How to Bid Electrical Jobs: A Step-by-Step Estimate

TL;DR: A good electrical bid is five numbers added up: labor hours × your hourly rate, materials plus markup, permit and inspection fees, a contingency, and profit. Get the hours from your own past jobs, not a guess. Then write down exactly what's included and what isn't, so the price can't drift after you start.

Most bids go wrong in one of three places. You miss a device on the count. You guess the hours. Or the scope is vague, and the customer expects drywall patching you never priced. Here's how to close all three gaps.

Don't bid off a phone call or three photos if you can avoid it. On site:

• Look at the panel. Note the brand, rating, open spaces, and anything that worries you.
• Trace the route for any new runs. Attic access? Finished basement? Plaster walls?
• Ask what's happening to the walls and ceilings. Who patches and paints?
• Take photos and measurements. Your memory will not survive three more estimates this week.
• Ask the customer what they actually want. "A few more outlets in the kitchen" can mean two or eight.

If you charge for estimates on bigger jobs, say so before you drive out.

A take-off is a count of everything on the job. Go room by room.

• Devices: receptacles, GFCI/AFCI, switches, dimmers.
• Fixtures: cans, pendants, fans, under-cabinet lights.
• Home runs and new circuits, with breaker types.
• Wire by length and gauge. Measure, then add a waste allowance.
• Boxes, connectors, staples, plates, conduit and fittings if any.
• Special items: EV charger, generator inlet, subpanel, service upgrade.

Write it on one sheet. If a helper is going to build the job, they should be able to read your take-off and know what to load on the truck.

This is where most new contractors guess. Don't.

1. Pull your last ten similar jobs.
2. Write down the real hours each one took, drive time included.
3. Work out an average time per item: per receptacle, per can light, per new circuit.
4. Adjust for the site. Old plaster, tight attics, and finished ceilings take longer.
5. Multiply total hours by your hourly rate.

Don't have records yet? Start a simple job log today. Note start and finish times on every job. In a few months you'll have numbers you can trust. Until then, price conservatively and watch the clock on the first few jobs.

Your hourly rate should come from your costs. Our guide to pricing small business services walks through that math.

• Get current supply-house prices. Copper and gear prices move.
• Add a markup for sourcing, pickup time, storage, and returns.
• List expensive items (panel, fixtures, EV charger) as their own lines.
• If the customer supplies fixtures, say in writing that you're not responsible for their defects or missing parts.

• Permits and inspections. Call your local building department for the fee. Angi's 2026 guide puts a typical permit at $75 to $150, and $200 to $900 when rewiring an older home. Your city's fee schedule is the number that counts.
• Contingency. Old houses hide things. A small cushion for the unknown is fair. Say what it covers, or price unknowns as a separate allowance.
• Profit. Overhead keeps you alive. Profit pays for the next truck. Add it on purpose.

Round numbers, to show the math. Use your own.

The job: add two 20-amp countertop circuits and one dishwasher circuit. Panel has space. Open basement below. No drywall work.

• Labor: your log says a circuit like this averages 2.5 hours. 3 × 2.5 = 7.5 hours. Add 1 hour for setup, permit visit, and cleanup = 8.5 hours.
• At $88 an hour (a round rate for this example; use your own): 8.5 × $88 = $748.
• Materials at cost: say $240. With a 25% markup: $300.
• Permit: call the city. Say it's $110.
• Contingency: $75 for surprises in an old basement.
• Subtotal: $748 + $300 + $110 + $75 = $1,233.

Now check it. Does that price leave a margin after your real costs? If your hourly rate already includes profit, you may not need more. If it doesn't, add it now.

People search "how to bid electrical jobs by square foot." It can work for new construction where houses are similar and you have your own cost history per square foot.

It breaks down on remodels and service work. Two 2,000-square-foot houses can need very different work. If you use a per-square-foot number, build it from your own finished jobs, then sanity-check it with a take-off.

The number is only half the bid. The words protect it. Every written estimate should say:

• What's included. Circuits, devices, fixtures, permit, testing.
• What's not. Drywall patching, painting, fixture supply, moving furniture, anything behind a wall you haven't opened.
• What happens if you find a problem. You stop, explain, and get written approval before extra work.
• Payment terms. Deposit, when the balance is due, how you take payment.
• How long the price is good for. Material prices change. Give the quote an expiry date.

Then use the same job reference from estimate to invoice. If a change comes up mid-job, get it approved in writing before you do it. We cover that flow in Electrician Service Call Paperwork.

The Electrician Pricing Calculator ($14.99) is one Excel workbook with a quote builder that pulls from your service pricing setup and has fields for job details, materials, travel and deposit.

It also has job log, expenses and dashboard tabs, which is where your "real hours" records can live. For the customer-facing side, Electrician Business Documents Premium ($19.99) includes a Customer Inquiry form, Service Log and Invoice Checklist as editable Word files, fillable PDFs and browser forms.

Save this:

1. Walked the job and took photos.
2. Counted every device, fixture, and circuit.
3. Priced labor from real past hours.
4. Got current material prices and added markup.
5. Called the building department for permit fees.
6. Added contingency and profit on purpose.
7. Wrote what's included and what's not.
8. Put an expiry date and payment terms on the quote.

Start with a careful take-off and conservative hours. Then log real hours on every job, so your next bid is based on your own numbers.

Some electricians charge for estimates on large jobs and credit the fee if they win the work. Tell the customer before you go out.

There's no single correct figure. Your markup should cover the time and cost of sourcing, picking up, storing, and returning parts. Check that your final price still wins work in your area.

Stop, explain it to the customer, and get written approval for the added cost before you continue.

The steps are the same, but commercial bids usually come with plans, specs, and contract terms. Read the whole bid package and price the requirements, not just the drawings.

Checked October 1, 2026.

• Angi, "How Much Does an Electrician Cost to Hire? (2026 Data)," updated Aug 3, 2026 (permit $75–$150; $200–$900 rewiring older homes)
• SBA, Apply for licenses and permits (permits vary by activity and location)

This is general information, not legal or contract advice. Permit rules, licensing scope, and contract requirements vary by state and city. Check with your local building department and a qualified adviser.