What is your hourly rate as a self employed electrician? (2024-25)

[HappyHippyDad]

It's getting more interesting now more are voting.
The £40 - £49 band is still by far the most popular, but the rest of the votes are now far more spaced out.
I expect this is partly due to regional variation, although that's almost ridiculous to say given the small population of results.

 

[richy3333]

It's getting more interesting now more are voting.
The £40 - £49 band is still by far the most popular, but the rest of the votes are now far more spaced out.
I expect this is partly due to regional variation, although that's almost ridiculous to say given the small population of results.

You can’t run a business at £20 per hour. I’d suggest those charging that don’t have a true handle on their business outgoings. In this day and age with various costs I be looking at £50 per hour as a minimum.

Not sure if the rates include/exclude VAT

 

[HappyHippyDad]

You can’t run a business at £20 per hour. I’d suggest those charging that don’t have a true handle on their business outgoings. In this day and age with various costs I be looking at £50 per hour as a minimum.

Not sure if the rates include/exclude VAT

Within the last 2 days I've had 2 small quotes, charged at £75 first hour, then £50. The customers didn't even blink. Both jobs accepted.
I think half the time it's just changing our own mind set about what a high price is.

 

[Diddy]

You can’t run a business at £20 per hour. I’d suggest those charging that don’t have a true handle on their business outgoings. In this day and age with various costs I be looking at £50 per hour as a minimum.

Not sure if the rates include/exclude VAT

I don't think you can really run a so called successful business for less than £50 per hour and even that is treading a very thin margin. There are "plenty" of subby jobs out there within 1 hours commute of most places in the UK where rates of £25-£30 are realistic.
If someone can tell me they can cover the extra costs between being a subby with a basic set of tools and no need for a van/test equipment/nothing more advanced than a drill, plus they don't need scheme membership, - if you can cover that plus all the "free quotes/ insurances fuel/admin time" for £20 per hour then you are doing bloody well, I base the £20 per hour as you can easily get £25 within commutable distance then £45 is really right...so is £50 when you can get £30's within commutable distance.
I mean obviously there is more to life - some people such as myself enjoy total freedom and only do 2-3 days per week, But I achieve this by being expensive lol. But yeah some just love the freedom, Others can't stand working under any sort of supervision...again fair enough, But one must be careful not to actually end up effectively "paying" to be a sole trader. It's a fools game, Nobody will care when you have that bit of bad luck that kills your whole business stone dead, IMHO if you are charging <£45 you are an accident away from financial distress/ A couple of thefts away from the same, A slow paying customer away from similar. Businesses are actually "supposed" to make a profit AFTER wages and expenses are accounted for.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think we need more votes.

Here is a (mean) average of the last few polls for hourly wage, for the last 3 years.

2022 - 2023 = £41.48
2023 - 2024 = £46.30
2024 - 2024 (so far, after 28 votes) = £40.46

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think we need more votes.

Here is a (mean) average of the last few polls for hourly wage, for the last 3 years.

2022 - 2023 = £41.48
2023 - 2024 = £46.30
2024 - 2024 (so far, after 28 votes) = £40.46

@Yellowhammer bit odd to dislike this post? I can understand disliking many of my other posts, but this was a rather non descript one to dislike I'd be interested in your reasoning.

 

[Yellowhammer]

@Yellowhammer bit odd to dislike this post? I can understand disliking many of my other posts, but this was a rather non descript one to dislike I'd be interested in your reasoning.

It wasn't meant in that way, apologies I dislike the information contained in it, nothing against you. Hourly rates should be increasing, not just with inflation, but with the ever expanding skillset and knowledge required of the humble electrician.

Sadly, I know many other trades who are charging significantly more than this, and without sounding too up myself, trades that require much less investment in equipment and continued training! Not to suggest they should be on less, simply that sparks should be on more!

 

[littlespark]

We should all be on 1/7th more than we are….... just because the regs book is now 8 chapters long instead of 7

Go ask a plumber what an “island mode” is

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Update on averages...

The mean average hourly wage is now £46.94.
This is based on 31 votes.
A population of 31 is far too low for any meaningful stats, so just a bit of fun.
Would be nice to get it to 100 votes, but I think this is extremely unlikely.
I think last year's poll capped at around 55 votes.
Where's @Dustydazzler when you need him! He'd bump the average up

 

[mainline]

Go ask a plumber what an “island mode” is

He would ask a kitchen fitter.

 

[baldelectrician]

Within the last 2 days I've had 2 small quotes, charged at £75 first hour, then £50. The customers didn't even blink. Both jobs accepted.
I think half the time it's just changing our own mind set about what a high price is.

Have been toying with the idea of making the first hour £60 and hours after that £50

This gives a leeway to discount pensioners and regular clients to £50

 

[Jock from the north]

I don't think you can really run a so called successful business for less than £50 per hour and even that is treading a very thin margin. There are "plenty" of subby jobs out there within 1 hours commute of most places in the UK where rates of £25-£30 are realistic.
If someone can tell me they can cover the extra costs between being a subby with a basic set of tools and no need for a van/test equipment/nothing more advanced than a drill, plus they don't need scheme membership, - if you can cover that plus all the "free quotes/ insurances fuel/admin time" for £20 per hour then you are doing bloody well, I base the £20 per hour as you can easily get £25 within commutable distance then £45 is really right...so is £50 when you can get £30's within commutable distance.
I mean obviously there is more to life - some people such as myself enjoy total freedom and only do 2-3 days per week, But I achieve this by being expensive lol. But yeah some just love the freedom, Others can't stand working under any sort of supervision...again fair enough, But one must be careful not to actually end up effectively "paying" to be a sole trader. It's a fools game, Nobody will care when you have that bit of bad luck that kills your whole business stone dead, IMHO if you are charging <£45 you are an accident away from financial distress/ A couple of thefts away from the same, A slow paying customer away from similar. Businesses are actually "supposed" to make a profit AFTER wages and expenses are accounted for.

I beg to differ .there is more than one way to skin a cat .you charge 35 an hour but just add an extra day or even two to price .works out the same .I've lost count of how many sole traders charging ridiculous amounts per hour and then cant afford to pay there 28 grand tax bill in January and have to plead with hmrc for a payment plan.plus I have enough stress in my life without having vat receipts/returns to keep on top of .