How to invoice as a electrician (UK)

How electricians normally break the money down

A electrician's invoice is usually labour priced by the job or the day, materials such as consumer units and accessories, and a separate charge for testing and certification. Keeping those apart is what stops the customer asking what the total covered.

Step by step

1. 1Record the property address, the circuits or boards you worked on, and the certificate reference before you pack up.
2. 2Price the labour by the job for a defined install (a consumer unit swap) and by the day for open-ended work like a rewire.
3. 3List materials separately — the board, RCBOs, cable, accessories — so a change of spec is easy to price up or credit back.
4. 4Give testing and certification its own line. Customers treat the certificate as a deliverable, and it is the part landlords and agents actually pay for.
5. 5Reference the certificate number and the BS 7671 edition you worked to, then send the invoice with the certificate attached.

When to send it

On completion for a single install, with the certificate issued at the same time. For rewires, invoice at first fix, second fix and test.

Landlords and letting agents run on 30-day cycles and often need a purchase order number on the invoice — ask for it up front rather than chasing later.

Common questions

Should the electrical certificate be a line on the invoice?

Yes. Testing and certification is real chargeable time, and showing it separately makes clear the customer is paying for compliance paperwork as well as installation.

Do electricians need to show a Part P or BS 7671 reference?

It is not a legal invoicing requirement, but landlords, agents and conveyancing solicitors routinely ask for it, so putting it on the invoice saves a phone call later.

How should I invoice a rewire?

In stages — first fix, second fix and test — with each invoice naming the stage it covers. It protects your cash flow and matches how the customer experiences the job.