Household electrical work runs from a half-hour inspection visit to a full villa first fix. In between is a wide space where it is hard to know whether a price is reasonable. The table below gives starting ranges including labour and the call-out, with materials priced separately because they vary by type.
Price table — Riyadh 2026
| Job | What it covers | Time | From (SAR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection and diagnosis visit | Check breaker, board, sockets and identify the fault | 45 min | 100 |
| Replace a sub-circuit breaker | Supply and fit a breaker of the same rating | 30 min | 80 |
| Fit an earth leakage device | RCD into the existing board, with a test | 1 hour | 250 |
| Repair a short circuit | Trace the circuit, isolate and repair the damaged run | 1–3 hours | 180 |
| Fit or move a socket | One point with surface containment | 45 min | 90 |
| Run a dedicated appliance circuit | Dedicated line from the board for AC, heater or oven | 2–3 hours | 350 |
| Fit a ceiling light point | One point, excluding the fitting itself | 30 min | 70 |
| Fit a large chandelier | Mounting, connection and balancing | 1–2 hours | 200 |
| Upgrade the distribution board | New board, redistribution, circuit labelling | 4–6 hours | 900 |
| Full safety inspection with report | Insulation, earth and load readings, written report | 2 hours | 400 |
Indicative figures for labour and the call-out. Breakers, cable and fittings are priced after inspection according to type and rating.
Four factors that move the price
- Type of containment. Surface runs in plastic trunking are much cheaper and faster than buried runs, which need chasing, making good and repainting afterwards.
- Distance from the board. Every extra metre is more cable and more time. The difference between a point 3 m away and one 15 m away is significant.
- Load rating. A circuit for a 24,000 BTU AC needs a larger cable size and a larger breaker than a lighting circuit, and the copper cost difference is real.
- Timing. Night visits and public holidays carry a surcharge. Ask about it when booking, not after the technician arrives.
What a quote should show
A verbal quote consisting of one number is the source of most disputes. Ask for it broken into these items:
- Labour priced separately from materials
- The type and rating of every breaker and cable to be used — not just the word 'materials'
- Whether chasing, making good and painting are included or left to the owner
- The workmanship warranty period, and the manufacturer warranty on parts
- Whether the call-out fee is deducted from the bill if you approve the work
Where prices inflate without reason
Most commonly over-priced items
The second item deserves a specific warning. One breaker tripping repeatedly does not mean the whole board needs replacing. A board is replaced when there is no space left for an additional circuit, when it is old and has no earth leakage device, or when there is heat damage visible on the terminals. Always ask for a specific written reason before agreeing to a board replacement.
And the first item — the bigger breaker
Swapping a 20 A breaker for a 32 A one 'so it stops tripping' is not a fix; it hides the problem, and it is dangerous. A breaker is sized to protect the cable, so if it is rated above what the cable can carry, the cable heats and burns before the breaker reacts. Any quote that upgrades a breaker without upgrading the cable should be refused.
Frequently asked questions
Is the inspection visit usually free?
Not for most electrical work, because the diagnosis is the work. The common practice is a call-out fee that is deducted from the final bill if you approve the repair. Ask about this when booking — it makes a real difference on small jobs.
What does a full villa first fix cost?
That job is not priced from a table but from a drawing, because it depends on area, number of points, floors and loads. The right approach is to ask for a price per electrical point with a schedule of point counts, not one lump sum — then you can actually compare quotes.
When is a board upgrade genuinely necessary?
When there is no earth leakage device, when there is no space to add circuits, when there is blackening or heat damage on the terminals, or when the board is old with aluminium wiring. A single breaker tripping repeatedly is a one-circuit problem and is dealt with at that level.