After-Hours and Emergency Electrical Quotes: How Just Send It AI Prices the Timing
A 9pm callout is not a Tuesday morning job. Your quote should say so before the client accepts it.
Quick answer: after-hours and emergency electrical work should be priced differently from standard work because labour costs, minimum attendance and disruption are different. Set your own rates and minimums, state them on the quote and keep any call-out fee on its own line. In Just Send It AI you choose when the job happens (Standard, After hours, Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, or Emergency) and the quote applies the matching labour rule automatically.
Most underquoted jobs are not complicated jobs. They are simple jobs done at the wrong time of day, priced from memory at the standard rate.
Why timing changes the price
- Labour rate: working nights, weekends and public holidays costs more, whether that is paid to staff or given up from your own time.
- Minimum attendance: a 20-minute fix at 10pm still means driving out, setting up and packing down.
- Call-out: getting to site has a cost that does not depend on how long the fix takes.
- Disruption: emergency work bumps scheduled jobs and can push other clients back.
None of these are unfair to the client when they are written down. They become a dispute when they appear only on the invoice.
How JSI handles job timing
When you build a quote, JSI asks one question: When is the job? The options and their rules, as they appear in the app:
- Standard: your normal rate.
- After hours: labour is priced at your after hours rate and at least 2 hours are billed.
- Saturday: at least 4 hours are billed.
- Sunday or public holiday: labour is doubled and at least 4 hours are billed.
- Emergency: labour is priced at your emergency rate and at least 2 hours are billed.
You can also add a call-out fee. It is a flat fee, added once and shown as its own line, so the client can see exactly what it is for.
The rates come from your own settings and Business Cost Calculator, not a national average. You still review and edit every line before sending.
What the client should see
A good after-hours quote answers three questions without a phone call:
- What is the timing and why does it cost more?
- What minimum applies if the job is quick?
- Is there a separate call-out fee?
Showing the timing on the quote also protects you. If the client later asks why a short job cost more than expected, the accepted quote already explains it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Quoting emergency work at the standard rate because the client is a regular.
- Hiding the call-out fee inside labour so the client cannot tell what they are paying for.
- Forgetting the minimum on a short Saturday visit.
- Promising a fixed price for fault-finding when the cause is unknown. Quote the attendance and diagnosis, then the repair.
The useful next step
Set your after hours and emergency rates once, then let every timed quote use them. Pricing nights and weekends correctly is one of the fastest ways to stop working for less than your time is worth.
Frequently asked questions
Should after-hours electrical work cost more?
Yes, in most businesses. Labour, minimum attendance and disruption are all higher. Set your own rates and state them on the quote so the client agrees before work starts.
What is a call-out fee on an electrical quote?
It is a flat charge for attending site, separate from the labour to do the work. In Just Send It AI it is added once and shown as its own line.
How does Just Send It AI price weekend work?
You select Saturday, or Sunday or public holiday, when building the quote. Saturday bills at least 4 hours. Sunday or public holiday doubles labour and bills at least 4 hours.
Can I change the timing rules on a JSI quote?
You review and can edit every line before sending. The rates themselves come from your own settings rather than a fixed industry figure.