Electrical Estimate Template for Electricians
Devices, circuits, panel work, service call and permit fees on their own lines, with your license number on the header where homeowners look first.
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- PDF in about two minutes
- Works on a phone
What makes an electrical estimate different
Electrical work is priced in things a homeowner can count: outlets, switches, fixtures, circuits and the panel. Most residential electricians price by the device or the opening rather than by the hour, because a client can look up at eight recessed lights and check them against eight on the estimate. Electrical estimates also carry costs other trades rarely see: a permit on almost every job beyond a like-for-like swap, an inspection that can flag problems you did not create, and on service work, a power company that controls part of the schedule.
Structure line items by device and circuit
Give each device type or circuit its own row, with a count and a unit price:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recessed LED wafer light, 6 in, new location | 8 | ea | $185 |
| Dimmer switch, LED-rated | 2 | ea | $95 |
| 20A dedicated circuit, kitchen countertop | 2 | ea | $285 |
| GFCI receptacle replacement | 4 | ea | $110 |
| Ceiling fan on existing fan-rated box | 1 | ea | $225 |
Typical 2026 ranges for residential work:
- New outlet on an existing circuit: $150 to $275
- Recessed light in an accessible ceiling: $150 to $300 per fixture
- New 20A circuit: $250 to $600, depending on run length and access
- 240V circuit for an EV charger: $600 to $1,500
- 100A to 200A panel upgrade: $2,000 to $4,500 before meter and service work
On remodels and new construction, many electricians price per opening, where every box, switch and light location counts as one. $60 to $120 per opening in open framing is a common range, with fixtures and panel work priced separately.
Put the service call minimum on troubleshooting jobs as its own line, usually $100 to $200 for travel plus the first 30 to 60 minutes. If you credit it toward the repair, say so in the description.
Materials and markup
For devices, fold the parts into the unit price. A customer does not need to see that a dimmer costs you $28. For large equipment, list the item separately so the client can compare models: "200A main breaker panel, 40-space" or "Level 2 EV charger, customer-supplied." If the customer supplies a fixture, write that on the line, because it changes who covers a defective part.
Worked example: 200A panel upgrade with new circuits
A 1960s house with a 100A panel, a kitchen remodel coming and an EV on order:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200A main breaker panel, 40-space, installed | 1 | ea | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Meter base and service entrance cable upgrade | 1 | ea | $1,150 | $1,150 |
| Grounding electrode system, 2 rods and bonding | 1 | ea | $325 | $325 |
| 20A dedicated kitchen circuit | 2 | ea | $285 | $570 |
| 240V 50A EV charger circuit, 40 ft run | 1 | ea | $850 | $850 |
| AFCI/GFCI breakers required at inspection | 12 | ea | $55 | $660 |
| Electrical permit and inspection | 1 | ea | $275 | $275 |
Subtotal: $6,230. Add sales tax if your state taxes the work. The AFCI and GFCI breakers sit on their own row because many inspectors require protection to current code on circuits you touch, and that is the line a customer is most likely to question. Showing it up front beats explaining it after the inspection.
Free download
Electrical estimate template, ready to edit
The worked example above as a file, with its line items and terms already filled in. Change the prices, add your details and send it.
Or skip the file: fill it in above and download a PDFAll trade templates
Terms that fit electrical work
- Validity: 30 days. Copper wire and panel prices move, and supply houses change quotes often.
- Deposit: on panel jobs, enough to order the panel and meter base, with the balance due on passed final inspection. Check your state's rules before you set it; California caps home improvement down payments at 10% or $1,000, whichever is less.
- Utility schedule: "Disconnect and reconnect dates are set by the power company. Delays on their side do not change the price."
- Existing conditions: "If aluminum branch wiring, knob-and-tube or ungrounded circuits are found, corrections will be priced on a written change order before work continues."
- Exclusions: trenching, utility company fees, drywall finishing and paint, and code corrections outside the listed scope.
The common dispute: holes in the wall
Running a new circuit through a finished wall means cutting access holes. The homeowner assumes the electrician leaves the wall as it was found; the electrician assumes patching is someone else's job. Settle it in writing:
"Access holes for fishing wire are cut as small as practical and left open or rough-patched. Drywall finishing, texture and paint are not included unless listed above."
If you do offer patching, add it as a separate line, such as "Drywall patch, texture and prime, per opening, $85," so the client can choose. Either way, the question is answered before the first cut, not after.
Prices on this page are ballpark US figures in US dollars for early 2026. They show how a quote is put together, not a rate survey: price from your own costs and your local market.
How to use
Three things, then download
Your business name, the client and the line items are all a PDF needs. Tax, dates and terms are there when you want them.
- 01
License on the header
Business name, phone, email and address, with your electrical contractor license number and the license holder's name on the address line.
- 02
Price by device and circuit
One row per device type or circuit, such as "Recessed LED, 6 in" with a count of 8, or "20A dedicated circuit" with a count of 2, each with a unit price.
- 03
Add the fixed charges
Service call minimum, permit and inspection fee, and utility coordination on service work, each on its own line so nothing hides in a lump sum.
- 04
Lock the terms
Validity window, deposit, what happens if existing wiring is not to code, and who patches the drywall. Then download the PDF.
Use cases
Frequently asked questions
In 2026 a new receptacle on an existing circuit typically runs $150 to $275 in a finished wall, and swapping an existing outlet for a GFCI runs $90 to $150. A new outlet that needs its own circuit is priced as a circuit, usually $250 to $600 depending on the run.
Most 100A to 200A upgrades land between $2,000 and $4,500 for the panel, breakers and labor. Replacing the meter base, mast or service entrance cable, or adding code-required AFCI breakers, can push the total to $5,000 to $7,000, so list each of those as its own line.
Yes, most do. A typical service call is $100 to $200 and covers travel plus the first 30 to 60 minutes on site. Say on the estimate whether the fee is credited toward the repair if the customer approves the work.
Put it on its own line. Residential electrical permits commonly cost $50 to $500 depending on the city and the scope, and the customer should see that the fee goes to the building department, not to you.
Most states license electrical contractors, and many require the license number on bids, contracts and advertising. California, for example, requires it for all licensed contractors, so printing it on every estimate is the safe default.
Markups of 20% to 50% are common, higher on small parts and lower on big items like panels or EV chargers. Most residential shops build the markup into the per-device price instead of listing parts at cost.
Related tools
Estimate templates by trade
Each page loads the line items that trade actually bills, in the units it bills them. Ballpark US figures, there to show the structure.