How many chargeable hours should I use?
Use the hours you can bill in a normal day, not the hours you are out of the house. Travel, quoting and certificates usually reduce it.
Electrician hourly rate calculator
Free electrician hourly rate calculator for the UK. Enter your yearly costs, the hours you can charge for and your target profit to see your hourly and day rate, with or without VAT. Free to use, no account needed.
Hourly rate you need
£34.16
- Day rate
- £239.13
- Money you need to bring in a year
- £55,000.00
- Paid days a year
- 230
- Paid hours a year
- 1610
This is an estimate only, provided for general guidance. It is not tax, accounting, financial or legal advice. Check any figures with a qualified professional before relying on them.
How to work out an electrician's hourly rate
An hourly rate that only covers your time on site will leave you short. Work out what the business costs to run for a year, add the profit you want before tax, then divide by the hours you can actually charge for. Chargeable hours are fewer than the hours you work, because quoting, travel, writing up certificates, buying materials and admin all take time.
Typical costs for an electrician include the van, fuel, tools, test equipment and its calibration, public liability insurance, membership of a competent person scheme, phone, software and an accountant. Use last year's figures where you have them, and include anything you pay once a year.
VAT and day rates
If you are VAT registered, you normally add VAT at the standard rate of 20% to the price you charge. You must register once your taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months. Some work, such as certain energy-saving installations, has a different VAT rate, so check HMRC guidance for the jobs you do. The calculator only adds the standard rate.
The calculator also shows a day rate, based on the chargeable hours you enter for a working day. That is useful when a contractor asks for a day rate, or when you want to check that a fixed price quote covers the time a job will take.
Questions
Does the calculator include tax?
No. Target profit is before income tax and National Insurance. VAT is added only if you tick that you are VAT registered.
Can I use it for a day rate as well?
Yes. The result shows both the hourly rate and the day rate for the hours you enter.