Describe the work in terms of the outcome you need
Explain what is not working or what you want the property to do. Include the rooms, equipment and positions involved. A clear brief helps distinguish fault investigation from installation work.
For planned work, share drawings, fitting specifications and any previous reports. For a fault, describe symptoms and timing without trying to prescribe a repair before testing.
Check which wiring and fittings are included
Check which wiring and fittings are included
A fitting price is not the same as an installation price. Clarify wiring, circuit changes, protection, accessories and any necessary associated work.
Identify who supplies the products. Where you provide fittings, confirm that the electrician has reviewed their suitability and compatibility. Product issues and workmanship are different responsibilities.
Define access and making good
Define access and making good
Routes through finished walls, ceilings and floors affect the work. Ask what will be concealed, what may be visible and who handles plaster repairs, reinstatement and decoration.
Occupancy and operating hours matter too. Agree power interruption, access to rooms and any restrictions that change how the job can be done.
Ask how additional findings will be handled
Ask how additional findings will be handled
Existing faults or inaccessible routes may only become clear during investigation. Ask when the electrician will pause to explain extra work and obtain agreement.
For fault finding, agree the basis of diagnostic charges. For an EICR, establish whether remedial work is separate. Avoid treating an investigation or inspection price as a promise that every issue will be resolved within it.
Include the end of the job in the quote
Include the end of the job in the quote
Ask what tests, certification and applicable notification the agreed work requires. The paperwork should match the actual installation or inspection service.
Agree how controls and isolation will be explained, what aftercare is offered and the written terms of any warranty. Keep the quote and the relevant completion records together.
Questions answered
Can I get an electrical quote from photographs?
Photographs can help the initial discussion if taken safely with electrical covers closed. Include your postcode, the work needed, product details and access information. A site assessment or investigation may still be necessary; pictures cannot establish concealed wiring condition or confirm every part of the scope.
Ask Max about thisWhat is the difference between fault-finding charges and a repair quote?
Investigation establishes the cause of a reported problem, which may be unknown before testing. A repair quote describes work once its scope can be defined. Ask what the initial diagnostic time covers and when additional work needs authorisation so the two stages are clear before attendance.
Ask Max about thisShould an electrical quote include plaster repairs and decoration?
Only if those items are explicitly included. Check room clearance, lifting floors, cable chases, patch repairs and final decoration with the contractor. If other trades will handle them, agree responsibility and timing so the electrical programme and the rest of the work fit together.
Ask Max about thisCan I supply my own lights and electrical fittings?
Discuss exact product specifications before buying. The electrician needs to check suitability, compatibility and installation requirements, and agree who supplies any drivers, controls or accessories. Ask how missing, unsuitable or delayed products would affect attendance and the quote rather than assuming supply and fitting are interchangeable.
Ask Max about thisHow can I compare two electrician quotations fairly?
Compare the same points, circuits, products and finish requirements, plus testing, certification, notification and exclusions. Check whether prices cover investigation or only defined installation work. If one proposal includes more access work or repairs, ask for the difference to be explained before deciding on price alone.
Ask Max about thisCheck the original guidance.
These sources explain the relevant requirements. The condition and scope of your own installation still need assessment.
Guidance reviewed 24 October 2026.
