Electrical thermography is usually priced by scope, not by the word "thermography".
Two companies can ask for the same service and receive very different quotations. One site may need a simple scan of a few distribution boards. Another may involve multiple buildings, production constraints, critical equipment, safety access requirements, and a report that must support maintenance planning or stakeholder approval.
That is why a responsible quotation should ask about the work first. If a price is given without understanding the site and expected output, it may be cheaper because important work is missing.
What it costs, in bands.
Most Malaysian suppliers answer this with a form. We would rather answer it with numbers — as indicative bands rather than a fixed price list, because the right figure depends on the site and we are not going to pretend otherwise. These are the ranges our quotes have actually fallen in, before SST, as at August 2026.
From RM1,500 for a site visit, whatever the scope. Below that a job does not cover the day it consumes, and quoting under it would mean recovering the difference somewhere less visible.
Above that floor, thermography is priced by what is actually scanned. Count your assets against these bands and you can size the job yourself before speaking to anyone:
| What is scanned | Indicative, per asset |
|---|---|
| HV transformers and switchgear panels (≤33 kV) | RM150–400 |
| Main and large distribution boards (>300 A) | RM100–150 |
| Medium boards (101–300 A) | RM70–100 |
| Small boards and control panels (≤100 A) | RM50–80 |
| Motors, pumps and capacitor banks | RM100–150 |
| Battery and UPS systems, busduct and busbar runs | quoted per lot, RM300–2,000 |
Two things sit on top. Mobilisation from RM500 a day for sites outside the Klang Valley, covering transport and accommodation. And a verification re-scan after repairs, from RM100 per corrected point — the scan that confirms the fix worked, priced separately rather than folded in silently.
Sizing it yourself
A small factory with one HV switchgear panel, four large boards and ten small ones lands somewhere around RM1,000–1,700 on asset count alone — which is to say, at or near the visit minimum. Add a second building and the asset count, not the floor, starts to set the price. That is the shape of it: small sites are governed by the minimum, larger ones by what is in them.
Partial discharge screening is priced separately, and a combined assessment costs less than buying the two apart. An annual programme is a different arrangement again — a recurring contract with a facility fee per building per visit on top of the asset rates, which is how most sites end up buying this once they have done it twice.
What the price includes, and what it does not
It includes the survey under representative load, every anomaly severity-rated against a stated reference, and the findings in writing with a prioritised order of work. It does not include repairs, parts, or the verification scan afterwards. It does not include partial discharge, oil sampling, insulation resistance testing or relay verification, all of which are separate scopes we quote when the evidence justifies them rather than bundling by default.
For comparison, published Malaysian market guidance puts a thermal scan at roughly RM350–1,500 for a small building and RM1,500–5,000 or more for a large site. Our bands reach similar totals by a different route — per asset rather than per site — which means a quote can be checked line by line instead of taken on trust.
These are indicative and not a quotation. Access conditions, shutdown constraints, reporting requirements and how far apart the boards are will all move the figure, which is why the real number comes back in writing after we have seen the asset list.
Why this question matters.
Cost questions are not just about budget. They also reveal whether the inspection is being scoped as a quick scan, a maintenance-planning exercise, or part of a more complete reliability assessment. If the scope is unclear, the cheapest quote and the most useful quote may not be describing the same work.
A simple scan and a wider assessment are not the same quote
A narrow scan may focus on capturing thermal images and highlighting obvious abnormal heat patterns. A wider assessment may include more assets, deeper reporting, method recommendations, review discussion, and follow-up guidance. Both can be valid, but they should not be compared as if they are the same scope.
What affects the cost?
Number and type of assets
More panels, switchboards, motors, transformers, or distribution points usually mean more site time, more images, and more reporting work.
Site size and location
A single room is different from a multi-building industrial site. Travel, coordination, escort requirements, and site induction can all affect the scope.
Access and operating conditions
Thermography is most useful when equipment is operating under meaningful load. Access limits, safety controls, covers, shutdown windows, and production constraints matter.
Report depth
A basic image record is not the same as a clear report with findings, severity, recommendations, limitations, and maintenance priorities.
Decision support
If the report must support budgeting, corrective action, compliance discussion, or management approval, the output needs to be more useful than a set of images.
Why the cheapest quote may not be the best comparison.
A low price may be perfectly fine for a narrow screening job. But before comparing quotations, check what is included. Does the provider explain limitations? Are thermal images interpreted clearly? Are findings prioritised? Is there a review discussion after the report? Does the quote include follow-up support if a critical issue is found?
The real risk is not paying too much for a scan. The bigger risk is paying for an inspection that does not help the team decide what to do next.
When thermography alone may not be enough.
Thermography is strong for identifying abnormal heat patterns. It does not answer every electrical reliability question. If symptoms suggest insulation condition issues, intermittent faults, unexplained trips, unstable supply, or critical asset risk, other methods such as partial discharge testing or power quality analysis may be more suitable alongside thermography.
What to prepare before asking for a quote.
- Site location and type of facility.
- Approximate number of panels, boards, or assets to inspect.
- Whether equipment can be inspected while operating under load.
- Access, safety, induction, or escort requirements.
- Any known symptoms, past failures, or urgent concerns.
- What the report needs to support: maintenance, budgeting, compliance, or stakeholder discussion.
AMKA's view
A good thermography quote should make the scope clearer, not just give a number. The right question is not only "how much is the scan?" It is "what decision should this inspection help us make?"
Retrieved from https://amkatechnologies.com/insights/thermography-cost-malaysia
Published 2 July 2026 · last updated 21 August 2026. AMKA Technologies Sdn Bhd, SSM 202301041763 (1535682-T).