HANDYMAN PRICING GUIDE

Should a handyman charge hourly or flat rate?

Both can work. The better choice depends on how predictable the task is, how well you know your production time, and how clearly the scope can be defined.

Use hourly pricing when scope is uncertain or investigative. Use flat rate when you can define the result and estimate the productive time reliably. In either case, know what each productive hour needs to contribute.

Why an hourly rate can still be too low

If you charge only for time at the customer's house, the rate must also support travel, quoting, purchasing, tool loading, bookkeeping, callbacks, and overhead.

Why flat rate can reward efficiency

When the scope is clear, a flat price lets the customer know the cost and allows an efficient operator to keep the benefit of completing the work faster—provided the estimate was based on realistic historical production.

Use a minimum service charge

A 30-minute repair can occupy several hours of business capacity once travel, scheduling, materials, and invoicing are included. A minimum charge can keep tiny jobs from consuming the day at a loss.

Flat-rate check: (price − direct job costs) ÷ productive hours = contribution per productive hour

Do not discount scope you still have to perform

If the customer's budget is lower, remove or defer scope rather than automatically lowering the price for identical work.

Find your private hourly target—even if you quote flat rate

Run the free Profit Checkup