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How much do electricians charge?

Most electricians charge $50 to $130 per hour, or a flat $150 to $250 service-call fee that covers the trip and a diagnostic. Bigger jobs are usually quoted as one flat price: a panel upgrade runs roughly $1,300–$4,000, a whole-home rewire $8,000–$20,000, and adding a single outlet $120–$300. The exact number depends on your license level, your wiring's age, permits, and where you live.

This guide breaks down real 2026 ranges by job and explains what's actually behind the price, so you can read a quote and tell a fair one from a padded one. We're a web and marketing company for home-service businesses — we don't sell electrical work — so there's no incentive here to talk the number up or down.

Typical 2026 prices by job

Small jobs (outlets, switches, fixtures)

$120–$400

Adding or replacing an outlet, swapping a light fixture, or installing a dimmer. Most of this is the service call plus an hour of labor. Several small items on one visit cost far less per item than one at a time.

Panel and circuit work

$1,300–$4,000

Upgrading a 100-amp panel to 200-amp, or adding a dedicated circuit for an EV charger, range, or hot tub. Permit, inspection, and utility coordination are part of the price on this kind of work.

Whole-home rewire

$8,000–$20,000

Replacing the wiring throughout an older house. Square footage, the number of floors, finished walls, and knob-and-tube removal all push this up. Expect a written scope and a permit.

What moves the price

How to compare quotes without overpaying

Get two or three written quotes and read them line by line. The cheapest number isn't the cheapest job if it skips the permit, leaves out cleanup, or sends an unlicensed helper. Ask each electrician to confirm in writing that they're licensed and insured, that the permit is included, and what happens if they open the wall and find a problem.

For a single small task, hourly is usually fine. For anything involving the panel or a permit, flat-rate with a written scope protects you better. And when the work touches your safety, the bid you can trust beats the bid that's $80 cheaper.

Are you the electrician, not the homeowner?

If you run an electrical company, this page is exactly the kind we build so your business owns this search instead of a price-comparison directory. When a homeowner looks up pricing at 9pm, they land on a page that answers the question and then routes them to you — with your license number, your reviews, and a tap-to-call button. We do the same on our own home-service companies first.

See electrician website design and electrician SEO for how it works, or read what local SEO costs and the case for local SEO first. The AI receptionist catches the after-hours calls you'd otherwise miss.

We don't post stock testimonials. On a 15-minute call we screen-share the real dashboards behind our own businesses — live leads, rankings, and the exact page that produced each one. See the proof →

Common questions

Do electricians charge a fee just to show up?

Most charge a service-call or trip fee of $75–$250 that covers the visit and diagnosis. Some apply it toward the repair if you book; ask before they drive out.

How much to install one outlet?

Usually $120–$300, most of it the service call. Adding several outlets on the same visit brings the per-outlet cost down significantly.

Is flat-rate or hourly better for me?

Hourly is fine for one small task. For panel work or anything needing a permit, flat-rate with a written scope protects you from surprises once the wall is open.

Run an electrical business?

Send your company name and metro — we'll confirm your market is open and build a working demo within 48 hours. Free, no card, no commitment. Plans run $249/mo (site + AI lead capture), $597/mo (adds the SEO content engine), and from $1,750/mo (adds a custom CRM) — month-to-month, and you own it.

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