Quoting & pricing
How to Price a Job: Margins That Keep Your Trade Business Alive
5 min
If you charge $80/hr and think you're making good money, you're probably losing on every job. Here's how to work out the real hourly rate you need.
See how Buzzlink answers calls and books jobs for your trade business.
Key takeaways
The 30-second version if you can't watch right now.
- Charge-out rate = (overheads + wage + profit) ÷ billable hours.
- Billable hours are ~60% of your working day — quoting and travel are unpaid.
- Aim for 20–30% net margin, not just 'busy'.
- Raise prices every 12 months. Always.
The question this video answers
"How do I work out what to charge per hour?"
Frequently asked questions
What's a healthy net margin for trades?
20–30% net for service trades. Under 15% and you're working for free.
Stop missing jobs while you're on the tools
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