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What should an electrical work quotation include?
An electrical quotation should list each item the way it will be measured: wiring by the point (light, fan, power, AC), cables by the running metre, distribution boards, switchgear and earthing by the number, testing as a lump sum. Give the wire size and type, conduit, makes and what each rate includes, then GST (18% on supply-and-install work in a building), your licence details, the tests you will carry out, warranty, payment stages and validity.
- Define what one "point" includes, and the rate for extra wire length.
- Name the makes and grades: FR or FRLS copper wire, MCB breaking capacity, RCCB sensitivity.
- Wiring a building with your material is a works contract: 18% GST on the whole value.
- Promise a test report: insulation resistance, earth resistance and RCD trip tests.
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On this page
- What makes an electrical quotation different
- How to fill in this electrical quotation
- Pricing by the point: what a point includes
- Example: wiring an office floor, supply and installation
- Sections of an electrical BOQ
- GST: electrical goods vs installation
- Licence, safety and inspection
- Testing, commissioning and warranty
- Mistakes to avoid
- Key terms
- Questions people ask
What makes an electrical quotation different
The parts every quotation shares (numbering, validity, GST shown but not payable, acceptance by purchase order) are on the main quotation format page. Electrical work adds its own problems:
- The unit of work is the point, not the metre of wire. Clients compare rates per point, so the quote must define a point or two quotes cannot be compared.
- Makes decide the price. The same 1.5 sq mm wire costs very different amounts by brand and grade (FR, FRLS, HFFR). Name the makes, or attach an approved-makes list.
- Copper moves. Cable rates are tied to the copper price; long validity on cable-heavy work is a risk.
- The work must be done and tested by licensed people, and the client needs a test report to get the supply connected or the load enhanced.
How to fill in this electrical quotation
- Your firm and the clientEnter your firm with its GSTIN, and the client with the site address. In the notes, add your electrical contractor licence number and class.
- Points, cables, boards, earthingAdd one line per item. Use the unit it will be measured in: point, rmt, nos or LS. Put the wire size, grade and make in the description.
- GSTUse 18% for wiring and installation work, with or without material. If you also sell goods under a separate order, quote those on a separate quotation at their own rates.
- TermsWrite validity, the copper clause, what a point includes, civil work, payment stages, testing and warranty in the terms box.
- Sign in to send and billCreating here is free. Signing in numbers the quotation and turns the accepted items into the invoice; issuing and sending need the Sales module.
Pricing by the point: what a point includes
A point is one outlet (a light, fan, socket or AC connection) with everything needed to reach it from the switchboard or distribution board. State in the quote what that covers:
| Point type | Usual wire and accessory | What the rate should say |
|---|---|---|
| Light or fan point | 1.5 sq mm copper, 6 A switch | Conduit, wire up to the stated run, switch, box, plate, ceiling rose or connector |
| Power point 6/16 A | 2.5 or 4 sq mm copper, 6/16 A socket and switch | Separate circuit or looped; earthing conductor included |
| AC or geyser point | 4 sq mm copper, 20 A or 25 A socket or DP switch | Dedicated circuit from the DB, with its MCB |
| Data, TV or phone point | Cat 6 or coaxial cable in separate conduit | Outlet and faceplate; active equipment excluded |
| Bell or exhaust point | 1.5 sq mm copper | Same as a light point |
Add two rules to the terms: the length included in a point (for example "up to 10 m of run from the switchboard; extra wiring per metre at the rate in item X"), and whether a point is primary (from the board) or secondary (looped from another point), since primary points cost more. If you quote per metre instead, give the conduit and wire as separate metre items and price switches and sockets separately.
Example: wiring an office floor, supply and installation
Brightline Electricals quotes Indiranagar Coworks for the electrical installation of a 3rd floor office in Bengaluru: 48 light points, 16 power points, two distribution boards, a sub-main from the building panel, two earth pits, and testing. Both businesses and the site are in Karnataka, so GST is CGST + SGST.
- Drawing reference: the layout and revision the point count is taken from.
- Licence: your electrical contractor licence class and state.
- Items in the unit they will be measured in: points, nos, rmt, lump sum.
- SAC 995461 (electrical installation services), since material and labour are one works contract.
- GST at 18% on the whole contract, CGST + SGST for a site in your state.
- Makes, copper validity, warranty and the test report you will hand over.
- Signature of the contractor or authorised person.
The numbers: quotation QT/2026-27/112, supply and installation
| Item | HSN/SAC | Qty | Rate | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light point: 1.5 sq mm FR copper wire in 20 mm PVC conduit, concealed, 6 A modular switch | 995461 | 48 | ₹950.00 | ₹45,600.00 | ₹8,208.00 |
| Power point 6/16 A: 4 sq mm FR copper wire, conduit, socket and switch | 995461 | 16 | ₹1,650.00 | ₹26,400.00 | ₹4,752.00 |
| Distribution board 8-way TPN with MCBs and 63 A 4-pole RCCB 30 mA, supply and fixing | 995461 | 2 | ₹14,500.00 | ₹29,000.00 | ₹5,220.00 |
| Sub-main 4 core 16 sq mm copper armoured cable, laid on tray, with glands and lugs | 995461 | 35 | ₹620.00 | ₹21,700.00 | ₹3,906.00 |
| Pipe earthing, GI pipe with earth-enhancing compound and test chamber | 995461 | 2 | ₹9,800.00 | ₹19,600.00 | ₹3,528.00 |
| Testing and commissioning with insulation and earth resistance test report | 995461 | 1 | ₹6,000.00 | ₹6,000.00 | ₹1,080.00 |
| Taxable value | ₹1,48,300.00 | ||||
| CGST 9% | ₹13,347.00 | ||||
| SGST 9% | ₹13,347.00 | ||||
| Total | ₹1,74,994.00 | ||||
The installation comes to ₹1,48,300 before GST and ₹1,74,994 with CGST and SGST of ₹13,347 each. Points are paid by number; if the final layout has 52 light points, the bill rises by 4 x ₹950.
The same job quoted labour-only
Many clients, especially for homes, buy wire, switches and boards themselves and ask for a labour rate. The quote then lists the same items at labour rates and says the client supplies material to site, in the makes and quantities you specify.
Labour-only electrical rates
| Item | HSN/SAC | Qty | Rate | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light point wiring, labour only (client material) | 995461 | 48 | ₹320.00 | ₹15,360.00 | ₹2,764.80 |
| Power point wiring, labour only | 995461 | 16 | ₹450.00 | ₹7,200.00 | ₹1,296.00 |
| Distribution board fixing and dressing, labour only | 995461 | 2 | ₹1,800.00 | ₹3,600.00 | ₹648.00 |
| Pipe earthing, digging and installation, labour only | 995461 | 2 | ₹2,500.00 | ₹5,000.00 | ₹900.00 |
| Taxable value | ₹31,160.00 | ||||
| CGST 9% | ₹2,804.40 | ||||
| SGST 9% | ₹2,804.40 | ||||
| Total | ₹36,768.80 | ||||
Labour comes to ₹31,160 before GST and ₹36,768.80 with it. Installation services are taxed at 18% whether or not you supply the material.
Sections of an electrical BOQ
| Section | Typical items | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Internal wiring | Light, fan, power, AC and geyser points; extra run | point, rmt |
| Switchgear and boards | Distribution boards, MCBs, RCCBs or RCBOs, isolators, changeover switches | nos |
| Cables | Sub-mains and feeders, armoured or unarmoured, with glands and lugs; cable tray | rmt |
| Earthing | Pipe, plate or chemical earth electrodes, earth strip, test chambers | nos, rmt |
| Fittings and fans | Light fittings, ceiling and exhaust fans, supply and fixing | nos |
| Low voltage | Data, TV, CCTV and phone points | point |
| Testing and liaison | Tests and report; documents for the DISCOM or inspector | LS |
For each item, specify what a client cannot see later: copper conductor and its grade (FR, FRLS or HFFR), conduit type and gauge, the breaking capacity of MCBs (for example 10 kA), the sensitivity of residual current devices (30 mA for personal protection), and the earthing method. A rate without a specification invites a cheaper quote that is not the same work.
GST: electrical goods vs installation
How GST applies depends on what you are contracted to do, not on how you split the paperwork:
| Contract | GST treatment | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Wiring and fitting out a building with your material | Works contract for immovable property (section 2(119)): one service | 18% on the full value |
| Installation labour only, client supplies material | Electrical installation service | 18% |
| Supply of goods only (cable, switches, MCBs, boards), no work | Supply of goods at each item's rate | Mostly 18% for cables, wiring accessories and switchgear |
| Supply of equipment with incidental installation (a fan, a pump), not part of the building | Composite supply: the rate of the main item | Rate of the equipment |
- Do not split a works contract to lower the rate. Showing "material at the goods rate" and "labour at 18%" on one job does not change the tax: it is one works contract at 18%.
- Separate contracts are different. If the client genuinely buys goods from you under one contract and engages you for installation under another, each is taxed on its own terms. Keep the two orders, invoices and delivery records separate.
- Input tax credit for the client on electrical works that become part of a building is generally blocked by section 17(5)(c) and (d) of the CGST Act, except where the installation is plant and machinery. Your client may treat the GST as a cost.
- Rates after 22 September 2025. The GST rate changes that took effect that day did not change the rate on works contracts for private buildings or on cables and switchgear; check the HSN of any equipment you supply separately, because some appliance rates did change.
Licence, safety and inspection
Electrical installation work in India must be carried out by a licensed electrical contractor, under the supervision of a person holding a supervisor's certificate of competency, by workers holding a wireman permit, all issued by the state's electrical licensing board. This follows from the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023 and the state rules made with them. Put your licence number and class on the quotation; many clients and every government buyer ask for it.
- Before connection: a new installation is tested before it is energised, and the distribution company (DISCOM) usually asks for a completion and test certificate from the licensed contractor before releasing a new connection or a load increase.
- Inspection: larger installations, by voltage and connected load, need approval from the electrical inspector. State in the quote who prepares the documents and who pays the fees.
- Standards: wiring is normally done to IS 732 (code of practice for electrical wiring installations) and earthing to IS 3043 (code of practice for earthing). Naming them in the quote tells the client what "good work" means.
Testing, commissioning and warranty
Price testing as its own item so it is not dropped in negotiation, and list the tests you will record:
| Test | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Insulation resistance (megger) | No leakage between conductors, or between conductors and earth |
| Earth electrode resistance | Each earth pit can carry fault current safely; record the reading per pit |
| Continuity of protective conductors | Every point and metal part is connected to earth |
| Polarity | Switches break the phase, not the neutral; sockets wired correctly |
| RCD trip test | Residual current devices trip within their rated current and time |
Warranty. Separate your workmanship warranty (12 months from handover is common) from the manufacturers' warranties on goods, which you pass on. Exclude damage from voltage surges, the client's own appliances, and alterations by others.
Terms to add for electrical work
- Copper price: cable rates firm for a short period from the order, then adjusted to the maker's price list.
- Civil work: whether chasing walls and making good is included, and whether painting after making good is excluded.
- Measurement: points by number, cables by running metre as laid, boards and earthing by number.
- Client's scope: power for tools, storage, scaffolding at height, DISCOM and inspection fees.
- Payment stages: advance for material, a stage on completion of conduiting and wiring, a retention until testing and handover.
Mistakes to avoid
- A rate per point with no definition of a point. The client will count every looped switch as a point.
- "Wire" with no size, grade or make. It lets a cheaper quote look the same as yours.
- Splitting one installation into goods and labour invoices to show a lower rate. It is one works contract at 18%.
- No copper clause on a cable-heavy job. Cable prices can move within your validity period.
- Testing left out of the price. It is the step that gets the supply connected; quote it.
- No licence details. Government and institutional buyers reject quotes without them.
Key terms
- Point
- One outlet (light, fan, socket or AC) with its wiring, conduit and switch, priced as a unit.
- DB (distribution board)
- The board that splits the supply into circuits, each protected by an MCB.
- MCB / RCCB
- Miniature circuit breaker (overload and short circuit) and residual current circuit breaker (earth leakage).
- FR / FRLS wire
- Flame-retardant and flame-retardant low-smoke insulation grades for building wiring.
- Works contract
- A contract for work on immovable property in which goods pass to the client; taxed as one service.
- Licensed electrical contractor
- A firm licensed by the state electrical licensing board to carry out installation work.
Questions people ask
What is the GST rate on electrical work?
Electrical installation in a building, with or without your material, is taxed at 18%. If you supply material and fix it, the whole job is one works contract at 18%; you do not charge goods rates on the material.
What is included in one electrical point?
Whatever your quotation says, which is why it must say it: usually the conduit, wire from the switchboard up to a stated length, the switch or socket, box and plate. Give a separate rate per metre for longer runs.
How do I quote for house wiring?
Count points from the layout by type (light, fan, power, AC, geyser), price each type per point with stated wire sizes and makes, add the DB, MCBs, RCCB, earthing and main cable, then testing. Say whether chasing and making good are included.
Should I split supply and installation in the quotation?
You can show material and labour for transparency, but if it is one contract to wire a building it is one works contract taxed at 18%. Only separate contracts for goods and for installation are taxed separately.
Do I need a licence to quote for electrical work?
The work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor with a certified supervisor and permit-holding wiremen, under the state licensing board. Put your licence number and class on the quotation.
What tests should an electrical quotation include?
Insulation resistance, earth electrode resistance, continuity of protective conductors, polarity and RCD trip tests, with a written report. The DISCOM or inspector may need it before connecting the supply.
What warranty should I give on electrical work?
A workmanship warranty, often 12 months from handover, plus the makers' warranties on goods, which you pass on. Exclude surges, the client's appliances and later alterations by others.
How long should an electrical quotation be valid?
Fifteen days is common. Keep cable rates firm for a shorter period, or tie them to the maker's price list, because copper prices move.