Free electrician template
Electrician estimate template: recessed lighting
An estimate template for a six-fixture recessed lighting install: layout, wiring, trim, and dimmer, with the labor rate prefilled from real electrician wage data.
The labor rate, with the math shown
Median electrician wage (national)
$30.38/hr
Derived from the $63,190 annual median (BLS OEWS May 2025) at 2,080 hours a year.
Prefilled billing rate
$60 to $75/hr
The wage times a 2 to 2.5x rule of thumb for overhead, insurance, vehicle, non-billable time, and profit. The download prefills $70/hr. A starting point, not market data: set your own rate.
Download the templates
Free, no signup. The CSVs open in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers with the line items and the labor rate already in place.
What's on the estimate
Hours are typical ranges to edit, not measurements. Material quantities and prices stay open because only you know your suppliers.
| Line item | Typical hrs | Rate | Prefilled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout and mark fixture locations | 0.5 to 1 | $70/hr | $56.00 |
| Cut openings and run wiring (six fixtures) | 3 to 4 | $70/hr | $245.00 |
| Install housings, trims, and dimmer switch | 2 to 3 | $70/hr | $175.00 |
| Test, adjust, and clean up | 0.5 to 1 | $70/hr | $56.00 |
| LED recessed fixtures (six) | your quantity and price | ||
| Compatible dimmer switch | your quantity and price | ||
| 14/2 or 12/2 NM cable | your quantity and price | ||
| Old-work housings or wafer kits | your quantity and price | ||
Scope notes printed on the estimate
- Drywall patching and paint are excluded; openings are cut clean for the fixtures listed.
- Assumes accessible joist bays or attic access; furred or insulated ceilings may add time.
Adjust the rate for your state
Electrician pay is not one number. These are the highest-paying states TradesPays tracks; the hourly figure is the state median derived the same way (annual over 2,080 hours).
| State | Median (annual) | Derived hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $99,560 | $47.87/hr |
| Washington | $95,220 | $45.78/hr |
| Massachusetts | $79,420 | $38.18/hr |
| New York | $78,750 | $37.86/hr |
| Minnesota | $78,160 | $37.58/hr |
| New Jersey | $77,250 | $37.14/hr |
Full state-by-state pay: electrician salary by state.
The electrician bundle: $24 one time. Checkout opens soon.
- Every estimate and invoice template for your trade, current and future job types included
- Editable spreadsheet versions of each template, not just the free CSV
- Labor rates refreshed with each new BLS wage release, so your numbers never go stale
- A one-page guide to setting your hourly rate from the median wage, with the math shown
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Electrician rates and estimates: FAQ
- What should electricians charge per hour in 2026?
- The national median electrician wage is about $30.38 an hour, derived from the $63,190 annual median (BLS OEWS May 2025). A common rule of thumb for electricians billing customers is 2 to 2.5 times the wage to cover overhead, insurance, vehicle, non-billable time, and profit: roughly $60 to $75 an hour. That range is a starting point, not market data; set your own rate.
- What goes into a recessed lighting estimate?
- This template breaks the job into 4 labor lines, from "layout and mark fixture locations" through "test, adjust, and clean up", lists the usual materials with quantities left open, and prints 2 scope notes so assumptions and exclusions are in writing before work starts.
- Is the template really free?
- Yes. The estimate and invoice CSVs download free with no signup. The $24 per-trade bundle adds editable spreadsheet versions, every job type for your trade, and labor rates refreshed with each BLS release.
More electrician templates
Wage source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (BLS OEWS May 2025), national median for electricians, 2026 site data. Hourly figures are derived (annual over 2,080 hours) and labeled as such. Billing-rate ranges are rule-of-thumb starting points, not market data.