Free tool
Contractor Hourly Rate Calculator
Enter the pay you want, your overhead, and how many hours you can actually bill. See the rate you need to charge to cover your costs and turn a real profit — instantly, in your browser.
Benchmarks
Typical hourly rates by trade
Wide, conservative ranges for fully-loaded solo rates in the US. Real rates swing hard with region, licensing, and demand — treat these as sanity-check bands, not pricing advice. The calculator above gives you a number built from your costs.
| Trade | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Handyman / odd-jobs | $60–$90 |
| Painting | $50–$85 |
| Landscaping | $50–$90 |
| General contractor | $70–$120 |
| Carpentry / remodeling | $70–$110 |
| Plumbing | $80–$150 |
| Electrical | $80–$150 |
| HVAC | $90–$160 |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I figure out what to charge per hour?
Start with three numbers: the pay you want to take home for the year, your annual business overhead (insurance, truck, fuel, tools, phone, software, marketing), and how many hours you can actually bill a customer for. Add pay and overhead, divide by billable hours, then add a profit margin on top. This calculator does all of that for you.
Why isn't it just my salary divided by 2,080 hours?
Because that math is how contractors go broke. A 40-hour week isn't 40 billable hours — driving, quoting, supply runs, invoicing, and admin are unpaid. Most solo trades bill only 60–70% of the hours they work. And your rate has to cover overhead and profit, not just your paycheck. Divide your salary by 2,080 and you'll undercharge by half.
What are billable hours and why do they matter so much?
Billable hours are the hours you can actually put on an invoice. If you work 40 hours but spend 14 of them driving, quoting, and doing paperwork, you only have 26 billable hours — and those 26 have to pay for all 40. Lowering your billable-hours percentage is the single biggest reason a 'reasonable-looking' rate still loses money.
Should I include profit on top of my own pay?
Yes. Your pay is a cost of the business, just like materials. Profit is what's left over after everyone — including you — is paid. It's the buffer that covers slow months, replaces a broken tool, and lets you grow. A healthy small trade business targets 10–20% profit on top of fully covering pay and overhead.
Does this calculator save my numbers?
No — it runs entirely in your browser and nothing leaves your device. When you're ready to turn your rate into a real, branded quote you can text or email to a customer, that's what JobEstimator is for — 14-day free trial, no credit card to start.
Next, sanity-check your job pricing with the markup vs. margin calculator, or see all the free contractor tools.