What should I charge for handyman work?

Handyman pricing has to cover more than the labor itself: materials, the truck, fuel between jobs, tools that wear out, and the drive time between calls. Price the job the way the pros do — add your materials, labor, and costs, then a markup for overhead and profit to reach your bid.

Price a job the way contractors actually do it: add up what the job costs you, then add a markup for your overhead and profit. Fill in your numbers — your bid updates as you type.

What this job costs you

Materials & supplies ($) — your cost for everything you'll buy for this job

Other direct costs ($) — fuel, equipment rental, disposal fees, permits

Your labor

Not sure what to charge for your time? Employed maintenance & repair workers earn a median of about $23.84/hr (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A self-employed labor rate is typically higher — roughly $35–$50/hr (about 1.5–2×) — because it also has to cover self-employment tax, the benefits an employer would otherwise pay, and the hours that cannot be billed.

Hours this job will take

Your hourly labor rate ($) — what your time is worth per hour; e.g. $35–$50

Hired help ($) — paid to a helper or subcontractor; leave blank if solo

Your markup — overhead & profit

This is where your business actually makes money. Industry standard is roughly 20–30% overall for contractors; solo operators often need the higher end to cover insurance, tools, truck, admin time, and slow weeks. Adjust to fit your business.

Markup on your costs (%)

Materials & supplies	$0
Your labor (0 hrs × $0)	$0
Hired help	$0
Other direct costs	$0
Your costs (subtotal)	$0
Markup (30% — overhead & profit)	$0
Bid price	$0

Pricing method and standard percentages from contractor-industry sources (Angi, Buildern, NAHB): overall contractor markup 20–30%, materials markup 7.5–35%, labor markup 25–50%, recommended profit margin 15–25%. A markup is a percentage of your costs; the resulting margin (share of the bid that's profit) is lower — both are shown above. These are general benchmarks, not a guarantee for your market.

What your markup has to cover

The markup in your bid covers the costs no single job shows. For handyman work, your overhead typically includes truck payment and fuel, liability insurance, tool replacement, consumables (screws, caulk, blades), phone, and advertising. None of that appears on one job, but all of it is paid out of the markup added to every job. Published contractor guidance (Angi, NAHB) puts a typical overall markup at 20–30%.

Be realistic about your hours

Drive time between jobs, quoting visits, and material runs mean a 9-hour day often contains only 5–6 billable hours. Price off billable hours, not hours away from home — and set a minimum job charge (commonly 1–2 hours) so small jobs don’t lose money.

Handyman pricing FAQs

Should a handyman charge for drive time?

Most don’t bill drive time as a line item — they build it into their labor rate, add it to the job’s hours, or charge a service-call fee. If your jobs average 45 minutes of windshield time, fold that into the hours or labor rate you enter, or add it under other direct costs.

How do I price materials on handyman jobs?

Materials are charged at cost plus a markup covering pickup time, returns, and the carrying cost of buying them before the client pays. Published contractor guidance puts a typical materials markup at 7.5–35%, varying by trade and market (Angi, Buildern, NAHB).

Do I need insurance to work as a handyman?

General liability insurance is strongly recommended and often required for property-management work — typically $500–$1,500 a year for a solo operator. Include it in your expenses here so your rate covers it. Licensing rules vary by state and by the dollar size of the job, so check your state’s contractor board.