Tradesman Day Rates UK 2026: What You Should Be Charging
Knowing what to charge is one of the hardest parts of running a trade business. Charge too little and you're leaving money on the table. Too much and the phone stops ringing.
Here's what tradespeople are actually charging across the UK in 2026.
Average Day Rates by Trade
These figures are based on industry surveys, job platforms, and feedback from tradespeople across the UK:
| Trade | Average Day Rate | London / SE |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | £200–£300 | £280–£400 |
| Electrician | £200–£320 | £280–£420 |
| General Builder | £180–£280 | £250–£380 |
| Carpenter / Joiner | £180–£280 | £250–£350 |
| Roofer | £200–£300 | £280–£400 |
| Plasterer | £180–£260 | £250–£350 |
| Painter & Decorator | £150–£250 | £220–£320 |
| Landscaper | £180–£280 | £250–£350 |
| Gas Engineer | £220–£350 | £300–£450 |
| Tiler | £180–£280 | £250–£350 |
What Affects Your Rate?
Location
London and the South East command 30–50% higher rates than the national average. The Midlands and North sit closer to the lower end. Scotland and Wales are similar to northern England rates.
Experience and Qualifications
A Gas Safe registered engineer or NICEIC certified electrician can charge more than an unqualified tradesperson. Specialist qualifications = higher rates.
Demand
Emergency call-outs and peak seasons (winter for boilers, summer for landscaping) push rates up. If you're turning work away, your rate is too low.
Business Costs
Your day rate needs to cover more than just your wages:
- Van and fuel
- Tools and equipment
- Insurance
- Tax and National Insurance
- Holiday and sick pay (you're paying yourself)
- Quiet periods with no work
How to Calculate Your Ideal Day Rate
Simple formula:
- Target annual income (e.g. £45,000)
- Add annual business costs (e.g. £15,000)
- Total needed: £60,000
- Divide by billable days (220 days, accounting for holidays, admin, quiet periods)
- Day rate: £273
Most tradespeople only bill for about 60–70% of their working days. The rest goes to quoting, admin, travel between jobs, and quiet patches. Factor that in.
For a detailed walkthrough of how to apply day rates to a specific trade, see our guide on how to quote a plumbing job in the UK.
Should You Charge Day Rate or Fixed Price?
Day rate works best for: Ongoing work, maintenance contracts, jobs where the scope might change
Fixed price works best for: Well-defined jobs (bathroom installs, rewires), new customers who want certainty
Most successful tradespeople use fixed pricing for defined jobs and day rates for open-ended work. With Jobnix, you can create both types of quotes in minutes and track which approach wins you more work.
Knowing your day rate is only half the battle. For the quoting mistakes that cost tradespeople jobs, read our guide to the 5 quoting mistakes tradesmen make.
Don't Race to the Bottom
If you're consistently the cheapest quote, you're undercharging. Customers who only care about price are usually the most difficult to work with. Professional quotes, good communication, and reliability are worth more than being £50 cheaper than the competition.