Standard, AFCI, GFCI, tandem, or 2-pole—get the full swap cost including breaker, labor, and panel access time so your flat rate holds up on every service call.
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A standard 15A breaker costs $8–$15. An AFCI 15A breaker costs $35–$60. A dual-function AFCI/GFCI is $60–$90. When NEC 2020 requires AFCI on nearly every bedroom circuit, your material cost triples. Don't run a flat rate for "any circuit breaker"—the type determines your margin.
Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels don't just need a new breaker—they need a new panel. Replacement breakers are available but many electricians and inspectors consider the panel itself unsafe. The right call is a written recommendation for panel replacement with documented evidence. Swapping a breaker in a known-defective panel can create liability if there's a fire.
The first breaker on a service call costs 1–1.5 hours of labor (travel, panel open, swap, test, close). Each additional breaker in the same panel costs 15–30 minutes. If a customer has 4 breakers to replace, the flat rate isn't 4× the single-breaker price. Price it right: first breaker at full rate, each additional at 30–40% of that.
The Electrician's Business Starter Kit includes a flat-rate price book for 40 common service calls (including all breaker types), NEC quick-reference cards, and a service agreement template. Guide from $19 — Complete Kit with all 19 templates, $49.
Get the Electrician's Kit →Breaker replacement pricing depends on breaker type, panel brand, amperage, and whether a permit is required. This calculator accounts for all of it — standard vs. AFCI/GFCI breakers, labor time, permit cost, and your markup on parts — to give you a complete job price. Stop pricing breaker swaps by feel and start using a repeatable formula.