What should you charge per hour?
Most plumbers underprice because they divide by the hours they work instead of the hours they can bill. Put in your real numbers and see what your rate needs to be.
What you want to pay yourself before taxes
Truck, fuel, insurance, tools, phone, software, licenses, advertising
Hours you actually charge for — not driving, quoting, or paperwork. Most solo plumbers bill 20–30 of a 40–50 hour week.
Subtract vacation, holidays, and sick time from 52
Profit on top of your pay — the buffer that lets the business grow and survive slow months. 10–20% is typical.
You should charge at least
$95/hr
Exact break-even + margin: $92/hr, rounded up to the nearest $5
The math behind the number
(Target pay + overhead) ÷ billable hours per year ÷ (1 − profit margin)
Your rate has to cover everything the business costs — truck, fuel, insurance, tools, phone, software, licenses — plus the salary you want, spread only across the hours you can actually invoice. The profit margin on top is what keeps the business alive through slow months and pays for growth.
If the number looks higher than what you charge today, that's the point: it's what staying in business actually costs.
Put your new rate to work with the free estimate template and invoice template.
Pricing questions
How do I calculate my hourly rate as a plumber?
Add the annual pay you want to your annual business overhead, divide by your real billable hours per year (billable hours per week × working weeks), then add a profit margin. Example: ($75,000 + $24,000) ÷ (25 hrs × 48 wks) ≈ $83/hr break-even, or about $95/hr with a 10% margin.
Why should I use billable hours instead of hours worked?
Driving, quoting, picking up parts, and paperwork don’t generate revenue, but they eat your week. Most solo plumbers can only bill 20–30 hours of a 40–50 hour week, so pricing against total hours quietly underprices every job.
What do plumbers typically charge per hour?
Rates vary widely by market, but somewhere in the $75–$150/hour range is common in the U.S., with higher rates in major metros and for emergency work. Your own overhead and target pay matter more than averages — that’s what this calculator computes.
Should I charge hourly or flat rate?
Many plumbers quote flat-rate to the customer but build the price from an internal hourly rate. Either way, you need to know your true hourly cost — this calculator gives you that number.
More billable hours is the other half of the equation
atPlumb cuts the unbillable paperwork — scheduling, invoicing, payment chasing — so more of your week earns your new rate. Flat $29/month.