Electrician Call Out Fee & Day Rate — UK 2026
What you should expect to pay an electrician in 2026 — call-out fees, hourly rates, out-of-hours pricing and JIB benchmarks. Honest, published numbers from a CHAS-approved Devon firm.
Call-out
£85 plus VAT (working hours, includes 1st hour).
Day rate
£320 plus VAT per electrician, 8 hours on site.
Emergency
£150 plus VAT first hour out-of-hours.
UK call-out fee — typical 2026 prices
| Type | UK average | Our price (Devon) |
|---|---|---|
| Working hours call-out (1st hour) | £75–£120 plus VAT | £85 plus VAT |
| Each extra half hour | £35–£55 plus VAT | £40 plus VAT |
| Out-of-hours call-out (1st hour) | £120–£180 plus VAT | £150 plus VAT |
| Domestic day rate (8 hrs) | £280–£400 plus VAT | £320 plus VAT |
| Commercial / 3-phase day rate | £350–£500 plus VAT | £395 plus VAT |
| Free survey threshold | Varies | Quoted work £500+ plus VAT |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an electrician call out fee in the UK?
A typical UK electrician call-out fee in 2026 is £75–£120 plus VAT for the first hour during working hours, and £120–£180 plus VAT for out-of-hours emergency call-outs. In Devon, our standard call-out fee is £85 plus VAT (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm) which includes the first hour on site. After the first hour we charge our published hourly rate, with no minimum.
What is the average electrician day rate in the UK?
The UK average electrician day rate in 2026 is £280–£400 plus VAT for a qualified, registered electrician working a domestic 8-hour day. Commercial and three-phase work is typically £350–£500 plus VAT per day. JIB graded electrician rates set the industry benchmark — an Approved Electrician on JIB rates costs the employer roughly £24–£28 per hour before overheads, which is why qualified self-employed day rates start around £280.
What is your electrician day rate in Devon?
Our published 2026 day rate is £320 plus VAT for a single electrician (8 hours on site, materials extra at trade + 15%) and £580 plus VAT for an electrician + apprentice. We work to a fixed-price quote on most jobs over half a day — day rate is mainly used for fault finding, snagging, and rolling maintenance work where the scope is unpredictable.
Do you charge a call-out fee for emergencies?
Yes — out-of-hours emergency call-outs (evenings, weekends, bank holidays) are £150 plus VAT for the first hour, then £75 plus VAT per half hour. We will always give you a price over the phone before we leave, and we will never charge for travel inside our core area (Newton Abbot, Exeter, Torbay, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Totnes).
Is the call-out fee deducted if I go ahead with the work?
For quoted work over £500 plus VAT we waive the call-out fee entirely — the survey is free. For smaller jobs the call-out covers the first hour, so if the repair takes 45 minutes you pay only the call-out (no extra labour). This keeps small fixes simple and predictable.
Are JIB rates the same as what I will pay?
No. JIB (Joint Industry Board) rates are the national pay agreement for employed electricians — they cover the worker's gross wage only. The price you pay a contractor also has to cover van, fuel, tools, insurance, certification, scheme membership (CHAS, NICEIC), training, holiday and pension. A self-employed JIB Approved Electrician charging £45/hour to the customer is not the same as earning £45/hour.