“What should I charge?” is the question every tradesperson wrestles with, and getting it wrong in either direction costs you. Price too high and you lose the job; price too low and you work yourself into the ground for less than you’d earn employed. This guide covers what UK tradespeople are charging in 2026, how to work out your own number, and how to quote it with confidence.
Average UK day rates in 2026
Across the trades, most self-employed tradespeople in the UK charge somewhere between £200 and £350 per day outside London, rising to £280–£450+ in London and the South East. Hourly rates typically land between £30 and £70, with emergency and out-of-hours call-outs charged higher.
Here’s a rough guide by trade. Treat these as a starting point, not gospel — your rate depends on your skill, your area and the job.
| Trade | Typical hourly | Typical day rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician | £40–£70 | £250–£400 |
| Plumber | £40–£65 | £250–£400 |
| General builder | £25–£45 | £200–£350 |
| Joiner / carpenter | £30–£50 | £200–£350 |
| Painter & decorator | £25–£40 | £180–£320 |
| Roofer | £30–£50 | £220–£380 |
Why region matters so much
Where you work shifts these numbers more than almost anything else. As a rule of thumb for 2026:
- London & South East: 15–30% above the national average.
- South West & Midlands: roughly at the national average.
- North East, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland: typically 10–15% below.
Don’t copy a London rate if you work in Carlisle, and don’t undercut yourself with a North East rate if your diary is full in Surrey. Price for your market.
How to work out your own day rate
Averages are a sanity check, not a business plan. Your real rate should come from your own numbers. Here’s the calculation:
- Decide the income you want. Say you want to take home £40,000 a year.
- Add your business costs. Van, fuel, tools, insurance, phone, software, accountant, pension — for many sole traders this is £10,000–£15,000 a year. Add it on top: £52,000.
- Work out your billable days. There are about 260 weekdays in a year. Knock off holidays, sick days, quoting, invoicing, buying materials, slow weeks and chasing payments and you’re realistically billing 200–220 days, not 260.
- Divide. £52,000 ÷ 210 billable days = £248 per day as your minimum. Anything below that and you’re going backwards.
That minimum is your floor. Your actual quoted rate should sit above it to leave room for profit, tax and the inevitable jobs that overrun.
Don’t want to do the maths? Use our free tradesman day rate calculator — pop in the income you want, your costs and your billable days, and it works out the rate for you.
Day rate or hourly — which to quote
Both have their place:
- Day rate works for jobs that fill a day or more. It’s simpler to quote and protects you if the work takes a bit longer than planned.
- Hourly rate works for short repairs and call-outs. Set a minimum charge (often a half-day or a fixed call-out fee) so a 20-minute job is still worth your time and travel.
- Fixed price per job is what most customers actually prefer to see on a quote. Work it out from your day rate plus materials, but present one clear number.
Don’t forget VAT and tax in your pricing
The headline rate isn’t what you keep. Set aside for income tax and National Insurance, and if your turnover is heading past £90,000 you’ll need to think about VAT registration — which changes how you price for domestic versus commercial customers. Build tax into your rate from day one rather than getting a shock in January.
How Yoley helps you quote the right number
Once you know your rate, Yoley makes it quick to turn it into a professional quote. Save your day rate and common line items as kit bundles and templates, then build a branded quote in under a minute and send it by email or SMS. When the customer says yes, the quote converts straight to an invoice with a payment link built in — all free, no monthly fee. See how to send a professional quote in under 60 seconds.