Transparent pricing
What Does an Arc Flash Study Cost?
Arc flash and power systems studies are priced by device count, number of services, and site count — never hourly. Estimate a range below, then get a written fixed-fee proposal.
Switchboards, panelboards, MCCs, transformer secondaries, bus ducts — the equipment that gets a label. Not individual branch breakers.
Travel affects mobilization cost.
- Field data collection by our engineers
- IEEE 1584 incident energy analysis
- PE-sealed report and updated one-line diagrams
- Arc flash labels for every piece of equipment in scope
A budgetary range only. Your written fixed-fee proposal comes after a no-cost scoping call — device count and site specifics can move the number.
Your written proposal is a fixed fee. Scope changes are only by mutual agreement — no surprise change orders.
For perspective, a single serious OSHA violation carries penalties starting around $16,000.
Rates shown are indicative and calibrated during scoping.
What drives the fee
The single biggest factor is the number of protective devices we model — every breaker, fuse, MCC bucket, disconnect, and transformer becomes a node in your system model. More devices means more field data and more analysis.
Multiple sites add mobilization; multiple studies on the same model cost far less together than separately, because we build the model once and reuse it. If you already have an SKM model, we validate and update it rather than starting over — usually a meaningful discount.
Expedited schedules are available when a shutdown or inspection date is driving the work.
Typical arc flash study cost by facility size
These ranges are for a single site in the Southeast, calculated with the same model as the calculator above. Travel outside the region adds about 12%, and an existing reliable model takes about 10% off.
Have a study already? See if an update is enough Want to see what the fee buys? Sample report
Arc flash study cost FAQ
For a single site in the Southeast, an arc flash study with the short circuit analysis it depends on typically ranges from about $6,000–$8,000 for a small building to roughly $23,000–$38,000 for a 250-location plant. The biggest driver is the number of buses (labeled equipment locations), then sites, studies and travel. Use the calculator for a budgetary range; the written proposal is a fixed fee.
There is no flat per-label price. The first 25 buses carry the most cost per bus (mobilization, utility data, model setup), and the marginal cost per bus drops as the system gets larger. That's why a 250-bus plant costs far less per label than a 10-panel building.
Low quotes usually skip field verification (they model from old drawings), skip the coordination review that sets clearing times, or don't release the model. The labels look the same, but the numbers behind them may not hold up. Compare deliverables side by side; our sample report shows what's included.
Less than buying it separately, because it reuses the same model and field data. In the calculator it adds roughly 45% of the device-driven cost, and it is often where the cheapest incident-energy reductions come from.
Usually, when a reliable native model exists. If the existing study used IEEE 1584-2002 or the model is unavailable, a new study is often close in price.
Find out where your facility stands.
A 10-minute call with a licensed PE — we'll tell you what your study should cover and what it should cost. No obligation.