InvoiceCraftWhat Tradespeople Charge: 2026 Pricing Report
Rate benchmarks across 10 US service trades, compiled from the pricing guidance behind InvoiceCraft's trade invoice tools. One page, citable, updated yearly.
Most published pricing data tells homeowners what a job costs. This report shows the other side: what the businesses doing the work bill in 2026, expressed as the ranges practicing tradespeople recognize. Writers, researchers, and trade bloggers are welcome to cite it (see the citation note at the end).
Contents
- Hourly labor rates by trade
- Service call and diagnostic fees
- Parts and materials markup
- Common job benchmarks
- After-hours and emergency premiums
- Methodology and citation
Hourly labor rates by trade, 2026
| Trade | Standard hourly | Premium / specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | $85–$150 | $150–$300 (after-hours, emergency) |
| Electrical | $85–$130 | $130–$200 (master, specialty) |
| HVAC | $85–$150 | $110–$190 (commercial) |
| Auto repair (per book hour) | $80–$150 | $130–$220 (dealership) |
| Handyman | $50–$100 | — |
| Painting (per painter) | $40–$75 | — |
| Cleaning (solo equivalent) | $40–$75 | — |
| Landscaping (per person) | $45–$75 | — |
| Freelance (dev / design) | $75–$150 | $150–$300 (senior specialist) |
| Freelance (writing / editing) | $40–$120 | — |
Note the pattern: licensed trades cluster at $85–$150, unlicensed service trades at $40–$100, and knowledge work spans both depending on specialization. Regional spread within any band runs 25–40% between rural Southern and coastal metro markets.
Service call and diagnostic fees, 2026
| Trade | Typical fee | Commonly credited toward repair? |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | $75–$150 | Often |
| Electrical | $100–$200 | Often |
| HVAC | $95–$200 | Often |
| Auto repair (diagnostic) | $80–$150 | Often |
| Roofing (inspection) | $150–$300 | Often |
The crediting convention matters: fees are widely credited against approved same-visit work, which preserves the filter against price shopping without making the trip free.
Parts and materials markup, 2026
| Trade | Typical markup over cost |
|---|---|
| Plumbing | 30–50% |
| Electrical | 20–50% |
| HVAC (sliding by part price) | 30% to 3x |
| Auto repair | 30–50% over wholesale |
| Handyman | 20–40% |
| Painting (paint and sundries) | 20–40% |
| Landscaping (plants, mulch, soil) | 25–50% |
Across trades, markup percentage falls as part price rises: small fittings commonly carry 50%+ while big-ticket equipment carries 20–30%. The markup funds sourcing, stocking, returns, and the warranty the installer carries on the part.
Common job benchmarks, 2026
| Job | Typical 2026 US range |
|---|---|
| Drain cleaning (plumbing) | $150–$300 |
| Water heater replacement (tank) | $800–$1,500 |
| 200A electrical panel replacement | $1,500–$4,000 |
| Level 2 EV charger installed | $750–$2,000 |
| Central AC replacement | $4,000–$8,000 |
| Furnace replacement (gas) | $3,000–$7,000 |
| Asphalt roof replacement (single family) | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Interior room painted (walls) | $300–$600 |
| Standard house cleaning (visit) | $120–$250 |
| Lawn mowing (residential visit) | $40–$80 |
| Brake pads installed (per axle) | $150–$300 |
| Tree removal (30–60 ft) | $500–$1,000 |
| House pressure wash (soft wash) | $200–$450 |
After-hours and emergency premiums
The near-universal convention across licensed trades is 1.5x to 2x standard labor for after-hours, weekend, holiday, and emergency response, with storm and disaster work (tree, roofing) at the top of that band. Trades with perishable schedule slots (cleaning, grooming, training, tutoring) express the same economics as cancellation fees, commonly 50–100% of the visit price inside 24 hours.
Methodology and citation
These ranges are the pricing guidance maintained for InvoiceCraft's per-trade invoice tools and AI line-item drafting, first published July 2026 and reviewed against market data when each trade guide is updated. They describe typical billing by insured, established US small businesses; individual markets and operators legitimately sit outside any range. Detailed per-trade math lives in the individual guides: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, handyman, landscaping, cleaning, painting, roofing, auto repair, and freelance.
Related
- Labor Rate Calculator: build your hourly rate from income, overhead, and billable hours
- Markup Calculator: markup, margin, and price from cost
- All free invoice templates