Pricing & Estimates

Most small trade businesses do not fail for lack of work. They fail because the work they do is priced too low to pay for everything around it: the drive to the job, the quote visit that never turned into a sale, the insurance, the van, the phone, and the owner's own time.

The guides in this section start from your numbers, not from what the competitor down the road charges. You will see how to work out your real cost per hour, how to turn it into an hourly rate or a flat price, when a minimum job charge makes sense, and how much margin a healthy trade business keeps.

There are guides for specific trades (painting, handyman work, lawn care, pressure washing, cleaning), because each one prices differently: by the square foot, by the visit, by the room or by the hour. There are also guides on the paperwork side, like writing an estimate that customers understand and accept.

If you want a quick answer for one job, use the Job Price Calculator. If you want to understand the method behind it, start with the complete pricing guide.