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

[UNG]

I think we 've been here before, I until recently charged 15 per hour and managed to make a modest profit, on the advice of numerous people on this site raised my rate about a year ago to 20 per hour...result no work...I then reduced to 18 per hour and work slowly returned. I find it incredible that rates of 30,40,50 and even more are being suggested here.....at 50 per hour that's more than an accountant or a junior doctor. I'm sure that some of this is fake information........no one pays those aims of money.

I don't know whether this is trolling or serious at £15/hr you are not even making wages let alone a modest profit at £18/hr I doubt it is worth getting out of bed for and if your customers won't pay £20/hr you really need to look elsewhere for work
A little while ago I starting getting fed up of being told by customers that they had other electricians look at faults and they couldn't fix them, I fixed them and the rate I charged was £50/hr and they happily paid it so it is no fake so you better believe it.
As for what an accountant or junior doctor gets paid to me has no relevance they can't work with no lighting or power, I once had a surgeon telling how he was better than me to justify his salary I cut him down a bit with the question what happens when the power or lighting fails in your operating theatre

 

[Brian Taylor]

I don't know whether this is trolling or serious at £15/hr you are not even making wages let alone a modest profit at £18/hr I doubt it is worth getting out of bed for and if your customers won't pay £20/hr you really need to look elsewhere for work
A little while ago I starting getting fed up of being told by customers that they had other electricians look at faults and they couldn't fix them, I fixed them and the rate I charged was £50/hr and they happily paid it so it is no fake so you better believe it.
As for what an accountant or junior doctor gets paid to me has no relevance they can't work with no lighting or power, I once had a surgeon telling how he was better than me to justify his salary I cut him down a bit with the question what happens when the power or lighting fails in your operating theatre

As I said we've been here before with these claims of extortionate hourly rates. For sure some electricians may be able to charge high prices....but how many of them last for very long?....I've lost count of how many small businesses have got to the wall through over charging.
On the other hand maybe you're one of the London based firms who seem to get away with high prices....but here in North Kent there are plenty of electricians who will under cut even me. As for your comment about the surgeon.....what does he do when the lights go out?......simple...he calls the maintenance facility and they send a maintenance man to fix it,.....who most definitely wouldn't be on £40 an hour.

 

[mainline]

As I said we've been here before with these claims of extortionate hourly rates. For sure some electricians may be able to charge high prices....but how many of them last for very long?....I've lost count of how many small businesses have got to the wall through over charging.
On the other hand maybe you're one of the London based firms who seem to get away with high prices....but here in North Kent there are plenty of electricians who will under cut even me. As for your comment about the surgeon.....what does he do when the lights go out?......simple...he calls the maintenance facility and they send a maintenance man to fix it,.....who most definitely wouldn't be on £40 an hour.

If you're registered part p, run a van, insurance and all the other overheads then £15 a hr is too low.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

As I said we've been here before with these claims of extortionate hourly rates. For sure some electricians may be able to charge high prices....but how many of them last for very long?....I've lost count of how many small businesses have got to the wall through over charging.
On the other hand maybe you're one of the London based firms who seem to get away with high prices....but here in North Kent there are plenty of electricians who will under cut even me. As for your comment about the surgeon.....what does he do when the lights go out?......simple...he calls the maintenance facility and they send a maintenance man to fix it,.....who most definitely wouldn't be on £40 an hour.

What sort of work do you do Brian? By that, I mean do you do domestic, or industrial, small jobs, large jobs, direct to customer, through agency, etc etc?

 

[Brian Taylor]

What sort of work do you do Brian? By that, I mean do you do domestic, or industrial, small jobs, large jobs, direct to customer, through agency, etc etc?

I do small domestic jobs directly for the customer, changing lighting fittings , damaged sockets and switches etc.

 

[UNG]

As I said we've been here before with these claims of extortionate hourly rates. For sure some electricians may be able to charge high prices....but how many of them last for very long?....I've lost count of how many small businesses have got to the wall through over charging.

No sign of me going to the wall in fact I turn away work as I'm too busy

On the other hand maybe you're one of the London based firms who seem to get away with high prices....

I'm no where near london I'm based in the North West of England

but here in North Kent there are plenty of electricians who will under cut even me.

I don't for one minute believe people would want to under cut your rate

As for your comment about the surgeon.....what does he do when the lights go out?......simple...he calls the maintenance facility and they send a maintenance man to fix it,.....who most definitely wouldn't be on £40 an hour.

Not all operating theatre repairs are done by the maintenance dept and the contractors that go in are on call out rates

 

[Brian Taylor]

If you're registered part p, run a van, insurance and all the other overheads then £15 a hr is too low.

Yes I run a van of course..but not part p registered as yet....I upped my rate to £18 an hour and this seems to be what the market will stand in this area.

 

[littlespark]

Just out of interest, I looked up the JIB rates that a company should pay an employee..... and the cheapest one there was £15 an hour or so for an electrician.

Thats not approved, or responsibility money, or site rates... that shop rate for just an electrician.

So as self employed, you need to pay yourself that amount, plus enough to cover van, insurances, downtime.... as others have mentioned.

 

[Brian Taylor]

No sign of me going to the wall in fact I turn away work as I'm too busy

I'm no where near london I'm based in the North West of England

I don't for one minute believe people would want to under cut your rate

Not all operating theatre repairs are done by the maintenance dept and the contractors that go in are on call out rates

Wow, I'm very surprised the those rates can be charged in the North West....I thought it was a deprived area, who can afford those rates ?

 

[Brian Taylor]

Just out of interest, I looked up the JIB rates that a company should pay an employee..... and the cheapest one there was £15 an hour or so for an electrician.

Thats not approved, or responsibility money, or site rates... that shop rate for just an electrician.

So as self employed, you need to pay yourself that amount, plus enough to cover van, insurances, downtime.... as others have mentioned.

Well I charge £18/hour so it covers the JIB minimum rate you mention plus a bit to cover over costs.

 

[Jock from the north]

I think we 've been here before, I until recently charged 15 per hour and managed to make a modest profit, on the advice of numerous people on this site raised my rate about a year ago to 20 per hour...result no work...I then reduced to 18 per hour and work slowly returned. I find it incredible that rates of 30,40,50 and even more are being suggested here.....at 50 per hour that's more than an accountant or a junior doctor. I'm sure that some of this is fake information........no one pays those aims of money.

My thoughts exactly .aim for the 35 pound mark.customers will pay it without batting an eyelid

 

[Jock from the north]

Well I charge £18/hour so it covers the JIB minimum rate you mention plus a bit to cover over costs.

Of course it depends what your doing.if your sub contracting 40 hours a week then a reduced rate is perfectly fine .

 

[UNG]

Wow, I'm very surprised the those rates can be charged in the North West....I thought it was a deprived area, who can afford those rates ?

People who want there faults fixing when others have failed before me.
Picked up a new customer last week who had a problem with a machine after his workshop got flooded he rang 6 electricians who were not interested the wholesalers he went to for parts that he didn't need gave him my number. So 40 minutes on site finding the fault customer ordered a new pump went back 2 days later 45 minutes to fit the pump and test the machine including traveling time billed him £150 invoice paid within 24 hours also picked up another job upgrading the lighting while I was there
The money maker these days is understanding and being capable of working on 3 phase systems and equipment which it seems many "electricians" these days run away from

 

[UNG]

Well I charge £18/hour so it covers the JIB minimum rate you mention plus a bit to cover over costs.

How do you fund your holiday pay let alone your overheads on a charging rate of £18/hr
As a guide these are the 2025 JIB rates

At what you are charging it does not make sense as it is not a viable business model

 

[Jock from the north]

How do you fund your holiday pay let alone your overheads on a charging rate of £18/hr
As a guide these are the 2025 JIB rates
View attachment 119487
At what you are charging it does not make sense as it is not a viable business model

When I was employed and not approved I was still on 18 pound an hour with van and fuel and on shop rate .I guess that's why it took me so long to sit my aca as there was never a need money wise .I missed out by a year on the automatic approved card so had to do it the hard way .although the hardest part was the last section when you have an hour to answer questions from 6 or 7 different publications.sjib hand book was the hardest .holidays in lue and all that