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Electrical estimate template
The full template below — scope lines, the exclusions that stop free work, terms and a signature block. Copy it, print it, or take the Word version and put your logo on it.
Electrical estimate
[Your company name, address, licence and contact]
Estimate no. ________ Date ________ Valid until ________
Prepared for
Job address
Scope of work
- Supply and install devices, boxes, plates and fixtures as listed in the schedule below
- Run and terminate circuits to code, including grounding and bonding
- Panel work: breakers, labelling and an updated directory
- AFCI and GFCI protection where required by current code
- Rough-in inspection and final inspection coordination with the authority having jurisdiction
- Smoke and CO alarm interconnection where the scope triggers it
- Site cleanup and removal of all packaging and offcuts
Price
Subtotal ________ Tax ________ Total ________
Deposit due on acceptance ________ Balance due ________
Not included in this price
- Service upgrade, meter base work, or utility coordination unless listed
- Fixtures supplied by the owner: installed as listed, but not warranted by us
- Drywall cutting beyond what access requires, and all patching, taping and painting
- Trenching, boring, or restoration of lawn and hardscape for exterior runs
- Removal of knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring found in walls
- Permit fees, inspection re-attendance caused by other trades, and engineered load calculations
- Low-voltage systems: data, alarm, audio, unless a line item appears above
Terms
- This estimate is valid until the date shown above; pricing after that date is subject to material cost at the time of order.
- Work outside the scope above proceeds only on a written change order signed by both parties, priced before the work begins.
- Payment is due on the terms shown; overdue accounts carry interest at ____% per month.
- Workmanship is warranted for ____ months from completion. Manufacturer warranties on supplied materials pass to the owner.
- Access to the work area, power and water are provided by the owner during working hours.
Acceptance
The owner accepts the scope, price and terms above.
Signature Printed name Date
How to price the job before you fill this in
Electrical work prices per device and per circuit for rough-in work, hourly plus materials for service and troubleshooting. Whatever unit you use, the price underneath it has to cover three things: the loaded cost of the hours, the share of overhead those hours consume, and the margin you intend to keep. Miss any one and the job looks profitable right up until year-end.
Electrical estimates lose money on access and on inspection returns. Count the trips, not just the devices — a second attendance for a failed inspection caused by another trade is real cost. Price fixtures the owner supplies at your labour only, and say plainly in the exclusions that you don't warrant them.
If you've never run the numbers, do it in this order: loaded labour rate, overhead per billable hour, then the rate you should charge. It takes about fifteen minutes once.
The parts of this template that do the most work
The exclusions. Every line in that list exists because someone did that work for free. Deleting a line because it seems negative is how you end up back there — read the exclusions guide before you cut any of them.
The change order clause. Priced and signed before the work happens, every time. Verbal agreements on site are collected at the end of the job, if at all.
The expiry date. Material pricing moves and your quote shouldn't be open forever. Fourteen to thirty days is normal.
The signature block. An estimate that gets signed is a contract. An estimate that only informs is a price the customer takes to somebody else.
Send it the same day
Speed closes electrical work more reliably than being the cheapest. The homeowner who has just watched you walk their job is more interested in you than they will be tomorrow, and considerably more than in three days. Fill in the scope on site, price it that evening, send it before you go to bed.
Questions contractors actually ask
Should I quote electrical work per device or hourly?
Rough-in and defined scopes price well per device and circuit; service work, troubleshooting and old-house surprises price badly that way. Most electricians run both, with the estimate template stating which applies to which part of the job.
How do I handle owner-supplied fixtures?
Accept them, list them as owner-supplied on the estimate, charge labour only, and exclude warranty and any delay caused by a missing or damaged part. Put it in writing before the box is opened.
What about permits on small jobs?
Say who is pulling the permit and who is paying the fee on every estimate, even when the answer is obvious. It is one line and it prevents the most common billing dispute in the trade.
Can I use this template commercially?
Yes. Use it on your own jobs, put your company name and logo on it, and reuse it as often as you like. Reselling the template itself as a product is not permitted.
Is this a legally binding contract?
Once both parties sign, an estimate with scope, price and terms generally forms a contract — but contract law varies by province and state, and this is general information rather than legal advice. For high-value work, have a lawyer review your standard terms once. It's a one-time cost that covers every job afterwards.
The Word version, plus nine other trades
The Vault includes this template and nine more as editable Word files, the pricing calculator that produces the number you put in it, and pre-written terms for each trade.
Pricing calculator, 10 trade estimate templates in Word, pre-written exclusions and terms, and the 10-minute pricing guide. One payment, no subscription, 30-day guarantee.
Other trades
All ten estimate templates, from roofing to handyman.