Plumber day rate calculator
Most plumbers pick a day rate by copying the next firm or guessing what feels right - and end up working flat out for less than they think. Put in the take-home you want, your overheads and the days you can actually charge for, and this works out the day rate and hourly rate you need to hit it.
Your numbers
What you want to actually pay yourself a year.
Van, fuel, insurance, tools, accountant, marketing.
After holiday, sick days, admin and quoting. Around 220 is typical.
Hours you actually charge for on a working day.
That is about £27 an hour - the rate that covers your overheads and pays you £35,000 across 220 billable days.
of urgent callers will not leave a voicemail. They hang up and call the next number.
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Calls are answered, the job is booked, and the details land in your inbox.
How it works
Your day rate has to cover three things: the wage you want to take home, the cost of running the business, and the fact that you cannot charge for all 365 days of the year. The calculator adds your target take-home to your overheads, then divides by the number of days you can realistically bill.
Enter the wage you want to clear in a year after the business has paid its way - the figure that actually lands in your pocket.
Put in the cost of running the business - van, fuel, insurance, tools, phone, accountant and materials waste - so the rate covers all of it.
Adjust the days you can realistically charge for. Around 220 is typical once holiday, sick days, admin and quoting are taken off.
See the day rate and matching hourly rate you need to hit your take-home, and tweak any number to see it update.
Day rate = (take-home + overheads) / billable days Why getting your day rate right matters
Stop undercharging without realising it
Plumbers usually undercharge because they only count the days they are on the tools and forget the overheads. Insurance, van finance, fuel, tools, accountant, phone, materials waste - it all comes out of the rate. Price for the take-home you want after every cost is paid, and you stop working harder for less.
The right rate only works if the diary stays full
A good day rate does nothing if half your billable days sit empty. Every call you miss while you are under a sink is a billable day you never get back. Hey Jodie answers your phone 24/7, books the job and texts you the details, so the days you have priced to charge for actually get filled.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good plumber day rate? +
In the UK a self-employed plumber day rate commonly sits somewhere between about 200 and 400 a day, with London and emergency work higher. But a number off the internet is not your number. The right day rate depends on the take-home you want, your overheads and how many days you can actually bill. Put your own figures in above and it works out the rate that pays you properly.
How do I work out my day rate? +
Start with the take-home you want for the year. Add up every business cost - van, fuel, insurance, tools, phone, accountant, materials waste. Then divide that total by the number of days you can realistically charge for, which is rarely more than about 220. That gives your day rate. This tool does the maths for you and shows the matching hourly rate.
How many billable days are there in a year? +
Far fewer than people assume. From 365 days, take off weekends, around 28 days of holiday, a few sick days, bank holidays, and all the unpaid time spent quoting, buying parts, invoicing and travelling. A full-time sole trader plumber typically bills around 220 days a year. Pricing as if you bill every working day is one of the biggest reasons trades undercharge.
Should I charge a day rate or an hourly rate? +
A day rate suits full-day jobs like bathrooms, full rewires of pipework or boiler swaps, and saves you justifying every hour. An hourly or half-day rate suits short call-outs, small repairs and diagnostics. Most plumbers use both. This calculator gives you a day rate and the hourly rate that matches it, so the two stay consistent and you never quote one that undercuts the other.
How do I stop undercharging? +
Three fixes. First, count every overhead, not just materials. Second, use realistic billable days - around 220, not 260 or 365. Third, price for the take-home you actually want rather than copying the firm down the road. Work it out once with real numbers and you will usually find you have been charging too little for years. That is exactly what this tool is for.
How do I keep my diary full at the right rate? +
A strong day rate only pays off if those billable days get booked. The quickest leak is missed calls - most plumbers miss calls while on the tools, and an urgent caller just rings the next plumber rather than leaving a voicemail. Hey Jodie answers every call 24/7, books the job and texts you the details, so the days you have priced to charge for actually fill up.
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