Pick your trade and state. Get the going rate — what customers pay in your market, with standard contractor markup built in. Numbers from BLS wage data.
Recommended rate
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Job estimate
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vs. national avg
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Rates from BLS OEWS 2023 with standard trade markup. Actual rates vary by experience, materials, and local competition. Range = ±15% of median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2023. Markup factors reflect industry norms (2.5x–3.5x labor) not individual business costs.
| Trade | Markup factor | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning, Lawn Care, Pressure Washing | 2.5× | Low materials, mostly labor |
| Landscaping | 2.5× | Equipment costs offset some margin |
| Painting | 2.75× | Paint and prep materials add cost |
| Plumbing, Electrical | 3.0× | Licensing requirements, materials, liability |
| HVAC, Roofing, Pest Control | 3.5× | Specialty equipment, certifications, seasonal risk |
These are industry norms, not rules. Your actual rate depends on your costs, local competition, and what the market bears.
A California cleaner charges 45% more than one in Mississippi — same work, different market. State wage differentials come from cost of living, local competition density, and what customers in that area expect to pay.
If you're pricing off national blog posts, you may be underselling in high-cost markets (California, New York, Alaska, Hawaii) or overpricing in lower-cost ones. The calculator above uses BLS state-level wage data with standard markup applied — so the number reflects what customers actually pay in your state, not a blog-post average from 2019.
Depends on the trade and state. Plumbers and electricians typically charge $65–$120/hr. Cleaners and lawn care run $35–$65/hr. HVAC and roofing: $75–$140/hr. Use the calculator above to see the going rate for your specific trade in your state. The ranges account for experience, job complexity, and local variation.
The markup — typically 2.5x to 3.5x labor depending on your trade. That gap covers overhead (insurance, fuel, equipment, admin), materials, and your actual business profit. The BLS wage is what workers earn. The customer rate is what businesses charge. Both are shown in the calculator — the hourly rate shown is already the customer-facing number.
Usually yes — commercial jobs often pay 10–30% more due to larger scope, faster payment terms, and the professional environment. Some trades (cleaning, landscaping) see bigger premiums on commercial. The rates in this calculator skew toward residential. Add 15–25% for commercial contracts as a starting point.
Estimate the hours, multiply by your rate, add materials. The job estimate in the calculator does this automatically for common job sizes. For an actual proposal — with scope of work, line items, terms, and a link your client can click to accept — BidMaker generates one from a short job description.
BidMaker turns your scope of work into a professional proposal in under 5 minutes. Client gets a link to accept. You get notified when they do.
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60 guides covering what customers pay for landscaping, cleaning, HVAC, construction, and more. Actual market data, not averages from 2019.
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