Electrical faults rarely wait for office hours. Here is what an emergency electrician typically charges in the UK, what makes one job dearer than the next, and how to avoid being overcharged.
Expect £75-£120 for the call-out and first hour in the day, rising to £120-£180 out of hours. Most safe-and-make-good jobs are done within that first hour.
Typical UK Prices
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Call-out + first hour (daytime) | £75-£120 |
| Call-out + first hour (out of hours) | £120-£180 |
| Each additional hour | £40-£80 |
| Trace & fix a tripping circuit | £80-£250 |
| Replace a faulty socket | £80-£150 |
| Replace a consumer unit (fuse board) | £450-£900 |
| EICR safety inspection | £150-£350 |
Safety First - Before You Call
- If you smell burning or see scorching, switch off at the consumer unit and stop using the circuit
- Never touch anything sparking, hot, or wet near electrics
- A single tripping switch that won't reset usually means one faulty appliance - unplug things one at a time
- Total power loss? Check whether neighbours are affected before assuming it's your wiring
What Affects the Bill
- Diagnosis time
- Intermittent faults that come and go are the hardest - and most expensive - to track down.
- Parts
- A like-for-like socket is cheap; a modern consumer unit with RCBOs is the big-ticket item.
- Certification
- Some work needs a certificate for Part P compliance, which adds time but protects your home and sale value.
Why Fuse Boards Cost More Now
Modern wiring regulations require metal consumer units with individual RCBO protection. That is safer, but it is why a fuse-board replacement is now a several-hundred-pound job rather than a quick swap.
- Older plastic units are being replaced with fire-rated metal ones
- Each circuit gets its own protective device, so one fault no longer kills the whole house
- The work is notifiable and comes with a certificate - factor that into any quote
Avoiding a Rogue Trader
Check they're registered with a recognised competent-person scheme before they start.
Confirm the call-out and hourly rate up front, in writing where you can.
For notifiable work, you are owed an electrical certificate. No certificate is a red flag.
A genuine emergency fix is rarely a full rewire. Get a second opinion on big-ticket recommendations.
What You Can and Can't Do Yourself
Electrical work is more tightly regulated than most home repairs, and for good reason. Knowing the line saves you money on the jobs you can safely handle and keeps you safe on the ones you can't.
- Fine to do: resetting a tripped breaker, replacing a plug fuse, swapping a like-for-like bulb
- Not DIY: anything inside the consumer unit, new circuits, or replacing sockets and switches
- Notifiable work (new circuits, a new fuse board, bathroom wiring) legally needs a registered electrician and a certificate
- If a fault keeps tripping or anything is hot or scorched, stop and call
Spotting a Problem Before It's an Emergency
Most electrical emergencies give warning signs first. Catching them early turns a dangerous 2am call-out into a planned, cheaper daytime visit.
- Sockets or switches that are warm, browned or buzzing
- Lights that flicker or dim when an appliance starts
- A breaker that trips more and more often
- Any burning smell near the wiring - our 7 signs you need an electrician covers them all
When It's Not Your Wiring At All
Before you pay for a call-out, rule out a wider power cut - if the whole street is dark, it's the network's problem, not yours, and it's free to report. Our power cut guide walks through how to tell the difference in under a minute.
What About an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a full safety inspection of your wiring - recommended every ten years for an owner-occupied home and legally required every five years for rented properties. It's separate from an emergency call-out, but if your electrician spots dated or unsafe wiring while fixing a fault, it's worth booking one before it becomes the next emergency.
Ranges are typical UK figures for 2026 and vary by region. Always confirm the rate and any parts cost before work starts. Sparking, scorching or a board that won't reset? Get an emergency electrician on the way now.