Electrical quote follow-up for jobs that take weeks to decide
A panel upgrade or EV charger quote is not an emergency. The homeowner has three bids, a spouse to consult and a month to think. Most electricians send the quote and wait. The ones who text four times over two weeks close about 8 points higher.
How should an electrician follow up on a quote?
Text within 10 minutes, then on day 2, day 7 and day 14, each with one useful fact: permit timing, utility lead time, a rebate deadline, or a photo of a similar job. Electrical has a roughly 30-day sales cycle, so the sequence is slower than plumbing. One electrical contractor on Jobber’s podcast reported close rates moving from 48% to 56% after adding a 14-day nurture. Automate it from your software so it runs on every quote.
Why electrical quotes go quiet
Electrical work is planned, not panicked. WebFX’s 2026 benchmarks give electrical a 30-day sales cycle against one day for plumbing. The homeowner gets two or three bids (Angi’s own data says 3 to 5 contractors are sent each lead), then talks to a partner, then checks whether the EV charger rebate still applies, then forgets. By week three your quote is one of three PDFs and the only thing that separates them is who stayed in touch.
The close-rate evidence is small-sample but consistent. Cory Byron of Vancity Electric reported about 48% on Jobber’s podcast; another electrical contractor on the same show said a 14-day nurture lifted them from 48% to 56%. On $2,500 to $4,500 panel upgrades, eight points on 20 quotes a month is roughly $6,000 to $7,000 in extra booked work for the cost of four texts.
The 14-day electrical follow-up sequence
Four texts from the electrician who did the walkthrough. Each gives the homeowner one real reason to decide now, not a discount.
Day 0, within 10 minutes
“Hi [First name], [Electrician] from [Company]. Your quote for the [200A panel upgrade / Level 2 EV charger] is in your email. The permit and [Oncor / CenterPoint] disconnect usually take about [5–7] days to schedule, so if you want it done this month we should file this week. Any questions?”
Day 2
“Morning [First name]. Here is a photo of a [panel upgrade] we finished in [neighbourhood] last week so you can see how it looks finished: [link]. Happy to walk through the quote line by line if useful.”
Day 7, one fact with a date
“[First name], heads up that the [Oncor $250 EV charger rebate / 30% federal credit paperwork] needs the install completed before [date]. We can still hit it if we book by [day]. Want me to pencil you in?”
Day 14, the honest close
“Hi [First name], last one from me on the [rewire] quote. If you picked another electrician, no problem, just tell me so I close the file. If it is budget or timing, we can split it into two phases or book for [month] at today’s price.”
For a no-power or burning-smell call, this is the wrong sequence. Those are emergencies; use the 10-minute, 2-hour, next-morning rhythm from our plumbing page.
What to say for each kind of electrical quote
| Quote type | Typical Texas ticket | Homeowner’s real worry | The one detail to text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel upgrade (100A → 200A) | $2,500–$4,500 | Power off for a day; utility coordination | You handle the utility disconnect and permit; power back same day |
| Level 2 EV charger | $900–$2,200 (more if panel work) | Rebate paperwork; does the panel have room | Rebate deadline, load calc done, charger in stock |
| Whole-home rewire | $12,000–$30,000 | Walls, dust, weeks of disruption | Phased plan, room-by-room schedule, drywall patching included |
| Standby generator | $9,000–$18,000 installed | Gas line, HOA, how long it takes | Gas plumber coordinated, HOA letter template, install window |
| Ceiling fans / recessed lights | $300–$1,200 | Is it worth a licensed electrician | One visit, fixtures on the truck, TECL on the invoice |
| Hot tub / pool circuit | $1,200–$2,800 | Inspection and safety | GFCI and bonding explained, inspection booked by you |
What makes electrical follow-up work
- Lead with the utility, not the price. The homeowner does not know Oncor needs a week’s notice for a disconnect. You do. That knowledge is the reason to book now.
- Photos beat adjectives. A finished panel with neat labelling closes more than “clean workmanship”.
- Phase big jobs. A $20,000 rewire that can be split into two $10,000 phases closes more often.
- Stop on reply. Any response pauses the sequence and goes to a human.
- Track lost reasons. Price, timing, chose a competitor, never answered. After a quarter you will know whether the problem is the quote or the follow-up.
Texas rules for electricians texting customers
TDLR rule 16 TAC §73.51 requires your electrical contractor licence number (TECL) in all advertising and on vehicles; a quote follow-up text is advertising, so sign off with “TECL [number]”. Panel upgrades, EV circuits and generators all need permits and inspections in Texas cities, and utility disconnects for panel work run through Oncor (DFW), CenterPoint (Houston), Austin Energy or CPS Energy (San Antonio), each with its own lead time; that lead time is your day-0 fact. On texting: the homeowner asked for the quote, so follow-ups are consent-based and exempt from SB 140 registration under the November 2025 settlement. Keep sends between 9am and 9pm (noon to 9pm Sunday) and keep the request on file. The ERCOT record peak of 91,089 MW on 22 July 2026 is also a useful line in generator and panel follow-ups: homeowners remember the grid stress.
How we automate electrical quote follow-up
Trigger from the quote
Estimate sent in ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or Jobber starts the 14-day sequence in the electrician’s name.
Job-type wording
Panel, EV, rewire, generator, lighting and pool circuits each get their own facts and timing.
Rebate and permit dates
We keep a list of current utility rebates and permit lead times per metro so the day-7 text is true.
Reply handling
A reply pauses the sequence and lands in your inbox; “yes” books the slot; “no” logs the reason.
TECL signature and Texas hours
Built in on every text.
Questions owners ask
How long should an electrician wait before following up on a quote?
Ten minutes for the first text, then day 2, 7 and 14. Electrical decisions take about a month, so the sequence is slower than plumbing or HVAC.
What close rate should electricians expect on quotes?
Electricians on Jobber’s podcast report around 48%, rising to about 56% with a two-week follow-up sequence. Your number depends on job mix and how many bids the homeowner collected.
Should I follow up by phone or text?
Text. Homeowners read texts within minutes and rarely answer unknown numbers. Offer a call in the text if they want one.
Is it pushy to text four times?
Not if each text gives them something useful: a permit timeline, a rebate date, a photo. Pushy is four texts that all say “just checking in”.
Should I discount in the follow-up?
No. Offer phasing, a held install date or handling the utility paperwork. Discounts in follow-ups train customers to wait for them.
Do I need my TECL number in a text?
In Texas, yes. 16 TAC §73.51 requires it in advertising. Put it in the signature of every customer text.
Is texting quote follow-ups legal in Texas?
Yes. The homeowner requested the quote, so it is consent-based contact and exempt from SB 140 registration under the November 2025 settlement. Send between 9am and 9pm.
What if the homeowner says the quote is too high?
Ask what they are comparing it to, then offer a phased scope or a different equipment tier. Do not cut the price without cutting something from the scope.
How do I handle EV charger rebates in follow-up?
Know the current utility rebate and its deadline, and put the date in the day-7 text. It is the single most effective electrical follow-up fact we have seen.
Can the sequence run from Jobber or ServiceTitan?
Yes. It triggers when the quote is sent, uses the electrician’s name, pauses on reply and logs the outcome back to the job.
Next pages
Sources
- SchedulingKit, Electrician Industry Statistics (2026), citing Jobber Masters of Home Service S6E10 (Vancity Electric, ~48% close) and S6E17 (48% → 56% after 14-day nurture).
- WebFX, Home Services Marketing Benchmarks (updated 29 Jun 2026): electrical sales cycle ~30 days.
- Home Showoff, Angi lead distribution 2026: 3–5 contractors per lead.
- 16 TAC §73.51, TDLR electrical advertising requirements.
- ERCOT, peak demand record 91,089 MW on 22 Jul 2026.
- Texas SB 140 (1 Sep 2025); Texas AG settlement Nov 2025.
Quotes going quiet for a month?
We run the 14-day electrical sequence from your software with real permit and rebate dates, your TECL in the signature, and a Monday report on what closed.