The usual answer among UK electricians is to keep simple quotes free and charge for the detailed ones: full rewires, design-heavy installs and anything that takes hours of surveying and calculation. A fee that is deducted from the job if the customer goes ahead is the common middle ground. The bigger saving, though, usually comes before the visit, by asking the right questions on the first call so you only drive out to people who are ready to buy.
Why do electricians argue about this so much?
Because the cost of a quote is real and mostly invisible to the customer. On ElectriciansForums the question comes up again and again, in threads such as "Do you charge for Quotes?", a second thread of the same name and "Quotes, Estimates and pricing". The recurring complaints are familiar: hours on site, more hours writing up, and then the detailed specification gets handed to a cheaper firm.
There is no single right answer, but there is a sensible pattern.
Which quotes should be free, and which should I charge for?
| Type of job | Typical approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small repairs, extra sockets, lights, fault-finding visits | Free quote or ballpark by phone | Quick to price; a fee puts customers off |
| Consumer unit changes, EV chargers, standard installs | Free quote after qualifying questions | Competitive market; qualifying does the filtering |
| Full rewires, extensions, multi-day jobs | Survey fee, deducted if they go ahead | Hours of surveying and write-up |
| Design-heavy or commercial work | Charged design or survey | The quote is a deliverable in its own right |
| Repeat customers and trade referrals | Free | The relationship is worth more than the fee |
If you charge, say so before the visit, give the amount, and state whether it comes off the final bill. Under section 50 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, what you tell the customer about your service can become part of the contract, so the terms you state on the phone matter. An undisclosed fee that appears afterwards is the one that ends up in a dispute.
How do I filter time-wasters before the visit?
This is where most of the time is actually lost. A short set of questions on the first call tells you whether a site visit is worth it:
- What is the job? One room, whole house, new circuit, fault?
- What is the property? House or flat, age, owned or rented, who has authority to approve the work?
- When do they want it done? This month, or "sometime next year"?
- Have they set a budget or had other quotes? Not to undercut, but to know if expectations are realistic.
- Is there a deadline driving it? A house sale, a landlord safety requirement, a kitchen fitter waiting?
For standard jobs, give a range on the phone ("consumer unit changes usually come to between £x and £y for a house like yours") and offer the visit to confirm. People who are only fishing tend to drop out at that point, which is the point.
The practical problem is that the first call often arrives while you are on a job and cannot talk. A system that answers, asks the same questions every time and books the survey into your calendar means you see the answers before you decide whether to go. That is the part of the job Remi takes on: it asks the questions you set for each job type and books visits live into Google Calendar, or texts your booking link if you use something else. If you want the details, see the AI receptionist set up for electricians.
What are the rules when a customer accepts a quote at home?
This catches out a lot of tradespeople. When you and the customer agree the contract at their home, it is usually an off-premises contract under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Trading Standards' Business Companion guidance (updated February 2025) explains what follows:
- Information first. Before the contract you must give the total price including tax and any other costs, plus cancellation and complaints information. Contracts under £42 are exempt from these requirements.
- 14-day cancellation. For services, the customer can cancel within 14 days, starting the day after the contract was made.
- Missing cancellation information is costly. The cancellation period is extended by 12 months, and failing to give the information is a criminal offence.
- Starting early. You may only start within the cancellation period if the customer has expressly asked you to, in a durable medium such as an email or text. If they then cancel, they pay proportionately for work done.
- Urgent repairs are different. There is no cancellation right where the customer specifically asked you to call out to do urgent repairs or maintenance.
So the classic scenario, where you quote for a rewire at the kitchen table, shake hands and book a start date next week, needs a written cancellation notice. If they want you to start sooner, get that request in writing.
Should I take a deposit once the quote is accepted?
For larger jobs, it is common, particularly where materials have to be ordered. Customers do sometimes question it (there are MoneySavingExpert threads asking whether full payment upfront is normal), so be proportionate: a deposit to cover materials is easier to justify than the full price before you start. Put the deposit, the payment stages and what happens on cancellation in the written quote.
A quoting checklist
- Decide which job types get free quotes and which get a survey fee.
- State any fee, and whether it is deductible, before the visit.
- Ask the qualifying questions on every first call.
- Give ballpark ranges for standard jobs by phone.
- Carry a cancellation notice for off-premises contracts.
- Get an emailed or texted request if the customer wants work to start within 14 days.
- Put deposits and stage payments in writing.
The short version
Keep small quotes free and charge for detailed surveys and designs, ideally deducted from the job if the customer goes ahead. Tell customers about any fee before you visit, because what you say can become part of the contract. Most wasted time is avoided by qualifying on the first call, not by charging. When a quote is accepted in the customer's home, the 14-day cancellation rules apply unless it is an urgent repair, so give the cancellation information and get any early start request in writing.