Electrical work is easy to underprice and hard to explain. A clear estimate shows the client what they're paying for and protects you when the job turns out bigger than it looked.
1. Check the existing system first
Look at the panel (its size, brand and free spaces), the service size, the grounding, and the wiring you'll be tying into. Note anything that won't pass inspection, because you'll have to deal with it.
2. Describe the job plainly
"Replace 100 A panel with 200 A panel and new main breaker" is clearer than "electrical upgrade". The client, and anyone they show the estimate to, should understand it without calling you.
3. List labor, materials and permits separately
Labor as a flat price or as hours at your rate; materials such as the panel, breakers, wire and devices; and permit and inspection fees on their own lines. It makes the estimate easier to compare with others, because the client can see exactly what's included.
4. Price by the task for common jobs
Flat prices for jobs you do often, such as adding a circuit, installing a fan or swapping a panel, make estimates faster to write and easier to accept. Save them so they're ready the next time.
5. Spell out what's not included
Drywall repair after fishing wires, utility company fees for a service change, or fixtures the client is buying. Writing them down prevents most disputes.
6. Set your terms
Say how long the price holds (30 days is common, shorter when material prices move), what deposit you need to schedule the work, and when the balance is due.
Put anything the price depends on in writing: access to the site, the client moving furniture, or work hidden behind walls that you can't price until you open them up.
7. Send it while you're still there
The best time to send an estimate is before you leave. The client is still thinking about the job, and you're not competing with the next quote they get.
Text or email a link they can open on their phone and approve with a tap, rather than a PDF they have to print, sign and scan.
A sample electrical estimate
Here’s the kind of estimate these steps add up to, made in Invoizr. Names and numbers are made up.
Common mistakes
- Leaving permit and inspection fees out, then adding them to the invoice.
- Not mentioning patching after wiring work, so the client expects the walls back as they were.
- Pricing a panel upgrade without checking whether the utility needs to be involved.
Free electrical estimate template
A printable PDF with the lines electricians need most, ready to fill in by hand. No sign-up needed.
Or write it on your phone: Invoizr builds the estimate from your saved prices, sends it as a link the client approves with a tap, and turns it into an invoice when the job is done. See how Invoizr works for electricians, or try it free for 14 days.