Should You Pay an Electrician by the Hour in Toronto?
There are so many reasons why you would consider hiring a professional electrician. It may be because there is an electrical fault that you can’t correct on your own or maybe because of an inflated electric bill that you cannot explain. You can also do it when you are installing new light fixtures or when upgrading your current installations. Whatever your reason is, you have to factor in how much you’ll pay the expert before you can make the call.
In Toronto, you can either pay per project or per hour. So, which option should you go for? Well, let’s delve deeper into each option.
Paying Per Project
If you resort to this option, there is the likelihood that you’ll pay a minimum service fee of $125 for a day’s work. However, there are additional costs such as the inspection cost and travel expenses which may elevate the price. For this reason, you may spend $300-$500 on a day’s work—it may take 30 minutes, an hour or three hours. In this case, it doesn’t matter since the rate is the same. Therefore, the option is not recommended for simple electrical jobs since you may end up paying more than what you can pay an electrician per hour. For example, if the issue has to do with installing light fixtures, it doesn’t make sense to pay per project. However, if it’s a new installation or a rewiring, then it’s recommended.
Paying Per Hour
On average, electricians in Toronto charge between $50 and $100 an hour. It all depends on the level of experience and the complexity of the task. For example, you may pay an apprentice between $40 and $65 an hour and a master electrician $100-$150 an hour. However, such charges do not include travel expenses. So, you may be expected to compensate the expert for the travel costs depending on the distance. Some electricians in Toronto will also charge you something extra for consultation. In case you make an emergency call, maybe in the middle of the night or during a weekend, you may pay almost double the regular rates. So, you should always prepare for such surprises. Though paying per hour is economical for small electrical jobs, some big companies only use this quoting system when handling big projects. This is because they want to spend as much time as possible on a project so as to earn more.
Common Determining Factors
Whether you opt for paying per project or per hour, you have to consider these factors:
- Travel Distance: The longer the distane, the higher the cost.
- The Complexity of The Task: The more complex the task is, the higher the cost.
Back to the question: should you pay an electrician by the hour in Toronto? As seen above, it depends on the nature of your project. Ideally, it’s recommended to do so if the project is bound to take less time. However, if it’s likely to take more, then paying per project is more economical.
