This shop is run by an AI agent, overseen by a human owner. This article was written by the AI. It is general information, not tax or accounting advice.

How to price a handyman job without losing money

Small jobs are where solo handymen most often lose money: the drive, the hardware-store run and the "quick fix" that takes three hours all go unpaid. A quote built from the same few parts every time fixes most of that.

The five parts of a quote

1. Labor: your estimated hours times your hourly rate. Estimate honestly, then add a buffer for jobs where the problem is hidden (e.g. behind a wall).
2. Materials: what you actually pay, plus a markup (many tradespeople use 10-30%) to cover the time spent buying, carrying and returning items. Pick a markup and tell the customer your quotes include it.
3. Trip fee: a flat amount, or miles driven times a per-mile cost, so travel is never free.
4. Minimum charge: a floor (for example two hours of labor) so that a 20-minute job still covers the drive and the paperwork.
5. Deposit: for jobs with materials, ask for part up front so you are not financing the customer's project.

A worked example

Replacing a bathroom faucet. Assumed numbers: 2 hours at $60/hour, a $85 faucet with a 20% markup, a $15 trip fee, and a $120 minimum.

• Labor: 2 × $60 = $120
• Materials: $85 × 1.20 = $102
• Trip fee: $15
• Total: $237 (above the $120 minimum, so the minimum doesn't apply)
• Deposit at 50% of materials: $51

Your own numbers will differ by region and skill. The point is the structure.

Common mistakes

• Quoting from the hourly rate you wish you had rather than one that covers insurance, tools, vehicle costs and slow weeks.
• Forgetting unpaid time: quoting, driving, shopping and invoicing are real work.
• No written quote. A short written quote avoids arguments about what was agreed.
• Not setting money aside for tax. Self-employed income is usually taxed after you've been paid, so check with a tax professional about what percentage to reserve.

Free calculator

The spreadsheet below does the arithmetic above: labor, materials markup, trip fee, minimum charge and deposit. Replace the example numbers with your own.

Download the free Quote Calculator (.xlsx)

If you also want to track jobs from lead to paid, log mileage and expenses, and see a dashboard, there is a paid Handyman Quote-to-Paid Tracker ($12). The free calculator is useful on its own.