Want the best job in residential electrical right now? EV charger installs. High ticket, dead-simple scope, and customers who'll happily pay extra just to get on your schedule fast. This guide breaks down every line item your quote needs — charger unit, circuit, trenching, permit, and the panel-capacity conversation most quotes completely botch — plus two fully worked examples with real numbers and a free starter template.
Why EV Charger Installs Are the Best Job in Electrical Right Now
Millions of EVs on US roads, and nearly all of them charge at home. A typical install runs $1,200 to $3,000+, takes one day, and the scope is crystal clear. No mystery troubleshooting. No callbacks. And because customers *want* it done yesterday, you get less price pushback than on almost any other residential job. If your shop isn't quoting these yet? You're leaving the easiest money in the trade sitting on the table.
One more thing working in your favor: rebates. Plenty of utilities and states will kick in money for home charger installs. Know your local rebate and put it right on the quote — 'ask your utility about the $500 home-charger rebate.' It discounts your price in the customer's head without costing you a dime. Free sales edge.
What Line Items Belong on an EV Charger Quote?
1. The charger unit itself. First decision: who supplies it — you or the customer? Supply it yourself. You earn the markup, and there's one clear line of responsibility if the unit fails. A typical 48-amp wall connector runs about $550.
2. The dedicated circuit. Breaker, wire — 6 AWG copper is standard for a 60-amp circuit feeding a 48-amp charger — conduit, disconnect if the inspector wants one. Heads up: long runs get expensive fast. Wire is the line item that turns a $1,500 quote into a $2,800 quote.
3. Labor. Separate from materials, always. Garage install: 3–6 hours. Pedestal with trenching: plan on the full day.
4. Trenching and concrete cutting. Outdoor pedestals only. Price it per linear foot — and spell out the restoration scope. Does your number include backfill and reseeding, or is the homeowner staring at a dirt scar afterward? Put it in writing.
5. Permit and inspection. Required nearly everywhere. Budget $100–$250 by jurisdiction — own line item, no exceptions.
6. Panel capacity — the load calculation. This is the one most quotes get wrong by just... leaving it out. Always run a load calc before you quote. Panel full or service undersized? Present the charger plus the panel work as separate options — good/better — not as a nasty surprise halfway through the job.
7. Utility coordination. Rare, but when you need a meter spot or a disconnect/reconnect with the utility, list it. Don't absorb utility headaches for free.
8. Commissioning and walkthrough. Wi-Fi setup, app pairing, 15 minutes showing them how it works. Costs you basically nothing — and it's what gets you the five-star reviews that sell your next ten chargers.
The Load Calculation Conversation
Rule one: never promise a price before you've checked panel capacity. The conversation is simple — 'Good news, your panel has room for the 60-amp circuit,' or 'Your panel's full, so here are two options: panel upgrade with the charger at $X, or a lower-amperage setup at $Y.' Customers respect straight talk. And options upfront beat that awful mid-job 'so, bad news…' call every single time.
Free Starter EV Charger Quote Template
| Line Item | Details | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charger unit | [Model, amperage] + ___% markup | $ |
| Circuit materials | Breaker, wire, conduit | $ |
| Materials markup | ___% | $ |
| Labor | ___ hrs × $___/hr | $ |
| Trenching / concrete | ___ ft × $___/ft | $ |
| Permit fee | [Jurisdiction] | $ |
| Load calculation | Included | $0 |
| Travel / trip charge | $ | |
| Subtotal | $ | |
| Tax | ___% | $ |
| Quote total | $ | |
| Valid until | [Date — 30 days out] |
Worked Example 1: Garage Wall Connector, Panel 10 Ft Away — $2,089
Scenario: 48-amp wall connector mounted in the garage, panel on the shared wall 10 feet away. 200-amp service with plenty of capacity. Half-day job.
| Line Item | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charger unit | $550 + 30% markup | $715 |
| Circuit materials (60A breaker, 6 AWG, conduit) | $220 + 30% markup | $286 |
| Labor | 4 hrs × $120/hr | $480 |
| Permit fee | $150 | |
| Travel | $40 | |
| Direct cost | $1,671 | |
| 20% profit margin | $1,671 ÷ 0.80 | $2,089 |
This is your bread-and-butter EV job. In and out in half a day, clean scope, happy customer. At this price you're pocketing roughly $418 in profit for four hours of field work — plus the material markup. Not bad for a morning.
Worked Example 2: Outdoor Pedestal With 25 Ft Trenching — $3,267
Scenario: Detached garage with no nearby panel. Pedestal-mounted charger at the end of the driveway, 25 feet of trenching across the yard, 60-foot total circuit run. Full-day job.
| Line Item | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charger unit | $550 + 30% markup | $715 |
| Circuit materials (long run) | $380 + 30% markup | $494 |
| Pedestal, post, concrete | $100 | |
| Trenching | 25 ft × $10/ft | $250 |
| Labor | 7 hrs × $120/hr | $840 |
| Permit fee | $175 | |
| Travel | $40 | |
| Direct cost | $2,614 | |
| 20% profit margin | $2,614 ÷ 0.80 | $3,267 |
See how trenching and the long run add over $1,100 versus the garage install? That's exactly why you build EV quotes from line items — never as a flat 'charger installs are $1,800.' Same charger. Totally different job. $2,089 or $3,267 depending on what the site throws at you.
Quoting Mistakes Specific to EV Jobs
1. Skipping the load calc. Quote the install, start the job, THEN discover the panel can't take a 60-amp circuit? Congrats — your one-day job just became an argument. Check capacity first. Always.
2. Forgetting restoration. Trenching is obvious. Putting the yard back? Not so much — which is why guys forget to price it. Spell out whether backfill, reseeding, or concrete patching is included. A $250 trench turns into a $600 fight if the customer expected their lawn back.
3. Customer-supplied charger, no terms. If they insist on supplying it, fine — but write it on the quote in plain English: 'customer-supplied equipment — labor warranty only, no warranty on equipment.' Otherwise guess whose problem it is when their bargain-bin Amazon charger dies in three months? Yours.
4. Ignoring the rebate paperwork. Lots of utilities want specific documentation. Offer to handle it — or at least hand them the paperwork filled out. Mention it in the quote notes. It's a differentiator that costs you ten minutes.
5. Soft-pedaling panel problems. Service is marginal? Quote the charger AND the panel options side by side and let the customer choose. You'll never look like you're upselling mid-job — because you aren't.
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Download the Free PackFrequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home?
Usually $1,200 to $3,000 for residential. What moves the number? Distance from the panel (wire ain't cheap), trenching or concrete cutting, and whether the panel can even take a new 60-amp circuit. Simple garage install near the panel — low end. Pedestal across the yard with trenching — high end. Site conditions are everything.
Do I need a permit to install an EV charger?
Almost everywhere, yes. It's a new dedicated circuit, so the AHJ wants a permit and an inspection. Budget $100–$250 as its own line item — and where it's required, don't start work until that permit's in hand. (Ask me how I know.)
What size circuit does an EV charger need?
A 48-amp charger — the most common home unit — needs a 60-amp circuit with 6 AWG copper. That's the continuous-load rule: EV charging counts as continuous, so the circuit gets rated at 125% of the charger amperage. Always double-check the manufacturer's specs and your local code, though. Code wins every argument.
Should the electrician supply the charger, or the homeowner?
You, the electrician — every time. You earn the markup and there's one clear warranty path. If the homeowner insists on supplying it, get 'customer-supplied equipment — labor warranty only' on the quote in writing. Otherwise you're on the hook for a defective unit you didn't even pick.
How long does an EV charger installation take?
Garage install near the panel: 3–6 hours, done by lunch. Add trenching, a pedestal, or a long run — now it's a full day. Panel upgrade or service change on top? Add another day or more, and quote it as a separate option, not buried in the charger price.