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.
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?"