Electrician hourly rate and fault finding cost in Bolton & Wigan
For small jobs and fault finding, you pay for time. Knowing the usual rate helps you sense-check a quote, but the hourly rate alone does not tell you how long a job will take.
Prices checked November 2026
Electrician hourly rate and fault finding prices, 2026
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Electrician, per hour | £40 – £60 |
| Fault finding, per visit | £80 – £200 |
| UK average labour, per hour | £35 – £80 |
Outside London. MyJobQuote gives a wider UK range, with London and the South East at the top. Evenings, weekends and emergencies cost more.
Usually included
- Labour time on site
Often extra
- Materials and parts
- Out-of-hours or emergency call-outs
What changes the price
- Time of day
- Emergency and weekend call-outs carry a premium.
- Fault finding
- Intermittent faults can take several visits to trace. Ask how the electrician charges if the first visit does not find it.
How long it takes
Most electricians charge a minimum of an hour, then by the half hour.
Rules and certificates
There are no rules on what an electrician can charge, which is why a written quote, or a clear hourly rate and an estimate of hours, matters.
Questions people ask
What should I do if my RCD keeps tripping?
Unplug everything, reset it, then plug things back in one at a time. If it trips with nothing plugged in, there is a fault on the fixed wiring and you need an electrician.
Sources
The figures above come from these published guides, checked in November 2026. They are UK ranges, not quotes or Bolton and Wigan averages. How we price.