HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH

How to hire a network engineer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No licence applies to network engineers. Here is how to agree rates, get every password back and keep the network secure.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a network engineer in five steps

  1. Describe the network and the goalUsers, rooms, devices, internet line, and what is wrong or needed.
  2. Agree the rate, minimum and out-of-hours upliftIn writing before the network engineer starts.
  3. Plan any downtimeWhen changes are made and how long the network will be down.
  4. Ask for a security checkFirewall rules, default passwords changed, guest Wi-Fi separated.
  5. Get the documentationSettings, diagrams and every admin password handed over securely.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No law licenses network engineers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Certifications from equipment makers are voluntary; references, written rates and documentation are what count.

Ask about similar installs and a client you can contact.

Cyber Essentials controls

Cyber Essentials, the government-backed scheme developed by the National Cyber Security Centre, includes firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and security updates. Network changes can affect whether you still meet them.

If you hold Cyber Essentials, tell the network engineer and ask them to confirm the changes keep you in line with it. ncsc.gov.uk →

Security of personal data

Data protection rules require your business to keep personal data secure. A badly configured network or open guest Wi-Fi can expose it, and the ICO fee usually applies to the business.

Ask how the network engineer will separate guest and staff networks and protect remote access. gov.uk →

Reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015)

For a home network, a trader's work must be done with reasonable care and skill; if not, you can ask for it to be done again or the price reduced.

Keep the quote and the handover notes. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Network installation and configuration are standard-rated, so a registered network engineer adds 20% to labour, the out-of-hours uplift and the hardware supplied. Registration becomes compulsory once a network engineer has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the network engineer for the VAT number at the survey and for labour, hardware and VAT shown separately. gov.uk →

“What is your network engineer's hourly rate, minimum and out-of-hours uplift?”

A good answer: Figures in writing before the job.

“Will changes be made out of hours to avoid downtime?”

A good answer: A plan for when, how long, and how to roll back if something fails.

“Will you change all default passwords on the network?”

A good answer: Yes, on every router, switch and access point.

“Will guest Wi-Fi be separate from staff systems?”

A good answer: Yes, on its own network.

“How will you test the network after the work?”

A good answer: Speed, coverage and security checks, with results shown.

“How will you hand over the network passwords and settings?”

A good answer: Securely, through a password manager or in person, with a written configuration record.

“Will the changes keep us within Cyber Essentials?”

A good answer: A clear answer if you rely on it.

Getting the quote right

  • Hourly rate, minimum charge and out-of-hours uplift
  • Who actually attends the install: the network engineer named, an employee, or a subcontracted cabling team
  • Hardware, cabling and licences listed separately
  • Survey, configuration and testing included
  • Downtime window and rollback plan
  • Documentation and password handover
  • Travel
  • The VAT number, with VAT at 20% on labour and supplied hardware

Walk away if

  • Leaves default passwords in place
  • Keeps the admin passwords to themselves
  • No documentation at the end
  • Changes made in working hours without warning
  • No rate or minimum in writing
  • Guest Wi-Fi on the same network as staff
LOW
£49
TYPICAL
£69
HIGH
£79

What a network engineer costs: £49–£79 per hour

Network engineers usually charge by the hour with a minimum, quoting fixed prices for planned installs; hardware and cabling are extra. Network Engineer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Network engineers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.

  1. SurveyThe existing network and the problem reviewed.
  2. PlanChanges agreed, with a downtime window.
  3. ConfigurationRouters, switches, firewalls and access points set up.
  4. TestingSpeed, coverage and security checked.
  5. DocumentationSettings and passwords handed over securely.

Firewall
A filter between your network and the internet.
Access point
A device that provides Wi-Fi in an area.
VLAN
A separate virtual network, for example for guests.
VPN
A secure link for remote staff.
Switch
A device that connects wired devices together.
Default password
The factory password, which must be changed.

AFTER

When the job is done

Store the passwords securelyIn a password manager the business controls.
Test from every roomCoverage and speed where staff actually work.
Keep the configuration recordSo any future engineer can understand the network.
Share how it wentYour review helps the next person choose; Locufy only accepts reviews of booked work. If there is a problem with the network engineer, the make-it-right step gives them a chance to fix it first.

STEP 1Put it to the network engineer in writingSet out the problem, the date and what would put it right. Trading as a business, the network engineer owes you reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and where that was missing you can require the work done again or a lower price.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars, you are asked whether to send the problem to the network engineer before reviewing. We chase it with them, and your review follows.
STEP 3Report it through the consumer helplineTrading Standards takes complaints through the national helplines: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland, which is its own helpline there.
STEP 4Go to small claimsIf nothing else works, claim from the network engineer in the small claims court: up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland by simple procedure, and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a network engineer: questions people ask

No. No licence or register applies in any UK nation; maker certifications are voluntary.

Yes, if you hold or want it: firewalls and secure configuration are among its five controls.

Your business, in a password manager, with the engineer's access removed when the work ends.

Usually £49–£79 per hour, with £69 typical. Certifications, on-site work, out-of-hours changes and security work move the hourly rate. See the network engineer price guide for the detail, or enter your town above for network engineers near you.

For a home network, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill; ask for the work to be redone.

Small jobs take a few hours; office installs can take several days.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech

How to hire: IT SupportHow to hire: Managed IT ServicesHow to hire: Cybersecurity ConsultantHow to hire: Computer Setup & InstallationHow to hire: Cloud ConsultantHow to hire: Data RecoveryHow to hire: Computer & Laptop RepairHow to hire: Project ManagerAll 701 hiring guides →

Network engineers near you

Network engineers in LondonNetwork engineers in ManchesterNetwork engineers in BirminghamNetwork engineers in GlasgowNetwork engineers in BelfastAll network engineers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. NCSC — Cyber Essentials overview
  2. gov.uk — data protection and your business
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  5. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  6. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  7. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register