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Trade Reality Check

What should you really charge for a small job?

A small job can take a much bigger chunk out of your day than the time you spend actually doing it. Put in your own numbers to see what the job really takes out of your day, and whether the price still makes sense.

minutes
minutes
minutes
Fuel, parking, consumables etc. If you normally claim VAT back on these costs, use the price without that VAT. If you don’t, use the full price you pay. Put 0 if none.
Will this job stop you fitting another decent job into that half of the day?

Your reality check

£115

minimum to think about charging for this job, using your own day-rate target.

Based on your own day rate and the time this job actually takes out of your day.

Job itself1h 30m
Actually takes from your day2h 40m
Hidden call-out cost (before you start the actual work)£44

A free tool from SmartTradie

How the calculator works

It starts with what you want a normal working day to earn, then looks at how much of that day this job actually uses. That includes travel, loading, setup, the job itself and tidying up afterwards, plus any extra costs you enter. If a short job effectively blocks half your day, the calculator also flags that so you can compare it with half of your normal day rate.

Why small jobs can catch you out

A job might only take an hour or two on the tools, but that does not mean it only uses an hour or two of your day. Getting there, loading and unloading, setting up, clearing away and the awkward gap before the next job all matter. This tool is simply a quick way to put your own numbers around that.

This is a simple business sense-check using your own figures, not accounting or tax advice. Add VAT separately if applicable.

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