.84 / (1 - 0.40) = $2,105.84 / 0.60 = $3,510
Check it: 40% of $3,510 is about $1,404, and $3,510 minus $1,404 is about $2,106, the direct cost of $2,105.84. The profit and overhead are inside the price, not added on top of a cost you guessed.
Fixr's typical figure for this exact job is about $3,000, within $1,500 to $4,500, so $3,510 sits inside the range. If your price runs higher, it may be your parts cost or the time your inspections take. Both are worth checking.
Three options on panel and EV work
On a panel upgrade, offer the panel swap, the panel with whole-home surge protection, and the panel plus an EV charger circuit roughed in. Koira's estimates send all three from your price list. The customer signs and pays the deposit on one page, and can choose pay over time on bigger jobs.
Small jobs priced from a list are a good fit for instant quotes: a Get a price button on your site answers from your own list and books the visit.
Win commercial work without a sales team
Property managers need an electrician they can call. On Front Office, commercial outreach writes to property managers near you with a short three-email sequence.
Common electrical pricing mistakes
- Not pricing permit time. Pulling a permit and meeting the inspector is labor.
- Small jobs without a minimum. The drive costs the same for one outlet as for six.
- Panel prices without the extras. Grounding, bonding and surprise wire repairs belong in the estimate.
- Matching the lowest bid. Show three options and what each includes.
Questions contractors ask
How much should an electrician charge per hour?
Enough to carry your loaded wage, overhead and non-billable time. Fixr lists an average electrician hourly rate of $70 to $131.
What should an electrical service call cost?
Fixr reports most homeowners pay $176 to $327 for a service call. Build yours from your rate and the time to get there and diagnose.
How much does a panel upgrade cost?
Fixr puts most panel upgrades at $1,500 to $4,500, with about $3,000 for a 100 to 200 amp upgrade without moving the panel.
How do I price lots of small electrical jobs?
A trip minimum that covers the first hour, then flat add-ons for each extra item on the same visit.
