Pricing Your Trade Services in Ireland

The Undercharging Epidemic

Here's something most tradespeople won't admit publicly: they haven't properly calculated what they need to charge per hour to make a decent living.

Instead, they look at what others are charging (or what they think others are charging), undercut it slightly, and hope for the best. The result? Long hours, full diaries, and not enough money in the bank at the end of the month.

Pricing isn't about what the market will bear. It's about what you need to charge to run a profitable business, pay yourself properly, and have something left over. Let's work it out.

Step 1: Know Your Costs

Before you can set your rate, you need to know your actual costs. All of them.

Fixed Monthly Overheads

These costs hit you whether you're working or not:

| Cost | Typical Monthly Amount | |------|----------------------| | Van payment / lease | €300–500 | | Van insurance | €100–200 | | Van fuel | €250–400 | | Public liability insurance | €80–150 | | Tools and equipment (amortised) | €100–200 | | Phone and broadband | €50–80 | | Software and subscriptions | €30–60 | | Accountant | €80–150 | | Workwear and PPE | €20–40 | | Training and certifications | €30–60 | | Marketing / website | €30–80 | | Miscellaneous | €50–100 | | Total monthly overheads | €1,120–2,020 |

Let's use €1,500/month as a middle figure. That's €18,000 per year in overheads before you pay yourself a cent.

Variable Costs Per Job

These vary by job but need to be covered:

Materials (covered by what you charge the customer, with markup)
Subcontractors (if applicable, charged to the job)
Skip hire, specialist equipment (charged to the job)

Variable costs should be recovered in your job pricing. Your hourly/daily rate needs to cover overheads + your salary + profit.

Step 2: Calculate Your Hourly Rate

Here's the formula:

The Hourly Rate Formula

Hourly Rate = (Target Salary + Annual Overheads + Profit Target) ÷ Billable Hours Per Year

Let's work through it:

How Many Billable Hours Do You Actually Have?

This is where most people go wrong. You do NOT have 52 weeks × 5 days × 8 hours = 2,080 billable hours.

| Factor | Deduction | |--------|-----------| | Total working weeks | 52 | | Holidays | -4 weeks | | Bank holidays | -1.5 weeks | | Sick days / downtime | -1 week | | Available weeks | 45.5 weeks | | Working days per week | 5 | | Available days | 227.5 | | Non-billable time per day (admin, travel, quoting) | 1.5–2 hours | | Billable hours per day | 6 hours | | Total billable hours per year | 1,365 |

1,365 hours. Not 2,080. This is the number that matters.

Putting It Together

| Component | Amount | |-----------|--------| | Target salary (what you want to take home, before tax) | €55,000 | | Annual overheads | €18,000 | | Profit margin (10% on turnover, for business growth) | €8,000 | | Total revenue needed | €81,000 | | ÷ Billable hours (1,365) | | | Required hourly rate | €59.34 |

Rounded: €60 per hour.

And that's just to pay yourself €55,000 (before income tax, PRSI, and USC — so your take-home is closer to €38,000–42,000).

Want to take home more? The rate goes up. Want to hire someone? It goes up again.

What If €60/Hour Feels High?

It's not. When you factor in everything — holidays, sick days, pension, tools, insurance, training — a €60/hour trade rate is equivalent to an employed salary of roughly €35,000–40,000. That's below the national average.

The difference is that employed people get paid holidays, employer PRSI contributions, and someone else worries about the overheads. You don't. Your rate has to cover all of it.

Step 3: Day Rates by Trade in Ireland (2026)

These are typical day rates (8 hours on site) for experienced tradespeople operating as sole traders in Ireland. Rates vary by region — Dublin and surrounding counties tend to be higher. These are averages, not ceilings.

| Trade | Typical Day Rate (2026) | |-------|------------------------| | General plumber | €350–450 | | Plumber (gas/oil certified) | €400–500 | | Electrician (domestic) | €350–450 | | Electrician (commercial/industrial) | €400–550 | | Carpenter / joiner | €300–400 | | Bricklayer / blocklayer | €350–450 | | Plasterer | €350–450 | | Tiler | €300–400 | | Painter & decorator | €280–380 | | Roofer | €350–500 | | General builder | €350–450 | | Landscaper | €280–380 |

Important Notes

These are labour-only rates — materials are charged separately
Rates for emergency/out-of-hours work are typically 1.5–2× the standard rate
Specialist skills command premium rates (underfloor heating, solar, heat pumps, EV chargers)
Newly qualified tradespeople will be at the lower end
If you're consistently fully booked, your rate is too low — raise it

Fixed Price vs Hourly: When to Use Each

Charge Fixed Price When:

You can accurately estimate the scope — standard jobs you've done many times
The customer wants certainty — most homeowners prefer knowing the total cost upfront
You're efficient — if you can do a boiler install in 5 hours and the fixed price covers 7, you make more per hour
The risk of overrun is low — new builds, straightforward installations

Examples: Boiler installs, bathroom renovations, rewires, kitchen plumbing, standard painting jobs

Charge Hourly When:

The scope is uncertain — repair work, diagnostics, snag lists
The job could be simple or complex — you won't know until you open up the wall
The customer keeps changing their mind — hourly protects you from scope creep
It's a small job — call-outs and minor repairs

Examples: Fault finding, emergency repairs, day rate for builders, maintenance work

The Hybrid Approach

Many tradespeople use a combination: fixed price for the agreed scope, hourly for any extras or variations. This gives the customer certainty on the main work while protecting you from scope creep.

"Kitchen plumbing as quoted: €2,800 (fixed). Any additional work requested will be charged at €55/hour plus materials."

How to Raise Your Prices

If you haven't raised your rates in the last 12 months, you've effectively given yourself a pay cut (inflation was over 4% in 2024–2025).

When to Raise Prices

You're booked out 3+ weeks ahead — demand exceeds supply, so prices should rise
Your costs have increased — materials, fuel, insurance, and living costs all go up
You've gained new skills or certifications — you're worth more
It's been more than 12 months — annual increases are expected in every industry

How to Raise Prices

For new customers: Just set the new rate. They don't know what you charged before.

For existing customers: Be honest and straightforward.

"Hi [Name], just letting you know that from 1st April, my rates will be increasing to €400/day (from €360). This reflects increased material and operating costs over the past year. I really value your custom and the quality of work remains the same."

How Much to Raise

3–5% — keeps pace with inflation (minimum annual increase)
10–15% — catching up after not raising for 2+ years
15–25% — if you're significantly undercharging compared to market rates

Most customers won't bat an eyelid at a 5% increase. The ones who leave over a small increase were probably price-shopping anyway.

Common Pricing Mistakes

1. Pricing Based on What Others Charge

You don't know what other tradespeople actually charge (people exaggerate and understate in equal measure). And even if you did, their cost structure is different from yours. Price based on YOUR numbers.

2. Not Charging for Travel Time

If a job is 45 minutes away, that's 1.5 hours of driving per day. Either build it into the price or add a call-out fee. Don't absorb it.

3. Forgetting to Update Material Prices

Material costs change constantly. If your price list is from 2024, you're probably undercharging. Review your material costs quarterly.

4. Quoting the Same Rate for Every Job

Not all jobs are equal. Emergency work, complex jobs, awkward access, and jobs with tight deadlines all warrant premium pricing. Don't charge the same rate for a straightforward install and a nightmare renovation.

5. Not Charging for Quotes and Site Visits

For large or complex jobs, it's increasingly common (and perfectly reasonable) to charge for detailed quotes and site surveys. A €50–100 survey fee, deducted from the job if they go ahead, filters out time-wasters and values your expertise.

6. Undercharging on Small Jobs

Small jobs have proportionally higher admin, travel, and setup costs. A minimum call-out charge (e.g., €80–120) ensures small jobs are worth your time.

7. Not Tracking Your Actual Profitability

You think you're making good money because you're busy. But busy doesn't mean profitable. Track your costs on every job so you know your true margins. TradeTime does this automatically — every job shows your quoted price, actual costs, and real profit margin.

Your Pricing Checklist

Before you set (or update) your prices, make sure you've covered:

[ ] Calculated your annual overheads
[ ] Set a realistic salary target
[ ] Worked out your actual billable hours (not theoretical)
[ ] Applied the hourly rate formula
[ ] Compared to market rates (as a sanity check, not a target)
[ ] Added material markup (20–40%)
[ ] Included a profit margin for business growth
[ ] Set a minimum call-out charge
[ ] Reviewed pricing quarterly

Key Takeaways

Calculate your rate from your costs — not from what you think others charge
You have fewer billable hours than you think — typically 1,365 per year, not 2,080
Day rates in Ireland range from €280–550 depending on trade and experience
Use fixed pricing for standard jobs, hourly for uncertain work
Raise your prices at least annually — inflation is a silent pay cut
Track your profitability — being busy isn't the same as being profitable

Price With Confidence

Try TradeTime free — built for Irish & UK tradespeople. Automatic markup, job costing, and profit tracking help you price every job right — so you earn what you deserve.