How do I calculate my day rate as a tradesperson?

Add the income you want to earn before tax to your annual business costs, then divide by the number of days you can realistically bill in a year (usually 200 to 220, not 260). The result is the minimum day rate you need to charge. Add a profit buffer on top for headroom.

How many billable days are there in a year?

There are about 260 weekdays in a year, but once you subtract holidays, sick days, quoting, buying materials, admin and quiet periods, most self-employed tradespeople realistically bill 200 to 220 days.

Does the day rate include tax?

No. This calculator works out the rate you need to charge to hit a target income before tax, after covering business costs. You still need to set aside money for income tax and National Insurance from what you earn.

Tradesman Day Rate Calculator (UK 2026) — Free

Your numbers

Income you want a year (before tax)

What you want to earn for yourself, before income tax and National Insurance.

Your annual business costs

Van, fuel, tools, insurance, phone, software, accountant, pension — everything you spend to trade.

Billable days a year

~260 weekdays minus holidays, sickness, quoting, materials runs and quiet spells. Most bill 200–220.

Hours in a working day

Used to work out your equivalent hourly rate.

Profit buffer (optional)

Headroom for jobs that overrun and quiet weeks. 10–20% is sensible.

What you need to charge

Suggested day rate

£260

incl. 10% profit buffer

Minimum day rate (break-even on target)£236

Equivalent hourly rate£33

You need to bill a year£52,000

Turnover at suggested rate£57,200

Heads up: at this turnover you stay under the £90,000 VAT threshold.

Working under CIS? Try the CIS deduction calculator as well — it works out what a contractor should hold back from a subcontractor invoice.

How the calculation works

Your day rate isn’t a guess — it comes from your own numbers. We add the income you want to your business costs to get the total you need to bill in a year, then divide by your billable days. That gives your minimum day rate. The suggested rate adds your profit buffer on top so a couple of overruns or a quiet fortnight don’t put you in the red.

How your result compares (UK, 2026)

Use these typical ranges as a sanity check, not a target. Where you work matters more than almost anything else.

Region	Typical day rate
London & South East	£280–£450+
Midlands & South West	£200–£350
North, Wales, Scotland & NI	~10–15% below average

Want the full breakdown by trade and how to quote your rate without underselling? Read how much a tradesman should charge per day in 2026. And once you know your number, see how to send a professional quote in under 60 seconds.

Note: This is a general guide, not financial advice. The result is a target rate before tax — set aside for income tax and National Insurance separately. Typical ranges are market guidance for 2026 and vary widely by location, trade and experience.

Tradesman Day Rate Calculator

Your numbers

What you need to charge

How the calculation works

How your result compares (UK, 2026)

Know your rate? Quote it in seconds.