Why Does an Electrician in London Charge So Much?

Dealing with equipment and components that have electrical current running through is a dangerous job. There is always a risk of electrocution no matter how careful a person is. It’s only fair that dangerous jobs tend to pay more. Unfortunately, as a client, it means you will need to dig deep into your pocket whenever you need an electrician in London.

But what is the reason behind the high cost? Are cables, fuses, sockets, and other electrical components that expensive?

How much does it cost to hire an electrician in London?

The fee you have to pay when hiring an electrician depends on the job you need them to do. The rate of an electrician in London is relatively higher than in other parts of the country. On average, you can expect to pay around £40 - £60 per hour.

Companies that offer electrician 24 hour will charge you even higher when you need emergency service. But the final amount you have to pay may vary based on the task they need to perform.

A simple job like testing portable appliance like televisions, computers, or kettles won't cost you much. An electrician will only charge £1 or £2 per item with a minimum item to be tested. But usually, they will prefer to charge an hourly rate for this type of work.

If you need to install small electrical equipment like a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector, you can expect to pay around £80 to £130 for each installation. Bigger equipment that requires more complex work like installing air conditioning can cost you somewhere between £1,000 to £6,000. Meanwhile, door entry or access control installation can cost around £500 to £800.

If your house was built before the 21st century and you're wondering how much money you need to spend to rewire the house, the answer depends on the type of home you own and how old it is. Basically, a bigger house will cost more than the smaller ones. Also, older homes may need more extensive rewiring that naturally costs much more.

Why Do Professional Electricians Charge So Much?

The cost of rewiring a house also depends on other factors like the number of bedrooms, the overall size of the house, and the age of the house. Full rewiring means the electrician need to replace all the cables and install a new consumer unit.

The cost of rewiring a 2-bed terrace house is between £2,500 and £4,000. The average cost to rewire 3-bed semi houses is £3,300. And for a 4-bed detached house, you will have to pay around £4,000 to £6,000. The process can take up to 4 weeks to complete, depends on the size of the house. It's one of the reasons why companies that offer electrician 24 hour charge so much.

Doing electrical work is very time-consuming. And during the process, they need to spend money on transportation apart from investing their time in the process. They also need to pay an expensive insurance plan since the nature of their job involves very high risk.

How To Look for an Affordable Electrician

If you concern about safety, hiring an affordable electrician may not be a wise thing to do. Electricity is the lifeblood of your home. When talking about electrical wiring, safety and health should be the top of your priority. Besides, you need to be wary of hidden cost if a company gives you a significantly low quotation compared to the others.

But the hidden cost isn't the worst when hiring an affordable electrician. You may be able to pay less money, but you need to be cautious about the hidden danger. It is much better to hire a licensed electrician from a reputable company than risking someone in your house get injured due to sloppy work done by an unlicensed electrician.

The best way to find an affordable electrician in London is by calling multiple companies and getting quotes. Then you can choose the one with the lowest quote.

Grip Electric Limited is a company that provides Electrician 24 hour with no call-out fee. You can contact them if you need an Electrician in London