Hiring an electrician in Singapore in 2026 costs roughly $60 to swap a faulty socket, $120 to $180 to replace a tripping circuit breaker, and $250 to $800 to rewire a distribution board. Most firms add a $30 to $60 callout fee that is often waived if the repair goes ahead on the same visit. The figure on the quote matters less than one detail buyers keep missing: under the Electricity Act, wiring work is only legal when a Licensed Electrical Worker carries it out or signs off on it. This guide breaks down every common job by price, shows you how to verify a licence for free, and flags where the real money goes when you skip the cheap quote.
Pricing across Singapore electricians clusters tightly because the trade is small and labour-driven. The table below pools 2026 quotes from several established firms so you can sanity-check anything you are quoted. Treat every figure as a 'from' price for one item in one visit; bundling jobs lowers the per-item cost, while concealed wiring behind walls roughly doubles the labour versus surface trunking.
A single callout for one small fix is where homeowners overpay. The transport or site-inspection fee sits at $30 to $60, and many firms credit it back if you proceed. Batching a socket swap, a light point, and a switch into one appointment spreads that fixed cost and is the single easiest way to cut your bill.
| Job | Typical price (from) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Callout / site inspection | $30 to $60 | Often waived if repair proceeds same visit |
| Socket or power-point replacement | $60 to $120 | 13A single or double, surface mount |
| Light point install or replace | $80 to $180 | Per point; downlights and fittings at upper end |
| Ceiling fan installation | $80 to $200 | Depends on weight and existing point |
| Power-trip diagnosis | $60 to $150 | Fault-finding labour, before parts |
| MCB / circuit breaker replacement | $120 to $180 | Single miniature circuit breaker |
| RCCB / ELCB replacement | $180 to $280 | Earth-leakage safety device |
| Distribution (DB) box rewire or upgrade | $250 to $800 | Scope drives the wide range |
| Water heater point installation | $100 to $250 | Wiring works require an LEW |
| Full HDB rewiring (4-room) | $3,000 to $5,500 | Whole-flat package, materials included |
Singapore does not let just anyone touch a live circuit. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) licenses every electrician under the Electricity Act, and the licence holder is called a Licensed Electrical Worker, or LEW. If a job involves wiring, power points, switches, lighting points, or your consumer unit and circuit breakers, an LEW must do it or supervise it. Hiring a cheaper handyman for these tasks is not a grey area; it is illegal work that can void your insurance and your fire-safety cover.
Some jobs sit outside the rule. Changing a light bulb, plugging in an appliance, or installing a water heater or fan only needs an LEW once wiring works are involved. So a like-for-like heater swap on an existing point is lighter touch than running a fresh 20A circuit for it. When in doubt, the safe default is to assume an LEW is required, because that protects you if anything later goes wrong.
LEWs come in three classes. An electrician's licence covers installations up to 1,000 volts and 45 kVA, which comfortably covers any home and most small offices. Electrical technicians and electrical engineers handle larger loads. For your flat or condo, you want a holder of the standard electrician's licence. If you are budgeting a fuller home project, our HDB renovation cost guide shows where electrical work fits in the overall spend.
Verification takes two minutes and costs nothing, yet almost nobody does it. Every LEW carries a licence card showing a photo, name, NRIC, and licence number. Ask to see it before work begins, and cross-check the number on EMA's e-Licence Information Services (ELISE) portal, which lists every active worker. Reputable firms will share the LEW number over WhatsApp on request without hesitation.
Two identical-sounding jobs can differ by hundreds of dollars, and it is rarely the firm being greedy. Three drivers explain most of the gap.
First is access. Surface trunking that runs along a skirting is fast; concealed wiring that needs wall hacking and re-plastering can double the labour and adds a patch-up trade. Second is scope; a DB box rewire ranges from $250 for a small refresh to $800 when the whole consumer unit is upgraded with new breakers and an RCCB. Third is the parts spec. Generic switches are cheap, but branded gear from Schneider, Legrand, MK, or Clipsal costs more and lasts longer, which is the better call on anything load-bearing like a heater or aircon circuit.
If you are pricing a whole-home job rather than a single fix, run the numbers in our renovation cost calculator first, then keep the electrical line as its own quote so you can compare like for like across firms.
The fastest-growing electrical job in Singapore is the home EV charger, and it is also the most misunderstood on price. A fixed home charger must be installed by an LEW, comply with the TR25 technical standard, and be registered with LTA before you can use it. Expect $2,000 to $8,000 installed for a 7.4 kW AC unit, with most landed-home jobs landing near $3,500.
HDB carpark lots cannot take a personal charger; LTA is rolling out shared points instead. Condo owners can install, but only after the management corporation passes a resolution and the building's LEW signs off. The sweetener is the EV Common Charger Grant (ECCG), which co-funds 50% of eligible installation costs. The first 2,000 chargers are capped at $4,000 each and the next 1,500 at $3,000 each, and the scheme closes on 31 December 2026 or once 3,500 chargers are funded, whichever comes first. If an EV is on your horizon, the grant deadline makes 2026 the year to act. Pair this with our car cost calculator to see the full running cost before you commit.
Spending less is mostly about timing and bundling, not haggling on the hourly rate.
Group small jobs into one visit so the callout fee is spread across several fixes. Get the quote itemised so you can see exactly what labour, parts, and transport cost. Buy your own fittings where the firm allows it, since the markup on switches and sockets is real. And do not chase the rock-bottom quote on safety-critical work; a $60 saving on a DB box is meaningless if a corner-cut job trips repeatedly or fails inspection.
Most electricians in Singapore charge in the region of $60 to $120 an hour for general work in 2026, with specialised licensed jobs running higher. In practice many firms quote per job rather than per hour, plus a $30 to $60 callout fee that is often waived if the repair proceeds.
Yes. Under the Electricity Act, any wiring, power-point, switch, lighting-point, or circuit-breaker work must be done or supervised by a Licensed Electrical Worker licensed by the Energy Market Authority. Using an unlicensed person for these tasks is illegal and can void your home and fire insurance.
Ask to see the LEW licence card, which shows the worker's photo, name, NRIC, and licence number, then verify that number on the EMA ELISE portal. Confirm the licence class matches your job; a standard electrician's licence covers any home up to 1,000 volts and 45 kVA.
A distribution box rewire or upgrade runs about $250 to $800 depending on scope and whether breakers and an RCCB are replaced. A full 4-room HDB rewiring package typically costs $3,000 to $5,500 including materials, with larger flats and condos costing more.
This is general financial information for Singapore, not personal financial advice. Figures change — verify current rates against the official sources above before acting. See our full disclaimer.