What does the cost of installation work include?
An installation price is built from three things: labour, materials and the overhead that surrounds them. Labour is the time an electrician and any helper spend on site — chasing walls, pulling cable, terminating, testing. Materials are the cable, containment, accessories, protective devices and the board itself.
Overhead covers the less visible parts: travel, waste, small consumables, disposal of old material and the paperwork that closes a job. A quote that looks unusually cheap is often one where this part has been trimmed and reappears later as extras.
Is labour or material the bigger part of the bill?
It depends on the job. In a new installation with clean routes and easy access, materials can be a large share because there is a lot of copper and a manageable amount of work. In a renovation, labour usually dominates, because every metre of cable has to be threaded through a building that was never designed for it.
The practical consequence is that two jobs using the same materials can differ widely in price. Talking about the number of points and the access conditions matters more than comparing a price per metre of cable.
Why do estimates for the same job differ so much?
Estimates differ because they describe different scopes. One may include testing and certification, another may not. One may price chasing and making good, another may leave the wall repair to the client.
They also differ in what they assume about access: whether the installer works in an empty flat or around furniture, whether work happens in stages, and whether the existing wiring can be reused. Each assumption changes the hours.
Before comparing prices, compare scopes. The lowest number is only the lowest price if it covers the same work as the others.
How is installation work priced?
Two common methods exist. Per point: a fixed price for each socket, switch or light fitting, which is quick to quote when the layout is simple. Per circuit or per hour: more common when the work is unusual or the site conditions are uncertain.
A per-point price suits standard residential work where the range of tasks repeats. A per-circuit or time-based price suits commercial and industrial work where each run is different and the conditions vary from one installation to the next.
What pushes the price up during a renovation?
Renovations cost more to wire because the building fights back. Walls may be solid masonry rather than hollow, ceilings may be closed, and existing circuits may have to be traced and removed before new ones go in.
Old and unsafe wiring adds work: it often has to be replaced rather than extended, and it may reveal faults that were hidden behind finishes. Working in an occupied building, in stages, is slower than working in an empty one — and time is what the bill is mostly made of.
Do testing and certification add to the cost?
Yes, and they should appear in the quote. Before handover an installation is tested — insulation resistance, continuity, earth fault loop and RCD operation — and the results are recorded on a certificate.
This is not optional paperwork; it is the evidence that the work is safe, and it is what a future inspector or buyer will ask to see. A quote that omits testing is not a cheaper version of the same job.
How can I compare two estimates fairly?
Lay the two quotes side by side and compare item by item: number of points, cable sizes, the board and its devices, testing, and who makes good after chasing. Check what is excluded as carefully as what is included, because exclusions are where the final bill grows.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Number of points and circuits | Sets the bulk of the labour |
| Cable sizes and board | Explains most material differences |
| Testing and certificate | Confirms the work is complete and safe |
| Exclusions and making good | Where hidden extras usually appear |
What should a written estimate always show?
A useful estimate lists the scope in plain terms: what is installed, how many points and circuits, the cable sizes, the board and its devices, testing, and what is excluded. It states whether the price includes making good and the removal of old material.
With that detail in writing, two estimates can be compared honestly and the final invoice can be checked against what was agreed rather than against memory. GorkyCAD keeps the specification, the cable schedule and the estimate in one document set, so the scope behind a price is written down from the start.
FAQ
What makes up an installation price?
Labour, materials and overhead. Labour dominates renovations; materials dominate clean new work. Overhead covers travel, waste and paperwork.
Should testing be included in the quote?
Yes. Insulation, continuity, earth fault loop and RCD tests are recorded on a certificate. A quote without testing is not the same job done more cheaply.
Why is one quote much lower than another?
Usually a narrower scope, not a cheaper job. Compare points, cable sizes, the board, testing and exclusions before comparing the bottom line.
How is the work usually priced?
Either per point for standard residential work, or per circuit and per hour for commercial and industrial jobs where conditions vary.