Cost Comparison: Drawing Your Single-Line Diagram Yourself vs. Hiring an Electrician
Single-line diagram yourself with PlanElec or by an electrician? Three scenarios for an existing installation, an unknown old installation and a new build, a quotation check and a clear decision rule for Belgium.
AuthorStephan BehmDrawing the diagram yourself pays off when your starting data is verified; you hire an electrician when the as-built state is unknown or design and installation work is coming. The deciding factor is not a price list but who delivers which service: survey, drawing, technical responsibility and inspection. For the Belgian inspection, only one thing counts in the end: the single-line diagram and situation plan show the actual state.
Compare the same services
| Task | Yourself with PlanElec | Commission to a qualified electrician |
|---|---|---|
| Record the as-built state | as far as data can be established safely and without intervention | professional identification and measurement |
| Diagram and situation plan | structured input, both plans from one model, PDF export | depending on the quotation, drawing from supplied or surveyed data |
| Technical design | remains professional work | can be commissioned explicitly |
| Final technical review | organise separately | included if the quotation says so |
| Official inspection | by an approved inspection body | also by an approved inspection body |
| Cost basis | early access EUR 0; then from EUR 15 per property; your own time | project-specific quotation, no official unit rate |
Complete project data makes doing it yourself straightforward; an unknown old installation needs a professional survey. The AREI states who draws up the single-line diagram: the person responsible for carrying out the work (Subsection 3.1.2.1 a of AREI/RGIE Book 1, version 06).
Three editable scenarios
The formulas are calculation items, not Belgian average prices. Enter your own quotation amounts and time values.
1. Existing installation with good records
external = survey per quotation + drawing + technical review + inspection
own = own hours × personal time value + PlanElec plan + technical review + inspection
If the floor plan, board, protective devices and circuit assignments are verified, your own work is mainly data entry and cross-checking. Unknown technical values stay marked as unknown instead of being estimated. Alternatively, a contractor reviews and draws exactly that limited data set.
2. Existing installation without reliable assignments
Here the first question is which circuit feeds which device and which cable and protection data actually exist. Opening enclosures and measuring is not DIY work. In your own model, add a professional survey as a separate item. You can then enter the confirmed data into PlanElec yourself if you want to take over the drawing.
3. New or substantially altered installation
For new circuits or sources, technical design comes before drawing. Manufacturer conditions, grid operator requirements and the AREI version shape the decisions. So do not compare a full-service quotation with drawing work alone; split design, installation, documentation and inspection. A substantial alteration is inspected before it is put into use (Subsection 6.4.7.3).
Which documents belong in the comparison?
The official FPS Economy guidance names the single-line diagram and situation plan among the minimum documents for a domestic inspection. The diagram contains cable type, cross-section, number of conductors, installation method, residual current and overcurrent protection as well as switches, boxes, socket outlets, lighting points, fixed appliances and sources (Subsection 3.1.2.2 a); the situation plan shows where those items are. Both belong to the installation file (Section 9.1.2). That is the yardstick for the comparison, not the tool that draws the lines.
What PlanElec does today
PlanElec links floor plan, electrical topology and board planning. The single-line diagram and situation plan come from one model with the same references and are exported as PDFs. The AREI/RGIE self-check tests the supported rules that can be decided from your project data and shows open points; it is an indicative check, not a conformity certificate. The material list and working dossier are available as pilot features with stated limits.
The prices are published: during early access PlanElec costs EUR 0. After the paid plans start, which we will announce well in advance, Free stays free (exports with masked areas), single property costs EUR 15 per property and Pro EUR 29 per month, excluding VAT. For a single house, single property is therefore the right figure for your own model. Your own time, professional work, installation work and the official inspection remain separate items.
When an electrician is essential
- when the survey requires measurements or opening enclosures;
- when conductor data, protection coordination or earthing is unclear;
- when new circuits, PV, storage, an EV charger or backup power are planned;
- when an inspection report lists technical infringements;
- when manufacturer or grid operator conditions have to be assessed;
- when you want to hand over responsibility for technical decisions.
Drawing yourself and installing yourself are two different things. PlanElec documents; the electrical competence comes from the qualified electrician.
Quotation check in seven questions
- Who collects and verifies the starting data?
- Are both plans and all boards included?
- Are calculations included, or only graphical transfer?
- Who checks technical plausibility?
- How are changes and corrections charged?
- Are VAT, travel and the inspection fee shown separately?
- Which editable source format and which PDFs are handed over?
The decision rule
Draw it yourself when the starting data is verified, the project stays manageable and a technical review is arranged for technical questions. Hire a contractor when the as-built state is unknown, design decisions are open, measurements are needed or someone has to take on technical coordination. Often a hybrid route works best: structure the existing information in PlanElec, mark unknowns clearly and have only the points that need electrical judgement reviewed.
Document the assumptions of both options. If the quotation excludes circuit tracing, record who supplies verified assignments. In your own model, value not only the plan price but also learning time, survey and corrections. After work on the installation, the diagram and situation plan show the actual state again.
Hand over the result and the working state
Also compare what remains usable afterwards. A solid handover contains the released PDFs, their version data, the confirmed information behind them and a list of open points. Agree whether editable project data is handed over and who updates it at the next change. Without that agreement, the next extension may need a new survey, whichever route was cheaper at first. With PlanElec, you keep the editable project in your own hands.
Conclusion
Doing it yourself fits when verified data is available and you know the technical limits. Hiring an electrician is the better choice when survey, design or technical responsibility is needed. Calculate with your real quotations and documented time; in both cases the approved inspection body carries out the inspection. How the price of an electrical plan is built up is explained in How much does an electrical plan cost?.