Pricing a job so you actually make money

Plenty of trades are flat out and still wondering where the money goes. Nine times out of ten, it's not the workload, it's the pricing.

Cover your real costs

Labour, materials, plant, fuel, waste, the lot. It's the small bits people forget, the trips to the merchants, the parking, the dump runs, that quietly eat your margin.

Add a proper margin, not just a markup

A markup on materials isn't the same as making a profit on the job. Decide the margin you need to run the business and build it in, every time, not just when you remember.

Protect yourself

• Take deposits so a cancellation doesn't leave you out of pocket.
• Charge for travel on jobs further afield.
• Review your prices regularly, costs creep up every year.

The takeaway: price each job knowing your numbers and you stop working hard for nothing. Our job pricing calculator is a good place to start.